It’s been an up-and-down season for Travis Jankowski.
The veteran is coming off back-to-back campaigns in which he played a significant role for the Rangers.
Still, Jankowski found himself looking for a permanent home this month.
He signed with the Cubs this offseason, but was released before the season began. He then joined the White Sox for a brief stint before being traded to the Rays, who gave him just 17 appearances before removing him from their 40-man roster.
Jankowski elected to hit free agency again, and quickly landed with the Mets on a minor league pact.
After spending eight games down in Triple-A Syracuse, he finally received the call he's been waiting for, back up to the big-league level prior to Monday night’s series opener against the Braves.
“It’s good to be back for a second stint,” he said. “I’m getting up there as far as age so it’s just about doing anything possible to get to the big-leagues. Being with the Mets who are a contender definitely sparked my interest, they made it really hard to say no to.”
Jankowski, of course, appeared in 43 games with the club back in 2022.
He served as the fourth outfielder but quickly became a beloved figure by Buck Showalter, his teammates, and fans with his high-energy play throughout spring training and the early part of the season.
Now, under a new skipper, he’s expecting to take on a similar role.
“It’s one of those things where I’ve done everything,” he said. “I’ve played every day, I’ve come off the bench, I’ve pinch hit and pinch ran, defensive replacement — everything but pitch. And if Carlos [Mendoza] asks me to pitch I’ll go out there and eat an inning up.
“And to the fans, thanks for everything. I’m not sure why you guys love me but I’ll take it, hopefully I can keep up the support.”
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