Mets acquire Daniel Vogelbach in exchange for Colin Holderman

The Mets made their first major deadline acquisition, and while it’s not quite Juan Soto, it does address a hole in the offense. The club has acquired first baseman/designated hitter Daniel Vogelbach from the Pittsburgh Pirates in exchange for relief pitcher Colin Holderman, giving the team a left-handed designated hitter option it has sorely lacked this year.

Vogelbach’s straight offensive numbers this season have been solid, as the veteran slugger has put up a slashline of .228/.338/.430 with 12 homers and a 118 wRC+ in 278 plate appearances. However, the true value he offers to the Mets becomes clear when you look at his platoon splits, as Vogelbach—a left-handed hitter—has demolished righty pitchers to the tune of a 133 wRC+ while only putting up a measly 33 wRC+ against lefties. As such, it stands to reason that he will serve as the lefty side of a platoon at DH, with either J.D. Davis or (in a more ideal world) another deadline acquisition getting the majority of starts against lefty starters.

As for the cost, it’s not nothing. While Colin Holderman was not a name many people recognized before this year, he has established himself as a promising bullpen option for the Mets, as he’s put up a 2.04 ERA in 17.2 innings over 15 appearances thus far in his big league career. He has provided some much-needed stability to a bullpen that has needed it in 2022, but with the Mets presumably scouring the trade market for bullpen help and Trevor May on his way back, the team presumably felt that he was expendable. In the short-term, Yoan López has been called up to fill in Holderman’s spot on the roster.