Mike’s Mets Player Review Series: Wilson Ramos

Now that the 2020 season is over for the New York Mets, we have been looking back at the year that was. After taking a more general view of the offense, pitching, and coaching staff, it’s time to take a deeper dive into the Mets’ players. This series will take a look at every player on the roster for the Mets at the end of the season from A (Pete Alonso) to Z (Daniel Zamora). The review will look at their season statistics, stories, and what role (if any) they will have next season. We continue the series today with a look at catcher Wilson Ramos.

Player Review: Wilson Ramos

2020 Stats: 45 Games, 142 At Bats, .239 Batting Average, 34 Hits, 6 Doubles, 5 Home Runs, 15 RBI’s, 13 Runs Scored, .684 OPS, 0.2 WAR

Story: After a strong 2019, the Mets were very confident in what Wilson Ramos could provide in the second year of his contract. Ramos simply never got going offensively, seeing his batting average dip nearly 50 points and his OPS decline by nearly 100 in 2020. Defense was also a consistent issue for Ramos, who struggled to make some basic tags that cost the Mets games. Ramos acknowledged after the season that he had separated from his family for the year, living in a hotel to minimize the risk of spreading the coronavirus to them, and there is no doubt that emotional toll weighed on Ramos’ performance on the field.

Grade: C

The Mets got just about league average performance from Ramos, which is a steep decline from the plus performance they received in 2019. It became clear quite quickly that Ramos would not be a long-term solution for the Mets behind the plate.

Contract Status: Free Agent (Mets Declined $10 Million Option)

Odds of Returning: 0%

2021 Role: None

The Mets quickly declined Ramos’ team option for 2021, paying him a $1.5 million buyout instead of guaranteeing his $10 million salary for next season. New team president Sandy Alderson also listed catcher as a position the Mets would look to upgrade next season, all but ruling out a reunion with Ramos. The best fit for Ramos is probably a team where he can split time between catcher and DH to utilize his bat, which certainly isn’t what the Mets can offer right now.

Check back on Monday as our Player Review series continues with a look at catcher Rene Rivera!