One National League East team’s trash is another’s treasure, apparently.
Ex-Mets utility man Joey Wendle signed with the reigning NL East champion Braves, Atlanta announced Friday.
Wendle was designated for assignment by the Mets on May 14 and wasn’t claimed off waivers by any team during the seven-day window.
Wendle had inked a one-year deal with the Mets worth $2 million plus performance bonuses in the offseason.
The Mets are on the hook for a majority of the money, with the Braves only having to pay a prorated minimum.
In just 18 games with the Amazin’s, he garnered just eight hits in 36 at-bats (.222 average) while committing three errors as an infielder.
Atlanta has seemingly made a habit of signing ex-Met fallouts, too.
The Braves signed Luis Guillorme in the offseason after he was non-tendered by the Mets, though he was traded on May 9 to the Angels.
And one week after the Mets designated Zack Short for assignment and traded him to the Red Sox to make room on their roster for J.D. Martinez, the infielder was then traded to the Braves just a week later.
The Braves also had a roundabout way of acquiring ex-Met Robinson Cano from the Padres in July 2022, — two months after he was released by the Mets amid a roster crunch.
The Braves will attempt another reset in their infield that includes Orlando Arcia and Ozzie Albies up the middle.
Wendle is unlikely to play much at the corner infield spots, as Matt Olson and Austin Riley are among the best in the NL at first and third base, respectively.
While Wendle struggled with the Mets, he strung together some strong seasons while with the Rays.
He hit .300 in 139 games in 2018 and was an All-Star in 2021, and now, the Braves hope to bring him back to old form.
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