In many ways, Devin Mesoraco proved to be the perfect return for Matt Harvey – former first round draft pick and All Star whose career has been completely altered by injuries, and he has now been surpassed by others.  While we don’t know if Mesoraco wore out his welcome in Cincinnati, we do know that like Harvey, he needed a change of scenery to at least see if it could rejuvenate his career.

In that way, New York was the perfect place for Mesoraco.

Right off the bat, with Jose Lobaton and Tomas Nido, the one thing the Mets were able to provide was playing time.  With playing time comes opportunity, and after that it is just a matter of whether you take advantage of it or not.

Another thing in Mesoraco’s favor was the lack of expectation.  That’s not just because Mesoraco hit .195/.291/.318 in 316 plate attempts between 2015 and the trade.  No, it is because Lobaton was hitting .152/.250/.239 before he was designated for assignment, and Nido is hitting .154/.214/.179.  Simply put, even is Mesoraco was the bad version of himself, he’s an offensive upgrade for this Mets team.

He’s also an upgrade behind the plate.  From a pitch framing perspective, he’s a better catcher than Lobaton, and he’s on par with Kevin Plawecki.  Since a tough start to his career, with the nadir coming in 2014, he has made significant strides blocking balls in the dirt, and he is now quite capable to good in that perspective.

Perhaps it is a change of scenery, consistent playing time, playing for a better team, or the limitations of a small sample size, but Mesoraco certainly has looked like a much improved player since coming to the Mets.  In eight games, he is hitting .200/.333/.600 with a double, three homers, and five RBI.

More than anything, his play behind and at the plate shows early indications of a player who is rejuvenated.  This doesn’t mean Mesoraco will return to his All Star form.  The injuries may limit him from ever being that again.  However, we see for the first time since those injuries how good a catcher Mesoraco can still be if given the chance, and right now, the Mets are being rewarded for taking this chance.

There is a tangible effect too.  In one of the most bizarre stats you’ll ever see, the Reds were 0-18 in games Mesoraco played this season.  Since coming to the Mets, the team is 5-2 in games he has started.  Part of that is how much his bat is a big upgrade over what the Mets had.  Another part is how well he has handled the pitching staff.

As noted by Wayne Randazzo, the Mets pitchers are 5-2 with a 2.03 ERA in games Mesoraco has started.  Keep in mind, those games include games started by Jason Vargas, Steven Matz, and Zack Wheeler as well as a bullpen game when Jacob deGrom couldn’t pitch past the first due to a high pitch count.

Overall, the Mets are seeing tangible results from the significant upgrade Mesoraco has provided.  They are playing better baseball, and they are winning games.