Mets make 1-year deal with Almora official

The Mets have signed free-agent center fielder Albert Almora Jr., the club announced on Wednesday. To make room on the 40-man roster, right-hander Corey Oswalt was designated for assignment.

Almora, a glove-first outfielder, adds to the Mets' depth in center and will likely serve as a right-handed-hitting complement to Brandon Nimmo -- similar to the role Juan Lagares and Jake Marisnick have held for the Mets in recent seasons.

The 26-year-old Almora has spent all five of his big league seasons with the Cubs. He hit .167 in 28 games in 2020 playing mainly as a late-inning defensive replacement. In his last full season in 2019, Almora hit .236 with a career-high 12 home runs and 32 RBIs in 130 games.

Almora was a first-round Draft pick by the Cubs in 2012, taken sixth overall, and is a career .271 hitter with 28 home runs and a .707 OPS in 489 Major League games.