Before José Siri ever set foot in Queens, he had already taken quite the scenic route to the big leagues—one that included more passport stamps than a travel blogger and enough transactions to make a day trader at Steve Cohen's Point72 Asset Management jealous. Born in the Dominican Republic in 1995, Siri signed with the Cincinnati Reds as a raw but toolsy teenager in 2012. The early years of his career were a mix of flashes of brilliance and the kind of inconsistency that makes baseball executives go gray. But when Siri got hot, he got really hot.
Take 2017, for example, when he suited up for the Dayton Dragons in the Midwest League. Not only did he hit .293 with 24 home runs and 46 stolen bases, but he also broke a league record by hitting safely in 39 consecutive games. The previous record stood for 40 years, which means Siri was out there making history while some fans in the stands were still figuring out their new smartphones. The Reds were impressed enough to add him to their 40-man roster, but his bat cooled, and soon, Siri found himself on baseball’s version of a road trip from hell—claimed off waivers by Seattle, then San Francisco, all within a span of weeks in 2020. Somewhere along the way, he probably stopped bothering to unpack his suitcase.
Then came his big break. The Houston Astros picked him up in late 2020, and it was in their system that Siri finally turned promise into production. He mashed in Triple-A Sugar Land, then got the call to the majors in September 2021. In just his first start, he introduced himself to the baseball world with a 4-for-5 performance, launching two home runs and driving in five runs. Not bad for a guy who had spent the previous couple of seasons looking like baseball’s version of a contestant on The Amazing Race.
After a trade to Tampa Bay in 2022, Siri became a staple in center field for the Rays, bringing elite speed (he was the fastest center fielder in baseball) and a flair for the dramatic. He also became one of the more entertaining players in the game—sometimes for his play, sometimes for his, let’s say, spirited interactions with opponents. In April 2024, he was part of a brawl that ended with Milwaukee pitcher Abner Uribe throwing hands and both players earning ejections. Siri got a five-game suspension out of it, but let’s be honest—he was probably running out of ways to make highlight reels anyway.
Fast forward to November 2024, and Siri’s next stop is New York, where the Mets are hoping his speed, power, and outfield wizardry will add a jolt of energy to the lineup. Given his history, one thing’s for sure—his time in Flushing won’t be boring.
I had the chance to sit down with Siri at camp today, with the help of Mets interpreter Alan Suriel, to talk about his approach to improving his offense, working with teammates like Francisco Lindor, and, most importantly, whether Mets fans might see him steal home this season. Here’s what he had to say.
I asked Siri what he’s doing to raise his batting average while maintaining the power numbers that make him such a threat. In the minors, he consistently hit between .260 and .285, but in the majors, consistency has been elusive. So what’s the plan?
“Well, working hard. Working a lot in the cage,” Siri said. “Thank God this year I’m very focused on my offense. It’s also just staying focused to improve on my offense going forward for the rest of the year. You know, the first thing is working hard and working hard in the cage.”
You might notice a theme here—hard work. Siri practically treats the batting cage like an Airbnb rental.
I mentioned Pete Alonso’s recent press conference, where he talked about maintaining his swing path and working on consistency. I asked Siri if he had a chance to work with Mets hitting coach Eric Chavez on refining his mechanics?
“I’ve been able to work with my hitting coach, Mejia, in the Dominican. I’ve been able to work with him, and I feel comfortable with him. I have my routine; I know what I have to do when I’m going to bat in the cage,” Siri explained. “At the moment, he has given me results. I’m focused on the plate as well. I was able to change my stance, so I also have a new way of hitting, and so far so good. I’m working on having more contact with the ball. I’m working on getting better pitches.”
That last part is key. Siri has always had power and speed, but better pitch selection could be the difference between being a good player and a great one. The Mets are banking on him making that leap.
I also asked Mets manager Carlos Mendoza about Siri's offensive struggles and what the team is doing to help him reach his potential at the plate.
“I think improving his contact skill,” Mendoza said. “We know that the power, when he hits it, is real, but he's got to make contact. That's something that he expressed to us when he got here. That's his goal here in spring training. It feels like not only does he need to put the ball in play, but get good pitches to hit and then impact the baseball. So, we know he's an elite defender, a really good base runner. But if we could help him with that, that's the main goal right now.”
A good defensive outfielder is like a great wedding DJ—when they do their job right, you don’t even notice. But the best ones never stop refining their craft. Yesterday, after fielding drills, Francisco Lindor pulled Siri aside for a chat. I asked him what it’s like having Lindor as a teammate and a leader.
“It’s great because the communication is wide open,” Siri said. “Especially because defense is the most important part of the game. You can never talk about defense enough. Especially when you’re able to have that unison, that connection between outfielders and infielders. It’s super important to have that.”
The idea of Lindor and Siri working in tandem up the middle should be enough to make Mets pitchers sleep a little better at night. With Siri’s speed and range, paired with Lindor’s wizardry at shortstop, the Mets could be turning highlight reels into a nightly occurrence.
If you haven’t watched Siri play much, imagine if a firecracker had a baseball glove. He’s fast, he’s flashy, and he’s got pop in his bat. But what does he think Mets fans can expect from him?
“I’m really excited to be able to have them see me play this season, God willing,” Siri said. “They know that I’m a good defensive player, but I’m also working to become a better offensive player. So I’m really excited that they’ll be able to see me play, and I’m putting in a lot of work right now so they can see me play.”
Translation: Strap in, Mets fans. This could be fun.
Finally, I had to ask the question every Mets fan wants to know—are we going to see Siri steal home this season? After all, he’s got the speed, the instincts, and the audacity to pull it off.
Siri grinned. “Yes. If the pitcher becomes a little careless, of course.”
That sound you just heard? Opposing pitchers checking their mirrors for Siri every time they come set.
The Mets took a chance on Siri because they believe his best baseball is still ahead of him. If he can put it all together, Citi Field might just have a new fan favorite on its hands. One thing’s for sure—he won’t be boring.
Here is the complete interview with José Siri:
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