The Mets and Indians have engaged in trade talks involving catcher Yan Gomes, according to SNY.tv’s Andy Martino. Reports from earlier in the winter indicated that Cleveland was open to offers for some of its higher-paid veteran players, and while much of that speculation has centered around the Tribe’s available starting pitchers, Gomes has also generated “significant trade interest.”
Gomes would be a particularly good fit on a Mets team that is looking for an upgrade behind the plate. With Travis d’Arnaud recovering from Tommy John surgery (the latest in a long string of injuries for d’Arnaud), Kevin Plawecki and Tomas Nido are New York’s top two catching options, leaving lots of room for improvement. Gomes would bring not just solid defense and game-calling to the mix, but also a revived bat that saw him hit .266/.313/.449 with 16 homers in 2018, following three seasons of below-average offensive production. Since payroll is always a factor for the Mets, Gomes is also an attractive option due to a reasonable contract — $7MM in 2019, then a $9MM club option for 2020 ($1MM buyout) and an $11MM club option for 2021 (with another $1MM buyout).
Signing free agents like Yasmani Grandal or Wilson Ramos would cost the Mets much more money, though obviously the team would have to part with assets to pry Gomes out of Cleveland. The Mets are short on minor league depth, though the Tribe is probably looking for a more immediately helpful return for Gomes than just prospects, as the Indians fully intend to make another postseason appearance in 2019. Cleveland has a need for outfielders, though it would surely take more than just Gomes for the Mets to part with Michael Conforto or Brandon Nimmo.
The Indians and Mets collaborated on a notable trade in August 2017, which send Jay Bruce to Cleveland. The two sides also came close to finalizing a deal last offseason that would’ve sent Jason Kipnis to New York, before Mets ownership reportedly nixed the trade for financial reasons. While Kipnis is still with the Tribe, it isn’t clear if he would still be on the Mets’ radar now that Brodie Van Wagenen has taken over as New York’s general manager.
Martino trying desperately to get clicks
You’ve got to be sympathetic for any writer associated with the Mets or SNY. Give the guy a break. The Mets DO need a serviceable catcher given that they haven’t had one in so long nobody can remember the name.
Not that far they’re all serviceable
The mets are sooo cheap
What about this article makes you think “cheap”? They would be taking on salary for this trade. Gomes is better than either Ramos or Grandal, and the Mets don’t have the prospect flexibility to trade for Realmuto. This move is perfect for the Mets. If they can dump Bruce in the deal then all the better
Hey James…try to reduce the woulds and coulds because they are inaccurate. The Mets will not be able to pull this trade trigger so they will NOT be taking on salary.
Coupled with your assessment that they don’t have prospect flexibility you can expect to see more comical baseball next season.
Gomes is not better than plawecki. There is a reason he’s on the trade block… he can’t freaking hit!!!
Far, far better then “plawecki”, and hits well for a catcher. 16 HR’s in 403 AB’s last year.
Gomes was on the AL All-Star team in 2018. “plawecki”?
You follow baseball?
*than
I agree with you on Gomes > Plawecki, but don’t use All-Star games as a reference to who is better than who.
I understand and agree that all star games are a bad metric, but the problem is that Gomes’ value (and the value of all good game callers/“pitcher handlers”/fielders) defies existing metrics. Gomes’ reputation in MLB is that of one of the best defensive catchers in baseball. Perhaps not Molina/Perez level, but not far off. Indians front office types have been quoted as saying they are fine starting Gomes even if he doesn’t hit. That is a testiment to his defensive value – but not a good quantitative measure.
By the way, the reason the Indians are willing to trade Gomes is that his backup, Roberto Perez, is as good a backstop as Gomes. Just like Gomes, people don’t care how he hits as long as he handles the staff well.
Why is Plawecki in quotes? You follow the english language?
Gomes had twice the bWAR of Plawecki and was an above average hitter last year…they’re not even close
He’s on the trading block because they have a budget crunch and they find his contract expendable.
I love the Mets… Having said that, KP is nowhere near Yan Gomez’s level. Gomez is a legit hitter meanwhile KP will always be no better than one of those AAAA type of guys
Gomes is soooo much better than plawecki, both offensively and defensively. Only thing plawecki has on gomes is that he’s cheaper.
Gomes is the hero you need but not the hero you deserve
Mickey Callaway worked closely with Gomes in Cleveland. He’s probably pushing for him.
My thoughts exactly…I wouldn’t be surprised to see the Mets out feelers out for any other recent former Indians too (the Rockies probably wouldn’t mind moving Shaw, for instance)
Grandal to the Mets would be perfect. Can’t get the yips in the playoffs if you never make it to the playoffs
Grandal is a total fraud. What a perfect fit for the Mets he is.
Gonna take a lot better than Nimmo for any deal to happen. And dang, why all the left handed outfielders?
You wouldn’t be able to get Nimmo for Gomes even in your dreams!
Uh, where did I ever say Gomes for Nimmo? I’m discussing a multi-player trade.
Gomes and Kluber for Nimmo and Matz.
Are you high?
The Indians have liked Nimmo for quite some time. Lots of teams have. Very valuable if used properly in match-up’s. Mets are stuck with him, Conforto, and Bruce (and his salary) – too many LH hitting corner OF’s. Then again, the Indian’s prefer too many LH hitting OF’s.
Nimmo is a smart, hustling, winning player. Quietly had a 4.4 WAR last year. Author of the article is correct – Indians would have to give more then Gomes to get him. And the Indians can’t afford Bruce’s salary. So I’d guess another player(s) are involved……possibly a relief pitcher and/or 5th starter.
The Mets would be insane to trade Nimmo for Gomes
They are so they will.
A year ago it might have taken more than Nimmo but he’s quietly coming off a really solid year so while it wouldn’t be a terrible trade for the Mets, they’d probably need more than Gomes
In what World would Nimmo have to be included in a deal for Yan Gomes? That’s one of the most ridiculous things I’ve seen posted on here
I guess you haven’t been re-reading your own posts lately…
Yan Gomes has one year of control. It’s not going to take much to get him. I’m not familiar with the Mets farm system and I know it’s in the weaker side. but it’s more like one 5-10 ranked prospect and another top 20 or something to get that done. Catchers are scarce so there is value there but not nimmo value by any means.
No, he has three years of control. One guaranteed and two option years.
My Mets fan friends seem to think that Jay Bruce for Gomes is a fair deal. I don’t have the energy left to tell them why it’s wrong.
Man that would be an awesome trade for the Mets. Lol
Yeah I’m a Mets fan and that trade is crazy.
How about Gomes for Bruce, $16m, and prospects Jordan humorists (#15) and inf Luis carpio (mid 20s). Indians get Bruce for 2 years at $5m/year.
*jordan Humpries
The Mets decisions just don’t make sense to me. They re puttering along as a mid level team who will most likely do nothing accept barely miss the playoffs for the foreseeable future. They should be unloading anybody who will not be around 3 years from now (eg degrom) and stacking their farm system. The best they can do is hope for a wildcard spot.
@xSpecBx
There’s no need for rebuild.
They should add to their young core position players and strong starting pitching by fixing the pen and acquiring several bats all of which can be achieved this offseason for a quality team in 2019 and beyond.
You mean spend money, right? The Mets don’t spend money.
I’m not sure how they have a fan base.
Hey 84 you are 100% correct. Even with Wagon Wheel the Wilpon’s will continue to use their brand of “too little, too late” investment philosophy to ownership.
The answer to your question, is sad and simple. New York, despite the abuse the Wilpon’s have inflicted on their team, still has a core NL fan base.
Some of them like LTF are suffering from hysteria with wild predictions based upon an irrational perspective that they team is only a fix or two away from being back in it.
There is GOOD NEWS!
With another season of attendance sliding there is a pattern and potential for the Mets to draw close to 2-2.1 million fans. With any luck they will close in on low water marks from 2013 and 2003.
Contribute to this worthy cause:
DO NOT buy any tickets.
CLICK AWAY from SNY.
JOIN the METS BOYCOTT and help embarrass the pathetic ownership!
And then what Mike? Root for the yankees? Really?
No. You sit in the bunker and wait it out.
It’s Ok for someone like you 62 to accept mediocrity and abuse. Perhaps it’s your occupation as Mr Met, running around Chitifield in the hot and humid months wearing polyester and a head cover up you have obviously lost site of what REAL NY baseball fans want.
It goes without saying that I root for the Yankees. Even though we don’t win the WS every year it’s a team worthy of unconditional support ever since GMS purchased the team. He was a loyal fans’ owner-and even with a few blemishes the family has stayed true to the fans by supporting the finances with what was commensurate with a major market team.
So what about you? Do you really enjoy your teams owners laughing in your face with their incompetent management and less than 110% commitment to winning? I guess that you enjoy supporting a team that is the ridicule of MLB.
And besides the Yankees, as a New Yorker I hold the hope for a respectable NL franchise to create a rivalry. You wouldn’t understand that because your brain is self absorbed in rhetoric.
Sad but true that you are sentenced to your namesake. They were understandably laughable in their infancy and since the original owners sold out the Coupons have managed them to be the laughing stock.
Their “young core position players” pretty much stink.
Nimmo and Conforto aren’t so half bad. Unfortunately you have to field 6 other slots.
Gomes and what else to get nimmo? Would love him in the outfield. Once we trade Kluber to the dodgers we get verdugo and that’s a great young outfield!
@debubba
Mets shouldn’t be trading Nimmo with his high ceiling, high energy, great work ethic, hard nosed play, and terrific human being who knows how to get on base like crazy.
Mets could offer Lagares and a prospect for Gomes. Lagares has 1 year, 9 mil remaining so that a very similar monetary exchange of guaranteed money.
And he hits right handed
Batting righty is a positive.
And Gomes would be a solid, all around catching option providing leadership, playoff and other experience catching good pitching, providing good defense and capacity to hit with some power and respectable batting average.
Too bad they won’t take your weak offer fan1. Other teams deal from strength. The Mets always deal from weakness.
Watch them cave at their knees. It’s happening with Wagon Wheel “in charge”.
Gomes would help the staff immediately. Whatever he hits would be a plus. You put together a pitching team, get a good catcher. Plawecki is serviceable, and may surprise. D’Arnaud is in a big spot, career wise, and may have some extra incentive to prove he still has some promise.
Gomes and D’Arnaud provide similar offensive threat, but Gomes provides much better all around defense. – proven defense.
For his three years Age 27-29 Gomes slashed .215 .266 .377 .643 ,
He is 31, and the worst thing to to trade for is an OldBackstop. Gomes had an okay 2018, 2.6 WAR, but Plawecki had a 1.3 WAR with fewer at bats
I’m all for upgrading at catcher, but it should be an upgrade, If I were the Indians I would be jumping at the opportunity to sell high on an aging catcher who had a up blip of a year at age 30.
If he was a FA (shrug) fine, but anytime I hear “trade” and the Mets, a chill goes across my heart.
@
OldBackstop
Absolutely nothing wrong with trading for a proven defensive catcher, top 10 in Pop Time and Exchange Rate who provides offensive threat, is only guaranteed 9 mil if acquired and fails to meet 2019 expectations, but is still only 31 which isn’t old.
31 is same age as Wilson Ramos and just a year older than Grandal. – both of whom would require multi year deals.
I’m fine with either of the 3 although Grandal comes with the baggage of Q.O.
The Mets love signing players with baggage. LOL
I don’t trust a catcher older than 30. Research it and the numbers are like NFL RBs….careers just end there due to injuries, to a amazing extent. Plus the average innings for catchers has been plunging due to injuries and new rest regimens. Will Gomes gives us 136 games at Age 32? Well, he never has to date,
You want to pay for a 31 year old catcher, you better wonder where his next position is…DH? 1B? Gomes hasn’t played much anywhere but catcher.
Gomes defensive numbers not much more impressive than Plawedki (who I would love to see upfraded, but I’m using him here as a baseline.) particularly when you consider the Mets staff is ridiculously inept at holding runners.
To me, adding a 30 some bat is great….but look at trends…only about a 10 catchers got in 100 games last year. If THAT is where our new “big bat” is going to be, I hope we don’t trade anything of note for him,
Gomes likely costs something very close to what the Q.O. Costs you in terms of prospect capital. Obviously you have to spend a lot more on Grandal in terms of dollars though.
The Mets should trade Nimmo, Frazier & two mid-level prospects for Gomes, Yandy Diaz, Carrasco & Bobby Bradley.
Not only is that not enough for the Indians, but why would the Indians trade Yandy Diaz and why would a team with Peter Alonso trade for Bobby Bradley? Also their main objective is to shed salary, and taking back Frazier is about the exact opposite of that.
Dude, that has to be one of the worst trade proposals ever. Diaz will most likely be the Tribe’s starting 3B, at way less cost than Frazier, Cookie is a #2 who is worth more than you’re offering, and Bradley will be the starting 1B next season.
Mets:
Jay Bruce
Juan Lagares
Tomas Nido
Dominic Smith
Indians:
Yan Gomes
Jason Kipnis
Kipnis and Bruce are both sunk costs, so that basically boils down to the Indians trading Gomes for a center fielder that can’t hit (which they already have a few of) and two spare parts.
Cleveland’s motivation is to shave payroll. That deal doesn’t help them shed payroll.
Indians:
Yan Gomes
Jason Kipnis
Gavin Collins
Mets:
Jay Bruce
Juan Lagares
Tomas Nido
Dom Smith
I feel it helps both teams. Both teams win this trade
Surely this will be the move that puts them over the top. Of 70 wins.
But Web, you are not considering “Met’s Math”.
-Take any players’ previous year’s production, and find which half season had their best performance.
-Multiply by two.
-Assert that this will be the predicted result for next season.
-Add as much “Mets” Irrationality” as you can, like “they will be healthy for the whole season”.
That sounds more like Matt’s Meth.
Sounds like Matt has the same IQ as LTf and MrMet62. Their parents told them it was OK to skip studying for Math as long as they watched reruns of Kiners’ Korner. haha.
As much as a Gomes acquisition would upgrade the Met’s current catching situation, I could easily see it blowing up. Gomes is on the wrong side of 30, and has shown a propensity for being inconsistent, whether it’s injury or ineffectiveness.
Gomes can’t hit, only player I trade for him is Bruce, and then it’s reluctantly. If Callaway can’t win without a “personal catcher” fire him. Indians fans are insane in this thread of they really think Nimmo is going for Gomes
Gomes was an above average hitter last season and no one wants Jay Bruce
Read again, it’s not the Indians fans suggesting Gomes for Nimmo. Of the Tribe fans mentioning Nimmo the one specifically said it would take and the other mentioned Kluber as part of the package.
How about Gomes for Seth Lugo and Daniel Zamora?
Gomes and Kipnis for Bruce. Cleveland kicks in the 2.5M for the Kipnis buyout. The Mets then DFA d’Arnaoud.
Cleveland sheds salary while the Mets get a legitimate first string catcher and a player that can fill in at multiple spots and provide decent offense.
We don’t need a catcher, we need outfield help (not Bruce) and relief pitching. As an Indians fan, I would be extremely disappointed if Bruce was included in this deal.
The saddest thing is reading the newspaper.
One on page “Yankees trade for Paxton”, on the next page, a small paragraph “Mets interested in Yan Gomes”.
The Wilpons are re-writing the book on running a professional baseball on a budget.
They are NOT re-writing the book Josh, they wrote the book. Its title, “Foolish Fans–the History of the Wilpon’s ownership of the Mets”. It was written before Amazon and was self published. Fred’s brother-in-law Sol had his wife print it at the elementary school on a mimeo machine to save on there paper.
There is no update as the tactics are still thee same; rob from the fans and take the money and laugh at them behind closed doors.
Seems destined for a 3 way trade or more. Both teams need major league pieces. A 3rd or 4tth team needs to be brought in to supply extra major league piece or two to balance the trade, in return for prospects.
What all Indians fans need to understand is that the Indians are trying to shed Gomes contract off the books. They are not going to get much value in return other than salary relief. If the Mets were to include Brandon Nimmo into any deal with the Indians, they would absolutely be able to get Carlos Carrasco and another piece. The Indians are looking for young, controllable OF’s and Nimmo fits the bill.
I can’t imagine that Nimmo will be part of this deal unless they add Kluber to the mix. By the way, if the Mets see this potential deal as them helping the Indians shed salary, then it isn’t happening. Gomes has real value. Not Brandon Nimmo value, but he would make the Mets pitching staff better. He is easily worth $7.0 million.
Exactly, his contract is more than Cleveland wants to pay at the moment but below what he’d get elsewhere.
While I agree that Gomes’ value does not equate to that of Nimmo, Gomes certainly has value in his own right and the Indians will not simply dump him to clear salary. As for Nimmo’s value, it isn’t nearly as high as you seem to think it is. I don’t expect the Mets have any interest in trading for Carrasco, but in order to acquire Carrasco it will take nimmo and then some. Quality pitching always exceeds quality hitting in value and Carrasco’s contract is immensely valuable. He could be an ace in several teams, but the Indians (and mets) are not one of those teams.
Cleveland is trying to redistribute the salaries to fix needs in the outfield and the bullpen. It is not just a salary dump.
d’Arnaud is a better hitter than all of them. He just can’t stay healthy long enough to get in the groove.
And d’Arnaud’s arm is so weak that he would have a better chance getting a runner out by rolling the ball to second base.
Why do these sports writers keep insisting on irrational decisions?
The Mets are to trade assets to attain an overpriced catcher that has accumulated over 400 AB twice in his career, mediocre power production, and threw out the worst percentage of his career.
The Mets will trade Conforto or Nimmo (their affordable productive positional players) to replace them through more expensive methods?
The Mets will trade Thor for Kris Bryant, which does not make sense. Bryant will require a massive extension in a relative short time, and why trade Thor when you can just sign Machado right now? The Mets will need to replace Thor so apparently the Mets will continue to spend well past their record payroll. Mets need to address multiple positions, and the Mets will just spend big to upgrade existing functional/productive players.
Simple answer to your question Shea; the writers are predicting that history will repeat itself. The Mets have a long history of making irrational decisions. Haven’t you been watching?
Mikeyank55 sure has a lot to say. Shining example of why no one likes yankee fans.
Wow fc. Lots of insight. Thanks for contributing absolutely ZERO here.
Where do you stand? Are you a Mets’ fan in hiding? Do you agree that the ownership has consistently hurt their fan’s chances as they cannot field a competitive team? Or are you in denial?
Nobody likes Yankee fans huh? Wow, what a harsh statement. Your mother is screaming that its time for your bath now,