The Mets are slated to tender a contract to catcher Travis d’Arnaud, Joel Sherman of the New York Post reports (Twitter links). Things are headed in the opposite direction, however, for infielder Wilmer Flores, who’ll be cut loose.
It’s a bit of a surprise to see d’Arnaud receive a deal, as he has dealt with a bevy of injuries in recent seasons, most recently Tommy John surgery that wiped out most of his 2018 season. He’s projected by MLBTR & Matt Swartz to earn $3.7MM.
Flores, meanwhile, has been durable and dependable, but he’s a limited player. While he has been a solidly above-average hitter over the past three years, he also does most of his damage against left-handed pitching and has increasingly been limited to the corner infield. Obviously, the Mets felt his salary (projected at $4.7MM) was just too steep to warrant the ongoing commitment.
Wilmer Flores is probably crying right now
How did you beat me to this when it was posted 3 minutes ago??
We all came to the comments section to post this….
I don’t even read that articles.
I just come straight to comments.
lolol
Holy Moly, you beat me too it!!!
Flores probably has tears of joy now
This is so backwards. Giving TDA another chance over Flores is asinine.
It’s about Cano. If he’s the 2b, then McNeil moves into the role Flores was filling.
Still should have tendered him, IMHO, you’d think that next spring if the Mets don’t need him that some other team who has suffered an injury would be willing to pick up his salary.
Flores took a step back against lefties last year and his knees are shot. good guy but he had to go two arthritic knees is no joke
Mcneil actually goes to third and Frazier to first.
I’m guessing that’s not going to be plan A. Either they will bring someone in to play 1b, or give Alonso a legitimate chance to win the 1b job in spring training.
Agreed
Can we non tender Crying jokes?
No they have a lifetime contract
I registered after reading the crying jokes. I’ve found kindred warped people. 🙂
Typical stupid move by the Mets. Should have done the exact opposite with both these players. Flores has been under appreciated by the Mets for years, and now they’re letting him walk just like they did with Murphy and Turner. D’arnaud is made of glass. He cannot be replied upon to provide anything.
Brave!
Is this the same one that replaced Tejada after Utley launched into
The one that was almost traded in 15 and cried
i’d cry too getting traded to Milwaukee.
Especially the 2015 version of Milwaukee.
Another bonehead move. Sadly, Flores is one of the better hitters on the team. Also the team leader in walk off homers. TDA is garbage.
Man, the Mets sure love D’Arnoud.
Why?
They got it backwards somehow
Rumors had the opposite. I said the same thing about Schoop yesterday. If Boston can find a taker for Nunez, he’s an option to share time with Holt and Devers.
Why would you want to trade Nunez to replace him with Flores? Overall I think Nunez is better and much more versatile defensively than Flores. Plus the obvious… Nunez is signed for 19 for $5M and doesn’t have much trade value…
Nunez’s knee remains my main concern. Flores is mediocre in the field but Nunez if he can’t go laterally is far worse in my opinion. Plus I thought even earing a bit of cash on dealing Nunez, the net of what Flores would cost would be less. Given Pedroia’s health, I’m looking for a right hand bat. Perhaps it will be Marco Hernandez who I forgot about.
I do not understand this move here. Why would you keep a player that is always hurt n has not lived up to his potential. As for Flores, grant it he is a dependable player I feel. With really 1 of the biggest focus that the Mets need to worry about this offseason is the Cather spot, so why would u keep the players on the team if you want to go in different direction at that position. I’m really not understanding these potential moves that this NEW GM is starting to make. Just like this so called trade, why are they giving up their top pitching prospect and their #1 pick last year that was called the best hitter by scout that came from last years draft, and he showed that he can do his thing in the minors last season for the Mets. I understand that their getting this young closer out of the deal so why can’t they just do a 1 for 1 deal for prospects or put Smith back in the deal.
He’s Thor’s love child from their Toronto days.
This was expected when they signed Dilson Herrera
Can’t they theoretically non-tender him and then try to sign him for less? Not saying this the right move but possible he still ends up back there?
Also this should have been foreseeable going back at least a season or two. The Mets has chances to let Flores play everyday but don’t. They consider him a utility at best option. His days with the team were and have been numbered for a long time…
Flores should be picked up by the Fish
For the first time, I disagree with a Brodie Van Wagenen decision. Non-tendering Flores made sense but tendering d’Arnaud make zero sense unless you’re going to flip him for some low-level prospects or International Spending Money. d’Arnaud is a bum and will always be a bum. I really hope that this doesn’t stop the Mets from getting a new fulltime catcher like Wilson Ramos.
Wow, the first time of his many decisions?
Doesnt make sense…an oft injured..average at best catcher gets tendered a contract..but the utility infielder who hits .250 with 15hr and 60rbi in usually around 400 ab’s doesnt…
Not to mention Flores is by far their best late inning performer…
And just like Turner…he will move on to another team and will hit .285 with 24hr and 80rbi..
Why??? Because its the Mets
I believe the Mets will resign Flores at a cheaper rate.
I agree completely!!!
What’s the obsession with mediocre injury prone TDA? They really got this backwards.
I thought if anything the opposite would happen
I guess cano is a definite to go to the Mets, I don’t see them doing this if it wasn’t happening.
Well Wilma Flowers is eyeing his eyes out somewhere. And tom Hanks is close by yelling at him “are you crying?, theres no crying in baseballç
Great job.
Flores arthritis was strangely omitted in this article and probably played some role in the decision.
Wilmer….Another young player the Mets managed to f with. He’ll go someplace and be an all-star.
I really can’t understand how nobody seems to get this move. D’Arnaud projected at $3.7M is hardly a burden for a player who could be a solid backup or good bench bat. Flores literally serves as a $1M higher bench bat with zero ability to defend in any position he plays. Flores gets extremely hot for like a week and then goes ice cold for a month. He’s literally a right handed Duda with a little less power. Nobody cared when Duda was let go.
Bingo!
Good luck Flo!
You deserved better than what the Mets did for you.
You can rake v lefties mo.
DT
All crying aside, now seriously, Wilmer will get picked up in a heartbeat.
He is a good piece to have
Never has an organization shown such blind faith in a mediocre/constantly injured player for so long as the Mets have with d’Arnaud.
Brodie off Wagenen seems to have everything backwards so far.
Flores would have been a versatile bench player. It wad stupid to get rid of him.
I figured the Mets would keep Flores to start at 1st base until Alonso was ready and then move him into a utility role.
Generally when teams want to re-sign a player for less than the projected arbitration figure they utilize the exclusive negotiation period while they still have the player under control. You could also tender and then come up with a 1yr contract prior to the arb hearing. Either they threw out a number and Flores thought he’d do better in FA, or they’re concerned about the early onset arthritis in both his knees that popped up late last season. Hope he finds a good home though. He’s an enjoyable player and seems like a good dude.
now everybody loves Wilmer
If you’ve watched Wilmer Flores start four games in a row you have no issue with this move. He only hits lefties, plays awful defense and can’t run. They couldn’t give him away at the deadline last year.
I thought he was an alright pinch hitter
I would have non-tendered both of them personally, but I guess this is defensible.
Man I wish they kept Wilmer but I get it
How many chances is this guy gonna get? Every time they give him the starting catching duty he fails.
It’s sad to think there are still active players who were traded for Roy Halladay.