Ex-Met Daniel Vogelbach designated for assignment by Blue Jays after horrid start

MLB

By Dylan Svoboda

The Daniel Vogelbach experience is over in Toronto.

The polarizing ex-Met was designated for assignment by the Blue Jays on Friday after struggling at the plate in Toronto. 

Vogelbach, 31, signed a minor league contract with the Blue Jays in February but failed to catch on north of the border, hitting .186/.278/.300 with just one home run in 79 plate appearances. 

It’s been a quick fall for Vogelbach, who — at first — became a fan favorite in Queens after being traded to the Mets from the Pirates at before the 2022 trade deadline. 

In two months of wearing orange and blue in 2022, Vogelbach slugged six homers with an .830 OPS to help the Mets to their first playoff berth in six seasons. 

But 2023 went much differently for the left-handed hitting Vogelbach. 

Through early June, Vogelbach put up a .203/.343/.297 slash line with just two home runs and 14 RBIs before taking a mental break from the game amid the massive slump. 

“I didn’t produce the way that I could’ve produced,” Vogelbach said after returning to the team. “At the end of the day, the name of the game is winning. If I’m not gonna do my part to help the team win, then somebody else can. That’s why you put in the work, and do what you can to help this team win.”

He would recover at the plate after taking some time away, but the Mets still opted to non-tender Vogelbach, who is essentially a DH-only bat who provides little in the field and on the bases. 

Vogelbach has bounced around the league during his nine seasons in the majors, having stints with the Mariners, Brewers, Blue Jays, Pirates and Mets.