Padres lose versatile outfielder to Mets as NL Wild Card race heats up

Players are changing teams in the heat of the playoff race! Welcome to the stretch run of the 2024 MLB season.

The New York Mets announced Thursday that they have claimed outfielder José Azocar off waivers from the San Diego Padres and optioned him to Triple-A Syracuse. The Padres had designated Azocar for assignment earlier this week when Fernando Tatis Jr. was reinstated from the 60-day injured list.

Azocar was largely used as a defensive depth option in San Diego, appearing in 214 games over the 2022-24 seasons while only being sent to the plate 397 times. He slashed .243/.287/.322 in those at-bats, in addition to stealing 18 bases and producing eight Outs Above Average and two Defensive Runs Saved in the outfield.

Azocar will be out of minor league options after this year, which is likely why the Padres opted to DFA him now rather than keep him on the 40-man roster. The Mets scooped him up before he could clear waivers, and they opened up a spot for him on the 40-man by transferring right-handed pitcher Sean Reid-Foley to the 60-day injured list.

This marks the second time in the last week that the Padres have lost a player to a waiver claim after right-hander Lake Bachar was claimed off waivers by the Miami Marlins. Both Bachar and Azocar were DFA'd by the Padres while with Triple-A El Paso.

Mets add outfield depth from Padres as NL Wild Card race heats up

Azocar's batting line doesn't exactly jump off the page, but his speed and ability to play all three outfield positions make him a valuable depth piece for a team like the Mets looking for any competitive advantage they can get to make one final push at the end of the season and surge back into playoff contention.

The tightly contested NL playoff race has been one of the biggest storylines of the 2024 campaign, and the battle has only intensified since the calendar flipped to September. The three NL Wild Card spots are currently held by San Diego, the Arizona Diamondbacks and the Atlanta Braves. The surging Mets are hot on the Braves' heels, just half-game out of the third and final Wild Card spot, and will hope that Azocar can give them a speedy outfield depth option in the minors as an extra boost down the stretch.

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