The New York Mets have pushed the Panik button by acquiring the contract of second baseman Joe Panik who was designated for assignment by the San Francisco Giants on Tuesday. Panik fulfills the team's need for an everyday second baseman after Robinson Cano sustained a season ending hamstring injury last weekend in Pittsburgh.
Panik, a 28-year old native of Yonkers, New York, earned a World Series ring with the Giants in his rookie season in 2014, had been struggling at the plate this season hitting .235 with 3 HR and 27 RBI in 103 games. It also might be an indication that the Giants might be beginning to give up on post-season aspirations. While the Giants are only three games back of the second NL Wild Card berth, the team is 2-6 in August and has lost 7 of its last 10 games. The Mets, by contrast, have won six in a row and 19-6 since the All-Star Break. They are now tied in the NL East standings with the Philadelphia Phillies and only a half game back of the second NL Wild Card berth.
However, the Mets face a crucial this weekend as they host the Washington Nationals for a three game series before traveling to Atlanta on Monday to begin a three game series against the first place Braves. These next six games will determine if the Mets are a post-season contender or just a lucky pretender. The Mets are hoping the addition of Panik will prove the former instead of the latter.
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