Aaron Altherr has had a trying 2019. (Ian D’Andrea)
For Aaron Altherr, his time with the Philadelphia Phillies is probably starting to feel like a distant memory.
The 28-year-old outfielder was designated for assignment by the New York Mets Saturday, marking the fourth time that he’s been designated in 2019 alone. He, of course, began the season with the Phillies, who designated him for assignment on May 4 after the activated Odubel Herrera. The San Francisco Giants claimed him on waivers after the Phillies designated him, but Altherr was designated for assignment by the Giants on May 19. Since then, he’s played with the Mets, who designated him for assignment initially on June 5, before doing so again this weekend.
Though he’s suited up for three teams in 2019, Altherr has just five hits in 61 major league at-bats this season. The lone highlight of his 2019 season came on May 24, when he launched a home run in his first at-bat with the Mets:
Aaron Altherr hit a monster go-ahead home run in his first at-bat for the Mets last night. pic.twitter.com/MNtihdScB6
— Tim Kelly (@TimKellySports) May 25, 2019
The first time that the Mets designated Altherr for assignment, he cleared waivers and was sent to the Triple-A Syracuse Mets. In 62 at-bats for Syracuse, Altherr slashed .274/.384/.565 with four home runs and eight RBIs. He hasn’t been able to carry that offensive success to the major league level in 2019, though, which comes after a disappointing 2018 season with the Phillies that saw him just .181 and post a -10.0 offensive WAR in 243 at-bats.
Altherr showed promise for the Phillies in 2017, when he hit 19 home runs and drove in 65 runs in 372 at-bats. When you couple that with his ability to play all three outfield positions, some thought 2017 was the beginning of a stretch of very productive major league seasons for the German-born outfielder. Instead, Altherr finds himself at a career crossroads just two years later.
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