Den Dekker announced Sunday via his personal Instagram account that he has ended his professional baseball career.
The 31-year-old outfielder entered the professional ranks in 2010, when the Mets selected him in the fifth round of the first-year player draft. He reached the big leagues for the first time in 2013 and would go on to spend parts of the six consecutive seasons in the majors with the Mets, Nationals and Tigers, putting together a .223/.305/.337 line over 415 career plate appearances. Den Dekker had spent the current season with the Long Island Ducks of the Atlantic League of Professional Baseball before stepping away from the independent club in June.
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Mets' Matt den Dekker: Clears waivers and heads to Triple-A
Rotowire
Den Dekker cleared waivers Tuesday and was outrighted to Triple-A Las Vegas, Tim Healey of Newsday reports.
Den Dekker has appeared in eight games for the Mets this season, going 0-for-18. He's gone just 7-for-59 (.119 batting average) over the last three seasons, which wasn't nearly enough for another team to claim him off waivers and may not be enough for him to return to the big leagues with the Mets anytime soon.
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Mets' Matt den Dekker: Designated for assignment
Rotowire
Den Dekker will be designated for assignment by the Mets on Friday, Tim Healey of Newsday reports.
Den Dekker failed to collect a hit in 21 plate appearances with the Mets over his two-week stay with the team. He became expendable following the addition of Austin Jackson, and will be cast off the 40-man roster once the Mets make Jackson's signing official. Look for den Dekker to go back to Triple-A Las Vegas unless claimed off waivers by another organization.
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Mets' Matt den Dekker: Contract selected from minors
Rotowire
Den Dekker had his contract purchased from Triple-A Las Vegas on Wednesday.
Den Dekker has played in just 23 big-league games since the start of the 2016 season and has spent the entirety of this year with Las Vegas. Over the course of 63 games with the 51s, he's slashed .286/.336/.524 with 11 home runs, 34 RBI and six stolen bases. He will provide some added outfield depth while with the Mets.
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Mets' Matt den Dekker: Sent to minors camp
Rotowire
The Mets reassigned den Dekker to their minor-league camp Tuesday.
With New York apparently satisfied with using Brandon Nimmo and Juan Lagares as their primary center fielders until Michael Conforto (shoulder) is cleared to return from the disabled list, there wasn't a need for the team to keep den Dekker around in a depth role. Den Dekker is slated to open the season at Triple-A Las Vegas.
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Mets' Matt den Dekker: Inks minors deal with Mets
Rotowire
The Mets signed den Dekker to a minor-league contract Thursday that includes an invitation to spring training.
The Mets were lacking in outfield depth heading into spring training, so the addition of den Dekker, who was previously a member of the organization from 2010 to 2014, fills a need. Though Michael Conforto (shoulder) is slated to open the season on the disabled list, the Mets plan to have either Juan Lagares or Brandon Nimmo fill his spot in center field, with the loser of the job battle serving as a fourth outfielder. That leaves den Dekker on the outside looking in for an Opening Day roster spot, barring an injury to another outfielder. Instead, look for den Dekker to settle into an everyday role at Triple-A Las Vegas.
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Tigers' Matt den Dekker: Designated for assignment
Rotowire
Den Dekker was designated for assignment by the Tigers on Wednesday.
Den Dekker was DFA'd by the organization after going 1-for-7 over the past two weeks during his time at the major-league level. The outfielder has barely spent any time with Detroit this year, and hit .176/.282/.576 during his brief time with the Nationals last year. With Alex Presley (concussion) coming off the disabled list, there was no need for den Dekker to continue serving as outfield depth.
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Tigers' Matt den Dekker: Returns to majors Friday
Rotowire
Den Dekker was called up Friday by the Tigers.
In a corresponding move to Alex Presley (concussion) landing on the 7-day DL, den Dekker is headed back to the majors for the first time this season. He is hitting .247/.280/.481 with Triple-A New Orleans, but hasn't played in the big leagues since recording 19 appearances with the Nationals last year. He will likely earn some time on the field due to the sheer amount of injuries that Detroit has suffered in the outfield recently.
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Tigers' Matt den Dekker: Joins Tigers on minor-league deal
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Den Dekker signed a minor-league contract with the Tigers on Tuesday, Evan Woodbery of MLive.com reports.
Den Dekker began the season as a member of the Marlins and played 20 games at Triple-A New Orleans. Over said games he put together a mediocre .247 batting average and .280 on-base percentage. Unless Detroit gets hit with injuries or den Dekker significantly improves at Triple-A Toledo, it's unlikely that he'll see much time in the majors this season.
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Matt den Dekker: Elects free agency
Rotowire
Den Dekker has opted out of his contract to become a free agent, Joe Frisaro of MLB.com reports.
Den Dekker signed a minor-league pact with the Marlins this offseason and has hit .247/.280/.481 over 20 games with Triple-A New Orleans, but appears to be looking for a better opportunity elsewhere. If nothing works out, however, he could return to the Marlins on a new deal. Den Dekker owns a .236 career average over four seasons, but hit just .176 in limited playing time with the Nationals last season, so he'll be hard-pressed to land a spot in the big leagues
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Marlins' Matt den Dekker: Launches two more homers Sunday
Rotowire
Den Dekker got the start in center field and went 2-for-2 with two solo home runs in Sunday's split-squad game against the Mets.
One of the homers came off Jacob deGrom, and den Dekker now has four blasts in 37 at-bats this spring. The Marlins don't seem to have room on their bench for a fifth outfielder, especially after Martin Prado's hamstring injury left a hole in their infield, but if den Dekker keeps hitting to close out the spring, he may force the team to reconsider.
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Marlins' Matt den Dekker: Signs NRI deal with Marlins
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Den Dekker agreed to a minor league contract with the Marlins on Thursday that includes an invitation to spring training, Tim Healey of the South Florida Sun Sentinel reports.
The 29-year-old spent last season in the Nationals organization, splitting time between the majors and Triple-A. Although his batting average sat around the Mendoza Line at both levels, his ability to play all three outfield positions could come in handy as he tries to land a spot on the major league roster.
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Nationals' Matt den Dekker: Outrighted to Triple-A
Rotowire
Den Dekker has cleared waivers and been outrighted to Triple-A Syracuse, Mark Zuckerman of MASN Sports reports.
Den Dekker was designated for assignment two days earlier, and with no takers on the waiver wire, it looks like he'll remain with the organization. He'll need to show significant offensive improvement at the Triple-A level in order to get another opportunity in the majors.
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Nationals' Matt den Dekker: Designated for assignment
Rotowire
Den Dekker was designated for assignment by the Nationals on Friday.
A dismal showing at Triple-A Syracuse (.208/.290/.319) led to den Dekker's removal from the 40-man roster, and he will now be subjected to waivers. The 29-year-old did post an even .800 OPS in 55 games in the big leagues a year ago and may still appeal to a team looking to take a flier.
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Nationals' Matt den Dekker: Optioned to Triple-A
Rotowire
Den Dekker was optioned to Triple-A Syracuse on Sunday.
Den Dekker joined the Nationals for Saturday's doubleheader with the Marlins as their 26th man, but with only one game on tap for Sunday, he'll have to head back to the minors. He went 0-for-3 with a walk and two runs scored across Saturday's games.
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Nationals' Matt den Dekker: Serving as 26th man
Rotowire
Den Dekker was called up to serve as the 26th man for Saturday's doubleheader against the Marlins, Mark Zuckerman of MASN reports.
With two games on tap Saturday, the Nats will bring back den Dekker to add depth to the outfield. The 28-year-old has appeared in 17 games for Washington already this season, but is slashing just .194/.265/.323 at the plate with four RBI and nine strikeouts in 31 at-bats.
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Nationals' Matt den Dekker: Optioned to Triple-A Syracuse
Rotowire
The Nationals optioned den Dekker to Triple-A Syracuse on Friday, Chelsea Janes of the Washington Post reports.
Den Dekker was sent to Syracuse in order to open up a roster spot for Ben Revere, who was activated from the disabled list after recovering from an oblique injury. Den Dekker hit just .194 in 17 games with the Nationals this season, but he did post an .800 OPS in 55 games with the squad last year, so he has a decent chance to rejoin the big club at some point this summer.
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Nationals' Matt den Dekker: Pops first home run Sunday
Rotowire
Den Dekker got the start in right field Sunday and went 2-for-8 with a solo shot to lead off the game, his first home run of the season.
It was also his first career leadoff home run. With Bryce Harper (mostly) getting the day off, den Dekker stayed in the lineup for the entire 16-inning marathon, switching over to play center field when Michael Taylor was removed in the ninth. Den Dekker's now hitting just .174/.240/.348 on the season in 23 at-bats, but with Taylor also struggling, he could see more action in the short term.
