Mets sign OF Desmond Jennings to minor league contract
NEW YORK (AP) The New York Mets have signed outfielder Desmond Jennings to a minor league contract and assigned him to Triple-A Las Vegas.
The team announced the move Wednesday. The 30-year-old Jennings has played seven seasons in the majors with Tampa Bay. He hit .195 in 18 games for Cincinnati during spring training this year before being released.
New York outfielders Curtis Granderson, Jay Bruce and Michael Conforto all bat left-handed, so Jennings is a good fit in adding depth because he's a right-handed hitter with plenty of experience in center field.
He could provide the Mets with insurance in case former Gold Glove center fielder Juan Lagares, also a right-handed hitter, needs more time to heal. He's out with an oblique injury, and general manager Sandy Alderson said he thought Lagares would be able to play in a rehab game Monday.
Jennings batted .200 with seven home runs and 20 RBIs in 65 games for Tampa Bay last year. He is a .245 career hitter with 55 homers, 191 RBIs and 95 steals.
