Trade Central: Mets Reacquire Johnson

THE DEAL

Needing a third baseman while David Wright recovers from a herniated disc in his neck, the Mets made a trade to patch the hole. They sent righty reliever prospect Akeel Morris to Atlanta to receive journeyman infielder Kelly Johnson. The 34-year-old returns to the Mets after spending the second half of the season with the club last year during its run to the World Series.

BRAVES ACQUIRE
Akeel Morris, rhp
Age: 23 Throws: R

Morris, the Mets’ 10th-round selection in 2010, got a brief taste of the big leagues last year when he was brought up for a one-game cameo in which he allowed five runs while getting just two outs. He’s had a bit of a rocky return to Triple-A, which is understandable given the rough nature of Pacific Coast League and Las Vegas in particular. He works primarily with a low-90s fastball that can peak as high as 95, and a changeup which rates well above-average.

Club (League)	Class	W	L	ERA	G	GS	IP	H	R	ER	BB	SO
Las Vegas (PCL)	AAA	2	2	4.62	22	0	25.1	19	13	13	16	36

METS ACQUIRE
Kelly Johnson, 2b/3b
Age: 34 Bats: L

At this point, Johnson should keep his bags packed. This is the third straight season he’s been traded: In 2014 he went from the Orioles to the Red Sox and last year he was dealt from the Mets to the Braves. He hasn’t performed well this year, but he will provide someone with major league experience who can ably handle third base for a long period of time while Wright recovers.