The Mets have found their left-handed DH option.
The Mets have acquired 1B/DH Daniel Vogelbach from the Pittsburgh Pirates in exchange for RHP Colin Holderman.
"We wanted to get an offensive player in here," said Mets GM Billy Eppler. "And we think we did that in landing Vogie, and somebody that's really excelled against right-handed pitching. And I think we all kind of know that two-thirds of the pitchers we face are right-handed. He can be a presence in the order."
SNY MLB insider Andy Martino reported earlier this week that the Mets and Pirates were in active trade discussions about Vogelbach, with the Mets also looking to trade Dom Smith.
"We make this trade just about what we can acquire," Eppler said of Vogelbach, who is expected to join the Mets for Saturday's 7:10 p.m. game against the San Diego Padres. "And in grabbing Daniel, we were able to get a power bat in here -- plate discipline, really fits an offensive philosophy that we have, which is making good decisions in a batter's box, swinging at strikes, not swinging at balls, creating an on-base percentage, create power.
"I've seen Daniel Vogelbach dating all the way back to high school. I remember going to watch him. And he's hit everywhere he's been, and that's what we're going to ask him to do when he gets over here."
This is not the Mets' "big move" for a hitter, according to Martino, but more of a left-handed platoon option.
"To be determined," Eppler said when asked if Vogelbach was acquired simply to be a DH. "We'll let him get out there, move around a little bit. (Third base coach) Joey (Cora) will put his eyes on him, (manager) Buck (Showalter) will put his eyes on him and we'll make a call."
Vogelbach, 29, slashed .228/.338/.430 with 12 homers and 34 RBI this season for Pittsburgh. For his career, Vogelbach has 61 home runs in 412 games.
Eleven of Vogelbach's 12 long balls this season have come as a DH (second in the NL behind Bryce Harper), and the Mets were obviously looking to upgrade that position.
Holderman, 26, appeared in 15 games with the Mets this season, pitching to a 2.04 ERA with 18 strikeouts in 17.2 innings.
"It was really difficult," Eppler said. "And then meeting with Colin -- we called him into Buck's office and I gave him the news and told him it was really difficult. In a way, we're having to rob peter to pay paul a little bit. Some of the conversations I've had with other clubs has given me the feeling that there might be a little bit more robust of a relief market than the bats. So we had to use this opportunity to do that.
"We have some players on the horizon coming back. Everything's trending in the right direction there. So it put us in position to do this trade. We're excited about bringing in Daniel, but I ran through a number of different iterations to try to not have to yield Colin in this transaction. And Pittsburgh didn't have to move the player. So they could hold onto him and he had an option for next year, many years of control, so we had to give them ultimately the player that they dug their heels in on."