January 4, 2024
The San Diego Padres signed free-agent outfielder
Oscar Mercado to a minor-league deal. Mercado will report to spring training in 2024 hoping to impress the coaching staff and earn a reserve outfield role on the Opening Day roster. The 29-year-old Colombian played in only 20 games at the major-league level in 2023 with the St. Louis Cardinals, going 9-for-31 (.290) with no homers, five RBI and two stolen bases. He was solid on the farm with three different the Triple-A organizations of the Cardinals, Padres and Los Angeles Dodgers, too, and will have a legitimate shot at earning a bench role in San Diego given their lack of outfield depth at the moment. In his five seasons in the big leagues since debuting in 2019 with the Cleveland Guardians, Mercado has slashed .237/.289/.388 with 26 home runs, 100 RBI and 29 stolen bases in 298 career games.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com
August 22, 2023
San Diego Padres outfielder
Oscar Mercado has opted out of his minor-league deal with the club and is now a free agent eligible to sign with any club. The 28-year-old enjoyed a fairly promising debut season as a 24-year-old with Cleveland in the 2019 season, hitting 15 homers and swiping 15 bases across 115 games. However, Mercado has since struggled in the big leagues and posted a .700 OPS across 32 plate appearances with the Cardinals this season. However, Mercado also hit .339 with 10 HR, 10 SB, and a 1.068 OPS across 31 games with Triple-A El Paso after inking a minor-league pact with the Friars, figures that could potentially generate interest from big-league clubs down the stretch.
--Brenton KempSource: Al Scott
July 3, 2022
In a strange, cyclical turn of events, outfielder
Oscar Mercado is a member of the Cleveland Guardians once again. The Guardians claimed him off waivers on Sunday after the Philadelphia Phillies designated him for assignment. The Phillies had previously acquired Mercado after the Guardians designated him for assignment about two weeks back. Mercado appeared in just one game for the Phillies prior to being DFA'd. The 27-year-old will likely be a reserve outfielder for the Guardians once again. During his first stint with the Guardians this year, he slashed .202/.227/.377 over 49 games.
--Andrew Ericksen - RotoBallerSource: Scott Lauber
June 21, 2022
The Cleveland Guardians designated outfielder
Oscar Mercado for assignment on Tuesday. The move was made to clear space for fellow outfielder
Franmil Reyes (hamstring), who is being activated from the injured list on Tuesday. Mercado had been in the midst of a rough season offensively. Over 49 games, he slashed .202/.227/.377 with four home runs, 16 RBI and 17 runs. He managed just two stolen bases on four attempts. Mercado flashed a ton of promise as a rookie in 2019, when he compiled 15 homers and 15 steals over 115 games while batting .269, but he's struggled to find consistency at the plate since then.
--Andrew Ericksen - RotoBallerSource: Zack Meisel
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