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Free agents who hit .279/.343/.514 and rack up 9.1 fWAR over their last three seasons normally carry a pretty large price tag. That probably won’t be the case this offseason for Corey Hart, which explains why about a dozen teams, including the Mets, are interested in his services, according to Mike Puma of the New York Post.
Hart missed all of the 2013 season because he needed surgery for both knees, but the inherent risk of signing a player after missing a full year also means a reduced price tag. With everyone looking for a bargain, it’s no wonder that nearly half the league is interested in the right-handed first baseman and outfielder.
That includes the Mets, who have a logjam of uninteresting options at first base and at least two holes in the outfield. Many believe the team will trade either Ike Davis or Lucas Duda, depending on which first baseman will bring back the best return. Since they are both left-handed hitters, Hart could platoon with whoever isn’t traded. The plan would make sense to keep Hart fresh, although it would leave him at the short end of the platoon despite being the better player.
Hart, who will be 32 on Opening Day, has spent his entire career with the Brewers, nearly all of it as an outfielder before playing 103 games at first in 2012. The Mets would probably be tempted to throw him out in right field, but most teams will likely look at him as a first baseman in an attempt to keep him healthy.