Daniel Palka hit 27 homers and finished fifth in the American League Rookie of the Year voting while playing for the White Sox in 2018.
It’s that version of the 30-year-old the Mets hope to tap into after signing the left fielder to a minor league deal.
Since bursting on the scene that rookie season, Palka hasn’t had much success, going hitless in his first 32 at-bats in 2019 before spending most of the year back in the minors.
The lefty-swinging Palka then played a season in Korea before the Nationals brought him in on a minor league deal last season. Palka produced well at Triple-A for Washington, with 18 homers and an OPS of .836, but was never called up to the majors before he became a free agent this offseason.
He’s mostly been used as a corner outfielder and first baseman, areas where the Mets figure to already have some depth, and strikes out a ton.