Reports: Mets Pursuing Darren O’Day

Multiple reports say the Mets are in hot pursuit of reliever Darren O’Day, along with pretty much every other team is baseball. While O’Day would look good in the blue and orange (again!), he is a luxury the Mets cannot afford.

Those reports say O’Day is looking for a four-year deal in the $26 million-to-$36 million range. And with so many teams apparently wanting him, do not be surprised if the price goes even higher.

If the Mets had an unlimited budget, or even a higher one, it would make sense to sign him. But unfortunately, they do not. Does it make sense to spend upwards of $10 million per season on a set-up man, regardless of how good he is? For the Mets, the answer has to be no.

And don’t forget, Darren O’Day is already 33 years old. Do you want to be locked into paying that kind of money in the last two years of his contract?

Of course, the Mets could have had O’Day cheaply for the past seven years. He was a Met for about a minute in 2009. He was a Rule-5 pickup that off-season and after less than a month into the 2009 season, the Mets waived him. He pitched well in four games, but Omar Minaya just had to have Nelson Figueroa on the roster, and O’Day was cut to make room for him (the Minaya/Latino conspiracy theories rear their ugly head again).

In his eight-year career, O’Day has pitched to a sub-2.00 ERA three times. In three other seasons, he was in the low twos. Still, the Mets would be advised to spend their limited money elsewhere, like finding a big bat. There are other relievers who can do what Darren O’Day does at a fraction of the price.