The Mets and second baseman Neil Walker have yet to engage “in any substantive discussions” about a multi-year extension that would keep Walker off the free agent market, Ken Davidoff of the New York Post reports. The next step between the two sides seems to be tomorrow’s deadline (at 4pm CT) for players who have been issued qualifying offers to decide whether to accept or reject the one-year, $17.2MM offer.
Walker is one of ten players to receive QOs this offseason, and seemingly the only one who may yet accept his deal. In late August, Walker underwent season-ending back surgery to repair a herniated disk, a procedure that will keep him from resuming baseball activities until around the middle of December. Walker’s surgery wasn’t considered to be particularly dangerous nor were his chances at a full recovery in any way limited — the fact that the Mets issued him a qualifying offer at all is a good sign that the club expects him to be healthy. Still, if Walker has any doubts about how his injury status could impact his market, he could accept the QO to remain in New York, pocket a nice one-season payday and then look to re-enter free agency next winter on the heels of another good season and a clean bill of health.
Both Walker and the Mets expressed interest earlier this year in continuing their relationship into 2017 and beyond, though any notion of extension talks apparently went south in the wake of Walker’s back surgery. From the Mets’ perspective, they could’ve approached a Walker extension as they did their deal with Yoenis Cespedes last winter; a multi-year contract with a player opt-out after the first season, so Walker would’ve had the option of exploring free agency again if he was healthy.
It’s hard to know if Walker would’ve been amenable to a deal like that since, injury aside, he is still expected to land a healthy contract. MLBTR’s Tim Dierkes predicts Walker for three years and $36MM, so with that kind of market out there for his services, there wasn’t necessarily any urgency for Walker to rush into an extension with his former club. (New York probably also felt there wasn’t a real chance they could re-sign Walker to a team-friendly extension.) While Walker’s injury adds some uncertainty to his situation, it is still quite uncommon for major free agents to reach extensions with their teams so close to hitting the open market.
Walker should consider taking the QO. It could open the door to substantive extension talks and at worst guarantees him a year at higher AAV.
I think Walker will take the offer, but if he doesn’t. I can see the mets looking at Brandon Philips if the reds are willing to eat some salary. Reyes as a everyday second basemen isn’t that bad ether. If Walker doesn’t accept the QO I’ll let him go and get the pick. The Mets can’t lose in this spot unless Walker is unhealthy.
Phillips could be a good transition to Rivera or somebody lower in the system taking over the job in 2018. 2015 Phillips would be perfectly acceptable, if he can get back to that level.
I’m surprised with Mets giving Walker a QA in the first place, but with trading Hererra in the Bruce trade I guess they had no choice. Phillips would be a good second choice. I can’t see Walker not taking the offer, it’s 17 plus million.
Sandy Alderson during the last two off seasons bigmommamemes.com/006/hardbought-typtological-step…
I had this surgery and with aggressive rehab he could probably hit by spring but I can;’t imagine that he could EVER play 2B again. It might be the worst position for him to play. He really needs to move to RF or 1B immediately.
Mets will stay within their system should walker not accept the offer. I don’t see them trading for Phillips. They have Reyes, Flores, Rivera, Gavin, Rosario, Reynolds all available and readily if not near ready for cheap replacements who not all but some can play decently at the major league level. No need to trade. Main priority should be cespedes. Lock him up and all else falls into place. Last year on the run all they had was cespedes and Cabrera hitting with triple a pitchers and Noah. It was enough for a nice run. They are an interestingly set up team. If pitchers are healthy and if they have a bat in cespedes they should be fine. Plus they will have Duda back and grandy lower in the lineup with Reyes at leadoff. I think cespedes is key
The Mets want the draft pick.