Mets' Daniel Vogelbach has slimmed down this offseason

"Obviously watching what I eat, but just working out and doing my routine," Vogelbach said about his offseason conditioning program. "I wasn’t really that focused on one particular thing. Just coming in and making sure that I was in shape and ready to play from Day 1." 

A Mets team in need of some power last summer acquired Vogelbach from the Pittsburgh Pirates ahead of the trade deadline. The 30-year-old officially listed at 270 pounds for the 2022 campaign ultimately played in 55 regular-season games with the Mets and slashed .255/.393/.436 with six home runs and 25 RBI across those contests. 

The Mets picked up Vogelbach's $1.5M club option for 2023 in November. 

For a piece published on July 30, Mike Vaccaro of the New York Post referred to Vogelbach as "husky" and a "big guy." 

Media personality Michelle Margaux, who covers the Mets for team television home SNY, later generated headlines when she campaigned for people "to stop making Daniel Vogelbach's weight a story" after he comically used "Milkshake" by Kelis for a walkup song. 

One thing that's no laughing matter is Vogelbach fielding grounders as a first baseman early in spring training. Perhaps manager Buck Showalter is considering using a lighter Vogelbach to give Pete Alonso some defensive breathers now and again. 

"I have played there in the big leagues quite a bit and whatever they ask me to do, I just don’t want to be blindsided by anything," Vogelbach explained on Monday. "Just make sure that I prepare myself every way that I can."

The 2023 edition of the Mets is a "World Series or bust" team after owner Steve Cohen spent hundreds of millions of dollars to retain key players and sign multiple noteworthy free agents. 

After Cohen missed out on landing Carlos Correa over the flagging of an old injury in physicals, Vogelbach could look to serve as the "one more hitter" the Amazins allegedly need to compete for more than a playoff berth later this year.