In the weeks since the Mets were eliminated in the postseason, outfielder Tyrone Taylor underwent two surgeries, one to repair an umbilical hernia and another to remove loose bodies in his right elbow. The team announced the procedures Friday afternoon, one day after the 30-year-old had the loose body procedure with Dr. James Carr in New York. The hernia procedure was performed October 30 with Dr. Venkata Evani in Phoenix, near his offseason home.
Taylor is only expected to be out two months, which would put him on track to be ready for spring training. In his first season with the Mets, he played all three outfield positions and took over the primary center field role late in the season when Harrison Bader struggled to produce at the plate. With Bader’s contact up, Taylor could become the everyday center fielder, though the Mets do intend to look at available outfielders.
After being acquired from the Milwaukee Brewers last winter in the Adrian Houser trade, Taylor hit .248 with seven home runs, a career-high 22 doubles, three trips and a .701 OPS. He didn’t quite have as much pop in his bat as expected, but his playing time was inconsistent throughout the first half of the season, with the California native receiving regular at-bats after Starling Marte injured his knee in June.
However his defense never wavered. No matter the situation, Taylor came up with big plays in the outfield, climbing walls to rob hitters of home runs and extra bases and using his strong arm to hold runners on base and prevent them from taking extras. Statcast had him 5 outs above average, in the 88th percentile, and listed his arm strength in the 90th percentile.
Taylor hit .214 with a double, an RBI and three walks in the postseason while playing through a hernia and elbow pain. The Mets like the gritty way he plays and how he’s always ready to come off the bench or start in the lineup.
So whether they sign another center fielder or continue to use him as a fourth outfielder, Taylor will be ready for whatever comes next season.
Taylor is due for a raise in arbitration and is under team control for two more seasons. When he was traded to New York with Houser last year, it was the first major trade of the David Stearns era. Expect the Mets to look for more deals like this one this winter.
METSGIVING DATES ANNOUNCED
The Mets announced the dates and locations for their annual MetsGiving events, which include food drives, coat drives and the kids Christmas Party. The Amazin’ Mets Foundation is teaming up with over 20 different partners in all five boroughs, starting Tuesday, Nov. 19 with the food drive.
From 10 a.m., to 6 p.m., fans can bring canned food and packaged goods (non-perishable items only) to the Mets Team store at Citi Field. Mr. and Mrs. Met will be on hand to help with donations and fans that donate at least 10 items will receive a voucher for two tickets to select Monday-Thursday home games during the 2025 regular season.
The Friday before Thanksgiving, the foundation will distribute more than 8,500 turkeys across the city. The coat drive will follow, with the Citi Field Team Store again being the drop-off location. Fans will receive vouchers for home games with the donation of a new or gently-used coat.
The Amazin’ Mets Foundation and Delta Air Lines will hold a dinner for local families and a gifting event for kids to support Sunnyside Community Services on Dec. 18. The Kids Holiday Party will be held the following day at Citi Field. A popular event with local youth, Mets players, coaches and even broadcasters and personnel dress up as Santa Clause and elves and interact with kids from local Title 1 schools.
LIDOM GAME AT CITI FIELD
For the second year in a row, Citi Field will be the site of the series finale of the “New York Cup,” a three-game series between two Dominican Winter League teams that starts Friday at Yankee Stadium. The series will feature the two winningest teams in the league, Águilas Cibaeñas and Tigres del Licey.
