Melky Cabrera made sure to stay in shape after the Mets set up a workout for the outfielder back in late February. As a free agent looking for employment, he still had not hooked on with a team before spring training.
The 35-year-old played first base in that workout, as the Mets considered whether he would make a solid addition to the team. Cabrera didn’t really hear from the Mets after that, but instead of losing hope, he continued to train and hoped he would get the opportunity to play.
Once the Mets received an official announcement from Major League Baseball on the 60-game season, they called Cabrera’s agent and signed the outfielder as a free agent in late June. He was immediately added to the team’s 60-man player pool and has since worked out with the Mets at Citi Field.
The Mets hope Cabrera can be their extra outfielder, maybe even play some first base and take some reps from the designated hitter spot.
“With the opportunity that I have, I think I’m able to bring veteran leadership and also with the versatility I have, being a switch hitter, in any position they put me in, I think I can help the team,” he said.
Cabrera, a native of the Dominican Republic, has played for the Yankees, White Sox, Royals, Blue Jays, Pirates, Giants, Braves and Indians over 15 years in the big leagues. He slashed .280/.313/.399 with a .713 OPS with 47 RBI and seven home runs over 133 games in Pittsburgh last year. The switch-hitter has a .285 career average.
He’s happy to be back in New York again, where he debuted for the Yankees in 2005 as a 20-year-old centerfielder.
“This is where I first started my career and I’m grateful for the team to give me this new opportunity to continue playing here,” he said.
CANO STILL NOT IN CAMP
Sunday marked the sixth day Robinson Cano was not in attendance at Mets camp. The veteran second baseman trained with the team for its first full-squad workout last Friday, and showed up the next three days. But he was last seen at Citi Field on July 6.
The Mets, as an organizational policy, are not discussing the coronavirus as a potential reason for player absences. However, manager Luis Rojas was asked Sunday whether any of his players have sustained injuries in camp. To that question, Rojas answered no. Everyone on the field is healthy. It can then be deduced that Cano’s mystery absence may, after all, be due to symptoms caused COVID-19.
Cano’s former teammate on the Yankees, Melky Cabrera, said he talks to the second baseman all the time and indicated he is doing well. It is unclear whether Cabrera meant Cano is doing well in general or as it pertains to his health.
“We’re great friends,” Cabrera said. “We’ve been friends dating back to the minor leagues. I continue talking to him. He’s a great baseball player, he’s a great person. He brings a lot to the team … We’re always in contact. I always reach out to him to see how he’s doing and also, our mothers talk, so they’re also always in contact.”
Right-handed reliever Brad Brach has yet to join the Mets for summer training. New Met and former Phillies pitcher Jared Hughes has also not been seen at camp.
CHILI DAVIS’ BALANCING ACT
When Chili Davis decided to work remotely from his home in Arizona for health and safety reasons, the Mets weren’t sure how that process would go. With summer training halfway over, the team is pleased with the process it has created for the hitting coach to remain connected to the players and staff.
Davis, 60, watches videos from Citi Field and checks in with the team over Zoom calls and meetings. The Mets are still not sure whether the hitting coach will join the team during any point in the season.
“Communication with Chili is daily with the hitting coaches,” Rojas said. “I talk to him pretty much every day. And he talks individually with players as well. He does hitters’ zoom calls, like meetings … That’s the way he’s doing things — individually, as a team, with the coaches, with the manager. It’s been great with him working remotely and being able to stay connected and up to date and watch video of what we’re doing here.
“Chili is very much engaged to the program and to camp right now. It’s great to have him just talking to guys, communicating on a daily basis.”
