Tomás Nido presented more value than starting catcher James McCann in less than half the playing time for the Mets in 2021. Granted, the difference is negligible, as Nido’s 0.9 fWAR in 58 games barely surpasses McCann’s 0.5 fWAR in 121 games, but this difference presents a dilemma for a team with a pretty obvious weak spot in its batting order.
Nido has been given the opportunity to catch at a major league level since 2017, and he spent his first few seasons barely proving that he belonged in the bigs. Out of minor league options heading into the 2021 season, he had one more chance to prove his long-term worth as a big-league catcher, and he easily passed the test.