Mets send James McCann to Orioles for player to be named later
James McCann looks on during the first inning at Citi Field on Tuesday, June 28, 2022. Credit: Jim McIsaac
James McCann’s time with the Mets is over.
The catcher is headed to the Baltimore Orioles in a trade for a player to be named later, the Mets said late Wednesday.
The Mets will pay $19 million of the $24 million remaining on McCann’s contract, which runs through 2024, a source told Newsday’s Tim Healey.
McCann, 32, joined the Mets ahead of the 2021 season, signing a four-year deal worth over $40 million. A career .248 hitter before arriving in Queens, McCann was aiming to continue the offensive resurgence he experienced over the previous two seasons with the Chicago White Sox, in which he hit .276 and slugged .474. Instead, he struggled with the Mets, batting just .220 and slugging just .328 with 13 homers in 549 at-bats.
The move loosens up a crowded position for the Mets, who signed Omar Narvaez to a one-year deal last week and still have Tomas Nido on the roster. Shedding McCann also will open a path for prospect Francisco Alvarez to establish himself at the major league level.
