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MLBTR Poll: Expectations For 2021 Mets

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Although the Mets missed the playoffs for the fourth straight year in 2020, they look as if they’ll head into the upcoming regular season as a popular pick to contend. New owner Steve Cohen’s arrival early in the winter brought a great deal of optimism for Mets fans, who suffered for years under the yoke of the Wilpons. Cohen has largely lived up to the hype since taking over, as he oversaw an active offseason in which the Mets’ roster looks to have taken steps forward.

The Mets did lose second baseman Robinson Cano for the year because of a suspension for performance-enhancing drugs, and they didn’t reel in any of Trevor Bauer, George Springer or J.T. Realmuto in free agency, but they still ponied up for several notable names in recent months.

Shortstop Francisco Lindor, an elite player for a large portion of his career, and quality right-hander Carlos Carrasco came over in a major trade with Cleveland. James McCann, who ranked second behind Realmuto among free-agent catchers, signed a four-year, $40MM deal to assume the reins as the Mets’ starting backstop. Righty Marcus Stroman, who opted out of last season thanks to COVID-19, stuck around when he accepted the Mets’ $18.9MM qualifying offer, and they filled out their season-opening rotation last month with the signing of fellow RHP Taijuan Walker to a three-year, $23MM guarantee late. Reliever Trevor May, lefty Joey Lucchesi, infielder Jonathan Villar, and outfielders Kevin Pillar and Albert Almora Jr. were also among those who became Mets during the offseason.

Despite the loss of Cano, the Mets look as if they’ll have a high-end offense in 2021 with Lindor and McCann complementing holdovers Michael Conforto, Brandon Nimmo, Pete Alonso, Dominic Smith, Jeff McNeil and J.D. Davis. The starting staff also looks good with Carrasco, Stroman and Walker joining ace Jacob deGrom and David Peterson (and don’t forget that Noah Syndergaard will return from his Tommy John recovery during the summer). The bullpen appears to be more of a question mark, especially with Seth Lugo having undergone elbow surgery last month, though the signings of May and lefty Aaron Loup should help New York’s cause.

There still could be room for further Mets acquisitions in the coming weeks, but for the most part, their roster looks set going into the new season. The team won 26 of 60 regular-season games and wound up last in the National League East in 2020, but thanks in part to its offseason, PECOTA projects a 93-win effort in 2021 and a first-place finish in a tough division that also features the Braves, Nationals, Phillies and Marlins. Are you buying the Mets as a playoff-caliber team?

(Poll link for app users)

How many games will the Mets win?
Under 92.5 59.86% (7,317 votes)
Over 92.5 40.14% (4,907 votes)
Total Votes: 12,224

Additional Details On Allegations Against Mickey Callaway Emerge

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3:47pm: The Indians issued a statement in response to the report, saying (via Zack Meisel of The Athletic, on Twitter): “Our organization continues to actively cooperate with MLB on their investigation into Mickey Callaway. It is important we honor the confidentiality and integrity of that investigation. While we don’t believe the reporting to date reflects who we are as an organization, we will not comment further on the specifics of the matter. We remain committed to creating an inclusive work environment where everyone, regardless of gender, can feel safe and comfortable at all times. We will let our actions – not just our words – reflect our commitment.”

9:25am: As Major League Baseball’s investigation into harassment allegations against Angels pitching coach Mickey Callaway continues, new and even more troubling details about his behavior have surfaced in an additional report from Brittany Ghiroli, Katie Strang and Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic.

Not only have additional women come forward to reveal that Callaway made unwanted advances toward them, but The Athletic report details that the husband of a woman with whom Callaway was having a consensual, extramarital affair repeatedly contacted the Indians organization and Major League Baseball in 2017 about “pornographic material” sent to his wife.

The report contains quotes from a recorded conversation between the wife and a Cleveland-based attorney indicating that the issue had been presented to manager Terry Francona. The Athletic report also indicates that Cleveland president of baseball operations Chris Antonetti and general manager Mike Chernoff were both aware of the man’s complaint against Callaway. A league security official involved in the exchange is quoted, too. The husband also managed to contact the Mets in Aug. 2018 to make the same complaint with Callaway’s new organization. (That timing, notably, would mean his complaint was filed after Mets president Sandy Alderson had left the team to undergo treatment following a cancer diagnosis.)

Ghiroli, Strang and Rosenthal conducted 22 interviews over the past month in gathering information for the latest report, which strongly support the idea that Callaway’s behavior dates back to his days as a minor league pitching coach in the Indians’ system.

Also concerning are the suggestions that higher-ups in multiple organizations were willing to look the other way due to Callaway’s reputation as a strong pitching coach. A former Indians employee said Antonetti’s claim that there were no complaints regarding Callaway filed to him, human resources or other organizational leaders “hit me the wrong way” due to the widespread knowledge within the organization of Callaway’s behavior. Another called Callaway’s behavior the “worst-kept secret in the organization,” and both a current and former Mets employee made clear to The Athletic that several in the organization were aware of Callaway’s behavior.

Callaway himself was contacted for a quote on the story, wherein he acknowledged multiple “infidelities” but called much of the reporting around his actions “inaccurate” and pushed back against the idea that he has ever “[used] his position to harass or pressure a woman.”

The Athletic report should be read in its entirety in order to fully grasp not only the alarming and inappropriate nature of Callaway’s alleged behavior but also the mounting number of troubling indications that many around him were, to varying degrees, aware of the issue.

Quick Hits: Springer, Conforto, Straw, Greinke

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The Mets were a popular pick for outfielder George Springer before he signed a six-year, $150MM contract with the Blue Jays in January. Team president Sandy Alderson “suggested” on Monday that the Mets were willing to sign Springer for five years, not six, per Anthony DiComo of MLB.com. Alderson added that New York likely wouldn’t have been able to extend outfielder Michael Conforto had it signed Springer. “At some point, even Steve Cohen runs out of money,” Alderson said of the team’s owner. Conforto, who turned 28 today, is three years younger than Springer and coming off an even better season at the plate. He’s due to become a free agent next winter, but the Mets expect to begin talks on an extension sometime soon.

  • With Springer no longer in Houston, the Astros appear likely to turn to Myles Straw at center field to open the season. If the Straw experiment doesn’t work out, though, it’s probable that Chas McCormick will be their fallback plan at the position, Jake Kaplan of The Athletic writes. The 25-year-old has a better chance to make the team than veteran outfielder Steven Souza Jr., whom the Astros signed to a minor league deal, as he’s already on their 40-man roster and capable of playing center, Kaplan notes. McCormick impressed during his most recent minors action in 2019, when he slashed .269/.386/.432 with 14 home runs and 16 stolen bases in 448 plate appearances between Double-A and Triple-A.
  • Sticking with the Astros, ace Zack Greinke is entering the last season of his contract – his age-37 campaign – but is not thinking retirement, Brian McTaggart of MLB.com relays. Based on his performance in 2020, Greinke has plenty left in the tank. Although he posted a 4.03 ERA – one of the highest figures of his potential Hall of Fame career – Greinke registered a better 3.72 SIERA with a 24.5 percent strikeout rate and an elite 3.3 percent walk rate. Greinke also induced a fair amount of weak contact, evidenced in part by the 86.8 mph exit velocity hitters mustered against him.

East Notes: Mets, Orioles, Nationals

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Mets President Sandy Alderson said that he expects extension talks with Francisco Lindor and Michael Conforto to begin soon, per Bob Nightengale of USA Today (via Twitter). Both players are scheduled for free agency after the 2021 season. Lindor, for his part, has made clear that he will not negotiate an extension beyond opening day, so the window is now for Alderson and the Mets. Alderson also put forth Noah Syndergaard’s name as a potential extension candidate as well, notes Tim Healey of Newsday (via Twitter). Syndergaard, of course, is on the way back from Tommy John surgery and won’t likely appear until mid-season, but he will also be a free agent at year’s end. Extending those three would certainly cost a chunk of change, but the Mets do have roughly $100MM coming off their payroll next offseason. Interestingly, Marcus Stroman was not mentioned as an extension candidate. His $18.9MM salary could help provide the necessary raises next season for Lindor, Conforto, and Syndergaard. While we’re here, let’s check in with some other clubs in the East…

  • Orioles outfielder Cedric Mullins is giving up switch-hitting to bat lefty full-time, writes Rich Dubroff of Baltimorebaseball.com. After a horrendous 2019, Mullins bounced back somewhat in 2020, doing enough to stay on the Major League roster to appear in 48 games and 153 plate appearances with a palatable .271/.315/.407 slash line. Mullins is trying to make the Orioles roster as a fourth outfielder, though there are certainly more at-bats available if he proves capable. Giving up his right-handed swing could force him into a more straight platoon, but he hasn’t been helped by his work on the short side of that split anyhow. For his career, Mullins has hit just .146 as a right-hander with a 26 wRC+ (versus 90 wRC+ as a lefty). The split was even more pronounced last season when he earned a 118 wRC+ as a left-handed hitter versus 34 wRC+ from the right side. If nothing else, Mullins should be able to simplify his routine by focusing on one swing.
  • Erick Fedde may have stumbled upon a solution to his wandering fastball command, writes Jesse Dougherty of the Washington Post. In his first start of the spring, Fedde turned to his cutter, a pitch that has long eluded him as he has tried to establish himself as a Major League pitcher. Fedde’s cutter did not help his cause in either 2018 or 2020, per Fangraphs pitch values, though in 2019 it was his best offering. Fedde is competing for the Nats fifth starter job, though he’s not likely to win the job out of camp. With one option remaining, the Nationals have more roster flexibility with Fedde than with his competitors Joe Ross and Austin Voth. For Fedde to stick long-term, he probably needs both his sinking fastball and his cutter to work with more consistency.

NL Notes: Willis, Syndergaard, Myers

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The Dodgers have hired Dontrelle Willis as a special assistant in the player development department.  Willis made the announcement himself via Twitter, joking “Special assistant sounds dope even tho i don’t know what it means.”  A veteran of nine MLB seasons, the D-Train is best remembered for his time with the Marlins from 2003-07, a stint that included NL Rookie Of The Year honors in 2003, a second-place finish NL Cy Young voting in 2005, two All-Star appearances, and a World Series ring with the Marlins’ 2003 championship team.

Still only 39 years old, Willis’ last MLB game was in 2011, though he kept pitching in the minors and in independent ball until 2015.  He has since worked as a TV broadcaster since retiring, and Willis will now move into a front office role alongside a former teammate from the 2010 Tigers — Will Rhymes is entering his third season as the Dodgers’ director of player development.

More from around the National League as we head into March…

  • Noah Syndergaard is making good progress in his recovery from Tommy John surgery, Mets manager Luis Rojas and pitching coach Jeremy Hefner told reporters (including Deesha Thosar of the New York Daily News).  The right-hander’s latest rehab step was throwing three sliders on Saturday, and Syndergaard has otherwise been participating in most normal workouts and baseball activities.  This doesn’t mean his timeline has been pushed up, however, as Syndergaard’s target date for a return is still sometime in June, more than 14 months after his TJ procedure.  Hefner sees the extended recovery time as a plus, describing the usual 14-15 month process as “good for the player, for their long-term success…making sure that you’re really locked in before the lights turn on and intensity goes up.”
  • “It was fun to sit back on a team and I wasn’t in a trade rumor,” Wil Myers told Kevin Acee of the San Diego Union-Tribune.  “It was cool to watch these trades unfold and they became my new teammates instead of guys I was traded for.”  Myers been a constant on MLBTR’s pages over the years, thanks to two past trades and a number of other rumors, particularly last season when the Padres reportedly explored several deals to get Myers (and his contract) off the books in the wake of his lackluster 2019 season.  In 2020, however, Myers rebounded to hit .288/.353/.606 with 15 homers in 218 plate appearances — the best overall season of his career in terms of pure production, with the caveat that it came during an abbreviated season.  Myers still has $41MM in guaranteed money remaining on his deal through the 2022 season, though that contract no longer looks quite as onerous as it once did, given both Myers’ production and the Padres’ willingness to spend big in pursuit of a title.  “To sit back and know what this organization has been through, what I’ve been through, it’s really cool to sit here and see where we are in 2021,” Myers said.

Mets, Caleb Joseph Agree To Deal

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The Mets have agreed to a deal with free-agent catcher Caleb Joseph, MLB.com’s Jon Morosi reports (via Twitter). It’s a split contract, per Morosi, which would register as a bit of a surprise given that such a deal would place him on the 40-man roster (albeit with separate rates of pay in the Majors versus in Triple-A). Barstool’s Eric Arditti first suggested the two sides had reached a deal last night (Twitter link).

Joseph, 34, spent the 2020 season with the Blue Jays organization but was on the taxi squad for most of the season. He did log three games in the big leagues and go 1-for-8 — his long hit of the season standing as a home run.

The vast majority of Joseph’s career has come in an Orioles uniform. The former seventh-round pick made his big league debut with Baltimore back in 2014 and spent time as a backup with them each year until 2018. Joseph, who also had a brief stint with the 2019 D-backs, is a career .222/.270/.351 hitter in 1367 plate appearances.

Clearly, Joseph has never been a huge threat at the plate, but he’s thwarted 31 percent of stolen-base attempts against him over parts of seven big league seasons and is generally regarded as above-average with regard to pitch framing. He’s also a .256/.311/.393 hitter in his career at Triple-A, although that’s a sample of just 489 plate appearances. Adding Joseph will help the Mets to replace some of the depth lost when they designated Ali Sanchez for assignment earlier this month and subsequently traded him to the Cardinals.

Braves Claim Guillermo Heredia

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The Braves have claimed outfielder Guillermo Heredia off waivers from the Mets, Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic reports (Twitter link). New York had designated the 30-year-old for assignment over the weekend. By claiming Heredia, the Braves will become responsible for the entirety of the $1MM salary that he’d previously agreed upon in order to avoid an arbitration hearing with the Mets.

Heredia has spent parts of the past five seasons in the Major Leagues — mostly with the Mariners. Seattle traded him to Tampa Bay for the 2019 season, after which he was non-tendered and subsequently signed with the Pirates. The Mets claimed Heredia off waivers themselves back in August after a lackluster showing in Pittsburgh, and he went on to appear in seven games before season’s end.

Overall, Heredia slashed just .212/.278/.394 in 36 plate appearances between the two clubs. It was a small sample, to be sure, but Heredia’s prior work in the big leagues doesn’t give much more reason for optimism at the plate. He’s a career .239/.316/.344 batter in 1137 plate appearances across those four teams.

Heredia, however, is capable of playing all three outfield positions, has a minor league option remaining and does have a respectable line against left-handed pitching: .274/.337/.397. His right-handed bat will give the Braves some depth and a possible bench bat, though his skill set is somewhat similar to fellow recent waiver claim Phil Ervin. With Marcell Ozuna, Ronald Acuna Jr., Cristian Pache and Ender Inciarte all ahead of him on the depth chart, it seems likelier that he’ll be ticketed for Triple-A Gwinnett to begin the season than for Atlanta’s 26-man roster.

Extension Notes: Lindor, Correa, Bieber, Bichette

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New Mets shortstop Francisco Lindor revealed that there’s “mutual interest” in an extension, though he believes “it’s too early” for serious talks to start, per Jesse Rogers of ESPN.com. Lindor said in early January, shortly after the Mets acquired him from Cleveland, that he wouldn’t want to discuss a new contract during the season. His feelings on that subject seemingly remain the same, as he notes, “It would be unfair for me and the rest of the team to have ongoing conversations on an extension, and we show up on Opening Day and our mind is somewhere else.” Considering Lindor’s stance, the Mets figure to spend the next month-plus trying to lock up the 27-year-old, who has been a premier player throughout his career and who was the biggest acquisition the club made in the offseason.

  • The Astros’ Carlos Correa could join Lindor as part of a star-studded class of free-agent shortstops next winter, but he would also like to secure a new deal before the upcoming season, Brian McTaggart of MLB.com writes. “If the Astros want to extend me, I would like to get it done before the season starts,” Correa said. “I feel good, my body feels great and I feel I’m going to have such a great season. Once the season starts, I don’t want to be involved and distracted with those conversations.” Correa, 26, put up uncharacteristically mediocre production in 2020, but he stayed healthy for the first time in a few seasons. He avoided arbitration Feb. 6 with an $11.7MM agreement for 2021, but he and his agent haven’t heard from the Astros about a long-term deal since then, McTaggart relays.
  • Indians ace Shane Bieber hasn’t discussed a long-term deal with the club, but he’d be willing to do so, Zack Meisel of The Athletic tweets. The Indians don’t necessarily have to urgently sign Bieber, who won’t be eligible for arbitration until after 2021 or free agency until the end of 2024. But with the club’s low budget in mind, it could behoove it to extend the reigning AL Cy Young winner sometime soon.
  • Blue Jays shortstop Bo Bichette told Ben Nicholson-Smith of Sportsnet and other reporters that he’s open to an extension, but the team hasn’t made him an offer so far. The 22-year-old Bichette has been a revelation for the Blue Jays dating back to his 2019 debut, having slashed .307/.347/.549 with 16 home runs and eight stolen bases in 340 plate appearances. Fortunately for Toronto, it isn’t in danger of losing Bichette in the near future, which would explain the lack of urgency in inking him to an extension. Bichette still has two pre-arbitration years remaining and isn’t slated to reach free agency until after 2025.

Mets Designate Guillermo Heredia For Assignment

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The Mets have designated outfielder Guillermo Heredia for assignment.  The move was made to create a 40-man roster spot for Kevin Pillar, whose contract with the team is now official.

Heredia appeared in seven games for the Mets after being claimed off waivers from the Pirates in August.  All told, the outfielder hit .212/278/.394 over 36 plate appearances for Pittsburgh and New York.  It isn’t far off the numbers (.240/.317/.342) Heredia posted in his four previous big league seasons, over 1101 PA with the Mariners (from 2016-18) and Rays (2019).

The 30-year-old can provide depth at all three outfield positions, so the Mets are surely hoping Heredia goes unclaimed and can remain in the farm system as a backup option in the event of injury.  The Mets are fairly crowded with outfield options on the active roster, but Heredia and non-roster invite Mallex Smith project as the first men up from Triple-A if a replacement is needed.

Mets Sign Kevin Pillar

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TODAY: Pillar’s deal was officially announced by the team.

FEB. 15, 10:18pm: Pillar will earn $3.6MM this year. There is a $2.9MM player option with no buyout or a $6.4MM club option with a $1.4MM buyout for 2022, per Mark Feinsand of MLB.com.

9:40pm: It’s a $5MM guarantee that could go to $10MM over two years, Heyman tweets.

7:57pm: It’s a one-year contract, Anthony DiComo of MLB.com reports.

7:38pm: The two sides have a deal, pending a physical, Andy Martino of SNY tweets. It’s expected to be a major league pact, Joel Sherman of the New York Post adds.

7:24pm: The Mets and free-agent outfielder Kevin Pillar “are in serious talks,” according to Jon Heyman of MLB Network. Pillar would be the second notable outfield addition in the past week for the Mets, who previously signed ex-Cub Albert Almora Jr.

Like Almora, Pillar would provide depth in a Mets outfield that, at least for now, is slated to start Brandon Nimmo, Michael Conforto and Dominic Smith in 2021. Of course that, could be subject to change if the Mets make another major acquisition by signing, say, Jackie Bradley Jr. – the top-ranked center fielder left in free agency – or swinging a trade for Cubs third baseman/outfielder Kris Bryant. Mets fans would probably prefer a high-profile move like that, but it’s possible the team will simply go into the year with the cast it has and a lower-cost pickup such as Pillar.

Now 32 years old, Pillar is best known for his run in Toronto from 2013-19, during which he established himself as a world-class defender in center field. Pillar spent most of 2019 as a Giant after they acquired him from the Blue Jays, and he divided last season between the Red Sox and Rockies. Statistically, Pillar’s defense isn’t at peak form (he combined for minus-6 Defensive Runs Saved and a 2.0 Ultimate Zone Rating from 2019-20), but he does carry experience at all three outfield positions.

Pillar has never been a huge offensive threat, but a team could certainly do worse than him as a reserve option. He’s a lifetime .262/.299/.408 hitter with 82 home runs and 88 stolen bases over 3,486 plate appearances. Pillar recorded a personal-best 106 wRC+ last season, when he slashed .288/.336/.462, hit six homers and swiped five bags in 223 PA.

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