Bautista doubles in first game for Mets
NEW YORK• Former home run champ Jose Bautista is getting another chance to show he still has pop, this time with the New York Mets. Bautista signed with the Mets two days after being cut by Atlanta.
Needing an extra outfielder, and preferably one who can tag lefthanded pitchers, the Mets signed Bautista and immediately put him in the starting lineup Tuesday night against Miami. The Marlins won 5-1.
Bautista wasn’t in the original starting lineup posted by the Mets. That changed once the 37-year-old nicknamed Joey Bats made it to Citi Field.
“This is something we felt we should try to do,” general manager Sandy Alderson said.
Bautista doubled his first time up. He then scored the Mets’ only run on Tomas Nido’s sacrifice fly.
The Mets recently lost former Gold Glove centre-fielder Juan Lagares to a season-ending toe injury. Slugger Yoenis Cespedes is out with a strained right hip flexor, with no timetable for his return.
“The outfield position has been thin for us,” Alderson said.
Bautista signed for the $545,000 major league minimum. Alderson said the veteran wasn’t considered merely a short-term fix, and said Bautista was told he wouldn’t be playing every day.
Along with the corner outfield spots, Bautista could possibly see action at third base and first base, too. Alderson said the newcomer was aware his performance would determine his playing time.
“He’s got excellent numbers against lefties,” Alderson said.