THE METS WANT VERDUGO BECAUSE HE USED TO BE A YANKEE

The New York Mets seem unable to escape the shadow of their cross-town rivals, our Yankees. Their latest move? Reportedly eyeing Alex Verdugo, a player who, while talented, symbolizes yet another attempt to mimic the Bronx Bombers. The Mets' obsession with being "Yankee-lite" is becoming embarrassing.

Verdugo is still a great player, and he has piqued the Mets' interest despite his underwhelming offensive performance in 2024. The potential acquisition of Verdugo, who remains a young, skilled player with a solid career batting record and valuable defensive versatility, has sparked intrigue. However, it also raises eyebrows given the Mets' apparent fixation on copying the Yankees' strategies and former players.

Chris Cotillo of MassLive.com reports that the Mets are among several teams interested in Verdugo. Cotillo shared, “(Pittsburgh Pirates) are indeed hot after Alex Verdugo and are a team to watch there, as Robert Murray reported. Other teams like Mets, (Toronto Blue Jays) involved, too. Adding two other teams to this mix, with Pirates leading the pack: (Houston Astros) and (Los Angeles Angels) at least checked in like Toronto, and Mets did.”

We reported on the Pirates and their interest in ALEX VERDUGO MAY HAVE FOUND A HOME.

Anyway, the potential move seems puzzling for the Mets, as highlighted by Rising Apple, a Mets blog, which stated, "...he seems like a puzzling fit on the Mets' current roster with Juan Soto, Tyrone Taylor, Brandon Nimmo, Jose Siri, and Starling Marte all occupying outfield spots at this time." The redundancy in the outfield lineup suggests that this move might be more about chasing the Yankees' ghosts than addressing actual team needs in my opinion. It's silly.

Steve Cohen’s apparent obsession with the Yankees and their former players, instead of focusing on genuinely improving the Mets’ roster, is perplexing. Verdugo, while unlikely to carry a hefty price tag due to his downgraded value after last season, still seems like a strange fit for a team that should be carving its own identity, not borrowing from the Yankees’ playbook.

Whatever... they are still just the Mets.