Mets sportscaster identifies dealbreaker in Jurickson Profar to Queens scenario

Mets sportscaster Evan Roberts went over multiple options the franchise could fall upon in case some signings don't take place. That brought him to another possible option, free agent Jurickson Profar, who's coming off an excellent year with the San Deigo Padres, hitting .280, 24 home runs and 85 RBIs.

While acknowledging the versatility and upside Profar could bring, Roberts said on WFAN Sunday about a key dealbreaker: could Profar sustain his 2024 season numbers?

"Can he replicate .290, an .840 OPS, 25 home runs, 85 RBIs, and a low strikeout rate? Can he do that as a switch hitter at 33 years old? The odds are no. I think we’d have to accept that upon bringing him in," Roberts said (31:20 onwards).

"What you’d hope is that he doesn’t regress to what he was a year earlier with San Diego and Colorado—when he wasn’t even worthy of being an everyday starting player. Was last year just a career season?" Roberts continued.

"I am not even considering giving him a long-term contract. So, if he needs three or four years—screw you. Later. No thank you. One-year deal. Prove that your 3.5 WAR and .840 OPS were legit, and then come back."

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Evan Roberts answered Jurickson Profar's positional fit with Mets

If the Mets sign Jurickson Profar on a desired short-term deal, Roberts addressed his potential fit with the franchise's defensive alignment.

While Profar’s positional flexibility is a strength — he’s played left field, first base, second base and even third base earlier in his career — Roberts highlighted that his recent experience at third base is limited, making it less likely that he could contribute at that spot.

"Versatility is a good thing," Roberts added, "but if you bring him in, you’re probably asking him to play positions he’s less familiar with compared to others. I’m not scared of the position issue, though — I’m more scared of the fact that I think he had one big year.

"He could play second base. If you bring back José Iglesias, or if Luis Guillorme is hitting, you could have a situation where Profar ends up playing a lot of second base, Guillorme ends up at third base, and Iglesias ends up at third if he’s still here."

Roberts isn’t sold on Profar’s ability to maintain his 2024 production, and reckons any deal with the Mets should prioritize short-term flexibility over long-term risk.