Mets fans rejoice as Joey Wendle is expected to be DFA

By non-tendering Luis Guillorme and signing Joey Wendle to a one-year deal worth $2 million, the New York Mets hoped to have upgraded their bench. While Guillorme was a wizard with the glove, he provided next to nothing offensively. Wendle provided similar high-level defense with a little more offensive firepower. Or so the Mets thought.

Wendle appeared in 18 games for the Mets, and it's safe to say they weren't pretty. He slashed .222/.243/.250 with just one extra-base hit in 36 at-bats. He looked overmatched offensively, and most glaringly, he was abysmal in the field, committing a pair of huge miscues that resulted in Mets losses.

Wendle's spot on the Mets roster felt like it was in jeopardy from the moment Opening Day came around, and sure enough, the team has reportedly opted to DFA him according to Joel Sherman of the NY Post. The move to DFA Wendle is long overdue according to Mets fans who are rejoicing on X.

Mets fans celebrate the long-overdue move of DFA'ing Joey Wendle

Correct, the Wendle era in Flushing will not be remembered fondly. He was brought in to play a specific role, and he struggled in all aspects of it. He didn't hit much and was beyond lackluster in the field. The Mets needed a change and made it.

The Mets upgrading their bench made sense, but the decision to sign Joey Wendle to a MLB deal in late November was a headscratcher. Giving him a minor league contract would've made sense, but why guarantee him a big league deal? Sure, he was an All-Star in 2021, but he had a .610 OPS in the two seasons after with the Miami Marlins. It was abundantly clear that he was just another example of the Tampa Bay Rays getting the most out of their players.

For better or for worse, Mets fans wanted Wendle off the team from the very moment he was on it. The signing didn't make much sense, and he did nothing to prove that he deserved to stay.

The Mets have been extremely aggressive letting struggling players go early this season, and Wendle is the latest of the bunch. Perhaps we can see a bigger name get traded or DFA'd sometime soon if the Mets' struggles continue. David Stearns has proven that he is not shy..

The decision to DFA Wendle and recall Mark Vientos leaves the Mets without a backup middle infielder. Getting Wendle off the team was worthwhile enough for the Mets, even if their roster isn't constructed perfectly.