Joey Wendle's New York switch fails to woo Mets fans - "This isn't Yamamoto"

New York Mets fans were not impressed with their front office after they confirmed the signing of seasoned shortstop Joey Wendle on a one-year, $2 million deal.

The 33-year-old utility man has seen some good years in the MLB but is not a player expected to have a major impact next season. Mets fans were left disappointed, as they are more eager to see the team land a big name like Shohei Ohtani or Juan Soto.

"Still no making playoffs," tweeted one.

"This isn't Yamamoto," added another.

Here are some reactions on X:

Joey Wendle was selected by the Cleveland Indians in the 2012 MLB Draft but was traded to the Oakland Athletics after two years in the minor leagues.

After a disappointing two years, which ended with getting designated for assignment in 2017, Wendle was traded to the Tampa Bay Rays, where he took his game to the next level. After four years in the Rays roster, he made the All-Stars in 2021 and was traded to the Miami Marlins at the end of the year.

Wendle became a free agent at the end of last season and has now been signed by the Mets, who are expected to use him as a replacement for Luis Guillorme.

Guillorme was a fan-favorite and had occupied the reserve utility role with the Mets for several years. Hence, New York fans were unimpressed with the signing and called for bigger names over social media.

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New York Mets fans call for Yamamoto signing after Joey Wendle announcement

While the New York Mets have confirmed signing Joey Wendle on a one-year deal for next season, their fans are more excited to see their front office land Japanese pitcher Yoshinobu Yamamoto.

Widely considered to be the second most valuable free agent in the MLB market after Shohei Ohtani, the Mets are rumored to be making a big push for him. That has left fans big expectations, as the team is also reported to be in the running for Juan Soto this winter.