It is sort of amazing just how different the acquisition of Luis Robert Jr. looks in October than it did in January. Robert was brought in to play center field and be an offensive upgrade over Tyrone Taylor. Even though a lot of the underlying tools looked problematic, the possibility of 25+ HR power, elite center field defense, and above average speed was an enticing mix.
Unfortunately, like has been the case with Robert for much of his career, injuries got in the way. Robert was on the injured list with back issues from April 30 to July 20. And the team that he came back to was a very, very different one from the one he left.
Specifically, the team he returned to had A.J. Ewing manning center field and doing his best Luis Robert impression.
In 58 games for the Mets, Robert hit .223/.303/.399 with 10 home runs, while playing a good center field. Ewing played just about twice as many games as Robert did, and he hit .252/.324/.376 with 11 home runs. Ewing was not a perfect player for the Mets this year, and his age and inexperience showed. He has a lot of work to do on his game, but his natural abilities, especially his speed on both sides of the ball, presented a player that has looks like he may be able to grow into what Robert has been at his best, and do so for the league minimum salary.
When Robert returned from the IL, Ewing was already firmly ensconced as the everyday center fielder, and it looked like Robert wasn't long for the team. While they couldn't find a trade partner for him, he was claimed off of waivers by the Orioles in August. With a $20 million option on the table, the Mets just didn't have a need for Robert as a fourth outfielder, and the team wasn't going to put him on the depth chart ahead of Ewing.
It is a shame how his story with the Mets ended, because Robert looked like a fantastic fit for the club: some real power, decent speed on the basepaths, and bona fide elite center field defense. But you can't blame the team for prioritizing developing a young player versus overpaying an older one, and that's exactly what the Mets did.
