NEW YORK | Given a chance to get him, the New York Mets grabbed Willie Harris.
Harris, who has a history of making big catches against the Mets, reached agreement with New York on a minor league contract Monday.
The 32-year-old outfielder hit .183 with 10 homers and 32 RBIs in 132 games for Washington last season. He played all three outfield positions, plus third base.
Harris’ glovework certainly caught the Mets’ attention. He’s made three sensational catches against them in recent years that robbed the Mets of possible victories.
Last April, Harris swooped in from left field for a game-ending catch on Rod Barajas’ liner with the bases loaded, preserving the Nationals’ 4-3 win.
In 2008, Harris’ diving catch took away extra bases from Ryan Church in the ninth inning of the Nationals’ 1-0 victory. In 2007 while with Atlanta, Harris reached above the wall to deny Carlos Delgado a tying home run in the ninth.
Harris has not hurt the Mets much with his bat — he’s only a .159 career hitter against them.
Harris has a .239 batting average in parts of 10 seasons with the Orioles, White Sox, Red Sox, Braves and Nationals. He had a pinch-single in the eighth inning and scored the only run in Chicago’s 2005 World Series-clinching Game 4 victory over the Houston Astros.
The Mets said Harris was invited to big league spring training.
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