Everyone loves a good underdog story. Everyone loves when a fringe signing works out. Therefore, everyone loves DJ Stewart.
Stewart was signed by the Mets in February as some minor league depth who had an outside shot to make the club as a fifth outfielder. It’s hard to remember at this point, but this was the time of late period Darin Ruf, and so bench spots were at a premium. Because of that, he did not make his Mets debut until July 4.
For his first 23 games as a Met, Stewart was a middling player at best, collecting only seven hits, two for extra bases.