Passan’s Latest: Mets, deGrom, Rays, Ervin, Drury, Choo, Healy
Yahoo’s Jeff Passan has a landslide of trade chatter in his latest “10 Degrees” column, but he first kicks off with a look at what he terms “new depths of dysfunction” among the Mets‘ front office and ownership. Passan echoes previous reports which have suggested that COO Jeff Wilpon is as caught up with whether the cross-town Yankees win or lose as he is with his own team’s success, and he also explores the startling lack of organizational communication that became increasingly apparent with this weekend’s Yoenis Cespedes debacle.
Passan also notes that a GM from another team and another exec from a second team have both wondered to him whether Wilpon is so concerned with the public perception of his team that he’d push for a trade of Jacob deGrom in an effort to engender some positive P.R. among a fanbase that has clamored for a rebuild. Most still expect the Mets to hang onto both deGrom and Noah Syndergaard, he adds, but even the notion that some teams feel Mets ownership could plausibly be leveraged or taken advantage of in that manner has to be unsettling for Mets fans.
Some more highlights from a column that anyone who follows the trade market should check out in its entirety…
- The Rays aren’t planning to operate as a strict buyer or seller over the next eight days, Passan writes. Tampa Bay is marketing rental pieces like right-hander Nathan Eovaldi and injured catcher Wilson Ramos to other clubs but is also willing to part with prospects to acquire affordable, controllable pieces that can be retained for years to come. Passan spoke to someone familiar with the Rays’ talks surrounding Chris Archer who said he’d be “completely stunned” if Archer were actually traded this summer given the three reasonably priced years of control he has remaining on his contract.
- While Ervin Santana hasn’t pitched in the Majors this season after undergoing surgery to repair a tendon in his right middle finger this February, scouts are planning to closely watch the Twins right-hander’s 2018 debut this week, Passan notes. Santana likely only has enough time to make a pair of starts before the non-waiver deadline, and that may or may not be enough to convince a team of his ability to help down the stretch. But he’s also owed the balance of a $14MM salary this season — about $5.2MM through season’s end — which could allow him to clear waivers in early August and emerge as a trade candidate next month.
- The Yankees have been tied to multiple rentals this summer, but they’ve also been inquiring on controllable relief arms and, in some cases, showing a willingness to include Brandon Drury in those trade talks. Drury was added as a depth piece late in the offseason and opened the year as the Yankees’ third baseman, but the near-immediate success of Gleyber Torres and Miguel Andujar made him relatively superfluous in the season’s early stages. Drury has appeared in just 16 games for the Yankees this season despite the fact that he’d established himself as a solid contributor at the big league level over the past two years with the Diamondbacks.
- The Rangers are willing to pay down a “significant” portion of Shin-Soo Choo‘s remaining contract — he’s still guaranteed about $7.4MM through the end of 2018 plus $21MM in each of the next two seasons — but his lack of defensive value is a roadblock to a deal. Choo fits best on an AL club where he can serve as a designated hitter, but there’s no American League contender with much of an opening, and teams in both leagues would likely be reluctant to use him in the outfield.
- A bit more surprisingly, Passan reports that the Royals are “poking around” on Mariners first baseman Ryon Healy in case he’s deemed redundant once Robinson Cano returns from his 80-game suspension. The Mariners have already expressed a desire to keep Dee Gordon at second base, which could push Cano to first base once he returns. That’d take away at-bats from Healy, who is showing impressive power but dismal on-base skills, with a .244/.274/.466 and 20 homers through 325 plate appearances. Healy is controlled through the 2022 season and won’t be eligible for arbitration until after the 2019 season, so while the Royals are obviously a rebuilding club, he could be a long-term piece for them if they’re able to boost his on-base percentage to a passable level.
Trade Rumblings & Reactions: Twins, O’s, Fulmer, Mets, Familia, Machado
Among the many trade proposals being tossed around behind the scenes, The Athletic’s Ken Rosenthal (Twitter links) hears that the Twins have been approached about dealing Brian Dozier and Eduardo Escobar in the same trade, while teams interested in Zach Britton have also asked the Orioles about a larger deal involving Dylan Bundy or Kevin Gausman. Rosenthal is doubtful either scenario takes place, as Baltimore may not be looking to deal from its rotation and, more generally, teams usually prefer to deal players individually rather than package together several trade chips in a single blockbuster move. In regards to the Twins, Rosenthal speculates that the Brewers could have been the team who asked about the multi-player deal — Milwaukee has the most glaring need of any contender for middle infield help, and the Brew Crew has been connected to both Dozier and Escobar in reports.
Here’s more on some completed, and perhaps potential, trades as we approach the deadline…
- Though an oblique strain sent Michael Fulmer to the DL on Friday, at least one team still has some trade interest in the Tigers right-hander, a rival scout for the mystery team told The Athletic’s Emily Waldon (Twitter link). Much depends, obviously, on how quickly Fulmer is able to return from the injury, as he wouldn’t be able to pitch in the postseason for any club that acquired him after August 31. I’d think that unless Fulmer makes an unusually speedy recovery, the Tigers would prefer to wait until the offseason so they could gain full value for what might be their best trade asset. The Athletics can probably be ruled out as the team still in on Fulmer, as Susan Slusser of the San Francisco Chronicle (Twitter link) notes that the A’s had “some interest,” though that was prior to the injury news.
- Mets assistant GM John Ricco discussed his team’s trade of closer Jeurys Familia to the A’s while speaking with reporters (including the New York Post’s Zach Braziller) today, saying that the Mets felt they would’ve received a worse return for a rental player like Familia had they waited longer for a deal. The fact that Oakland was willing to take on the remainder of Familia’s contract wasn’t a major factor, as Ricco said the Mets are willing and able to take on salary in other trades. “We made the judgment the talent level for eating money wasn’t going to be there, so we decided to do the [Familia] deal where we moved the money,” Ricco said.
- Ricco’s explanation notwithstanding, the Familia trade has drawn criticism for the relatively small return (two minor prospects and $1MM in international bonus money) the Mets received, particularly with so many teams looking for bullpen help. Sources from rival teams interested in Familia told The Athletic’s Jim Bowden (subscription required) that they didn’t know why the Mets didn’t approach them one final time to give them a chance to top Oakland’s offer.
- More favorable reviews were given to the Manny Machado deal between the Orioles and Dodgers, from front office executives and scouts surveyed by Baseball America. Speaking anonymously, the evaluators spoke positively about the five-prospect package Baltimore received for Machado, particularly since [which could also go to the Mets’ logic on dealing Familia when they did] rental players have become harder to move in the modern trading climate. “For a rental these days, getting [Yusniel] Diaz and [Dean] Kremer was good in my opinion. In general I don’t see teams sacrificing top talent for two-plus months (of a big league player),” one American League front office official said.
Heyman’s Latest: Mets, Wheeler, deGrom, Syndergaard, Jackson, Phils, Braves
“About a half-dozen teams” have some interest in Mets right-hander Zack Wheeler, FanCred Sports’ Jon Heyman tweets. Wheeler’s name has been mentioned in trade rumors for a few weeks now, with such teams as the Reds, Yankees, and Diamondbacks all reportedly linked to the 28-year-old. With the Mets firmly in sell mode as the deadline approaches, Wheeler certainly still appears to be the likeliest of New York’s starting pitchers to be moved in the coming days. In other tweets,, Heyman notes that though the Mets are doing their due diligence on current offers for Jacob deGrom or Noah Syndergaard, it’s more probably the team would wait until the offseason to deal either ace. Waiting until the winter opens up a wider array of potential suitors for trades, and thus would increase the Mets’ chances of landing their desired return of MLB-ready talent. Of course, the chances of Syndergaard being now seem “infinitesimal” since the righty is now on the 10-day DL after contracting hand, foot, and mouth disease.
Here’s some more transactions buzz from Heyman’s Twitter account…
- The Red Sox and Giants are among the teams who are showing interest in veteran outfielder Austin Jackson. San Francisco, of course, just traded Jackson to the Rangers as part of a salary dump, and Jackson is now available in free agency (for the prorated MLB minimum salary) after Texas released him. Jackson has hit only .242/.309/.295 in 165 PA this season, though he could provide several teams with veteran outfield depth. He is more natural backup outfield fit, for instance, than current Red Sox roster members Steve Pearce or Brock Holt. The Giants have a pretty crowded outfield mix already, though Jackson is more experienced than the likes of Austin Slater or Steven Duggar.
- The Braves and Phillies have been linked to several major names this summer, and Heyman says the two NL East rivals have indeed been “involved in most/all the big stuff” on the trade front. According to some, however, Atlanta and Philadelphia have also seemed less likely than other contenders to move their top prospects. This jibes with recent comments from Braves GM Alex Anthopoulos, who was looking to make upgrades but expressed wariness about dealing top prospects, particularly for rental players. Both the Braves and Phils are somewhat in the same boat as teams who are somewhat unexpected contenders coming out of a lengthy rebuild, and since both are looking to begin some sustained success, they aren’t necessarily looking to make a big all-in push this year.
Injury Updates: Turner, Suter, Cespedes, Frazier
A right adductor strain had kept Justin Turner out of the Dodgers‘ starting lineup since July 11, though his return to his regular third base spot today didn’t last long. Turner had to leave today’s 11-2 win over the Brewers in the middle of the third inning due to right groin tightness. Talking to media (including the Orange County Register’s Bill Plunkett) after the game, Turner said that his injury “definitely didn’t get worse but wasn’t as good as I’d hoped.” A DL stint could potentially be in the cards, though Turner will first receive further examination from the team’s medical staff.
Turner already missed the first six weeks of the season due to a fractured wrist, and it’s fair to say that his performance has suffered due to these injuries. He is still delivering above-average (110 wRC+) production, though his .259/.354/.398 slash line is below his usual standards, particularly in the power department. If he does hit the DL, Los Angeles likely already has enough infield depth that they wouldn’t look for any more help at the deadline, especially since the Dodgers already made a big infield addition in Manny Machado. It might be interesting to monitor if Machado gets any time at the hot corner if Turner if out, though it’s more likely that Machado will simply remain at shortstop.
Some more injury updates from around baseball…
- That same Dodgers/Brewers game also saw Milwaukee southpaw Brent Suter leave after three innings due to a forearm strain. Manager Craig Counsell told the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel’s Tom Haudricourt and other reporters that Suter would undergo an MRI, though Suter is expected to land on the disabled list. Suter had a brief DL stint earlier this month with tightness in that same forearm, so it isn’t surprising that the team would be cautious with such an injury even if the MRI doesn’t reveal anything serious. Milwaukee was already rumored to be looking for pitching at the deadline, and that search is likely to intensify with Suter out of action. Suter was rocked for six runs today to boost his season ERA to 4.80, though Suter has just a 1.64 BB/9 to go along with a 7.46 K/9 rate, and ERA predictors (such as a 4.04 xFIP) are generally more favorable about his performance.
- Yoenis Cespedes‘ recent comments about considering surgery to fix calcification in his heels caught the Mets by surprise, assistant GM John Ricco told the New York Times’ James Wagner (Twitter links) and other reporters. Still, Ricco stressed that surgery would be Cespedes’ “last resort” to solve his ongoing leg problems, and that Cespedes’ comments could have been made out of simple frustration. The outfielder will visit doctors tomorrow, though Ricco said that an examination of Cespedes’ feet in June indicated that the injury could be managed without immediate need for surgery.
- Yankees outfielder Clint Frazier was placed on the seven-day concussion DL this weekend while playing at Triple-A, though his status has been changed to a 10-day stint on the Major League disabled list. (NJ.com’s Brendan Kuty was among those who had the news.) Beyond the specifics of his placement, Frazier’s injury could also impact his immediate future in the organization, as the prospect has often been cited as a popular trade chip for the Yankees at the deadline.
Mets To Place Noah Syndergaard On DL
The Mets are placing Noah Syndergaard on the 10-day disabled list after he contracted hand, foot and mouth disease, Anthony DiComo of MLB.com was among those to tweet. The club doesn’t expect it to be a long-term issue, per DiComo, and it believes he contracted the illness while working at a kids camp over the All-Star break, David Lennon of Newsday adds.
This is the second DL stint of the year for Syndergaard, who just returned on July 13 after missing nearly two months with a finger injury. It also continues an almost comical run of bad injury luck for the Mets dating back to last season, when a host of important players (including Syndergaard) began hitting the DL. This year has been more of the same for New York, which has stumbled to a 40-56 record and last place in the National League East.
With the Mets serving as deadline sellers this summer, Syndergaard has been an oft-speculated trade candidate. The Mets aren’t actively shopping him, however, and would understandably require an enormous return in order to move the flamethrowing 25-year-old. Even though he has only totaled 105 innings since last year (74 2/3 this season), Syndergaard remains one of the majors’ most valuable starters. While Syndergaard has racked up just 13 starts this year, he has already accumulated 2.3 fWAR, thanks to a 2.89 ERA/2.56 FIP and 10.0 K/9 against 1.81 BB/9.
Indians, Brewers, Phillies Interested In Asdrubal Cabrera
Mets pending free-agent infielder Asdrubal Cabrera is enjoying one of his best seasons, and contending teams have taken notice. The Indians, Brewers and Phillies are among the clubs with interest in Cabrera, Buster Olney of ESPN tweets.
The switch-hitting Cabrera has already been a member of the Indians, with whom he played from 2007-14. Cabrera was primarily a shortstop during that span, but the Indians certainly don’t need help there with Francisco Lindor in the fold. Second base is another story, though, as Jason Kipnis is enduring his second straight subpar offensive season. The 32-year-old Cabrera has shifted to the keystone on a full-time basis and would seemingly be a significant offensive upgrade over Kipnis, having slashed .280/.332/.487 with 17 home runs in 388 plate appearances this season. At the same time, Cabrera has been a disaster in the field, as he has accounted for minus-17 Defensive Runs Saved and a minus-6.0 Ultimate Zone Rating this season.
Despite Cabrera’s defensive woes, the Brewers would welcome his presence at the plate. Their second basemen own the majors’ second-worst wRC+ (66), after all, with the Jonathan Villar-led group has having combined for a .227/.285/.340 line in 702 PAs. The Phillies, with on-base machine Cesar Hernandez at second, are in fine shape at the position. But they need help along the left side of their infield, where they’ve received underwhelming production from Maikel Franco, J.P. Crawford and Scott Kingery, among others. Cabrera has been dreadful at short in recent seasons, however, meaning he’d likely overtake Franco as Philly’s starting third baseman if acquired. One potential problem: Cabrera has made it known he’d prefer to play second.
Quick Hits: Cano, Mets, Familia, D-backs, S. Miller, White Sox
Mariners second baseman Robinson Cano has been out since mid-May on account of both an 80-game suspension and a fractured right hand. In his absence, the Mariners have deployed Dee Gordon at second, and they’re not going to waver from that upon Cano’s return. “We are looking at Dee as our second baseman,” general manager Jerry Dipoto said Friday (via Ryan Divish of the Seattle Times). “There may be a time, especially mid-August to the end of the season where he slides out to center field for a day. But primarily he’s going to play second base.” With Gordon poised to continue at second, it seems Cano will primarily handle first base when he comes back. Although the 35-year-old Cano has never lined up at first, he certainly has the bat for the position. If Cano’s his usual self at the plate, he’ll be an easy upgrade over Seattle’s current starting first baseman, Ryon Healy, though the former’s suspension means won’t be eligible for the postseason if the contending Mariners earn a spot.
Here’s more from around the game…
- The Mets pulled off a major trade Saturday in sending pending free-agent closer Jeurys Familia to the Athletics for third baseman William Toffey, right-hander Bobby Wahl and $1MM in international bonus money. Keith Law of ESPN (subscription required) isn’t impressed with the Mets’ half of the deal, writing that Toffey and Wahl are “two fringe-at-best prospects” and lambasting the big-market club for its penny-pinching ways. Law, who credits the A’s for paying next to nothing for a proven reliever, goes on to offer in-depth assessments of Toffey and Wahl in his piece.
- If Diamondbacks right-hander Shelby Miller returns this season from elbow inflammation, he may work as a reliever, manager Torey Lovullo told reporters (including Zach Buchanan of The Athletic) on Friday. For now, Miller’s in the midst of a 10- to 14-day shutdown period, Buchanan notes, though he doesn’t have any UCL damage. Miller, out since July 12, endured a nightmarish few starts before going on the DL. In his first action since undergoing May 2017 Tommy John surgery, Miller yielded 19 earned runs on 24 hits and seven walks in 15 innings (four starts).
- White Sox reliever Nate Jones suffered a setback in his recovery from a pronator muscle strain and will be shut down for two weeks, Scott Merkin of MLB.com tweets. The team still expects Jones to come back this year, Merkin adds, though it seems too late for him to emerge as an in-season trade chip. The 32-year-old Jones has already been out for more than a month, making this his second straight injury-shortened campaign. Jones, whom elbow problems limited to 11 2/3 innings last year, has thrown 24 2/3 frames this season and registered a 2.55 ERA/4.61 FIP with 9.85 K/9 and 5.11 BB/9.
Injury Notes: Reds, Cespedes, Angels, Rangers
Reds infielder Alex Blandino suffered a torn ACL in his right knee on Friday, John Fay of the Cincinnati Enquirer writes. Blandino will miss the rest of the season, though the length of the recovery period (five to six months, Fay writes) suggests his 2019 isn’t in jeopardy. A first-round pick (No. 29 overall) of the Reds in 2014, Blandino debuted in the majors this year and batted .234/.324/.289 in 147 plate appearances. Defensively, he saw action at several positions, logging double-digit appearances at second, third and shortstop.
A few more injury updates from around the game…
- After returning Friday from a two-month absence, left fielder Yoenis Cespedes missed the Mets’ game Saturday while dealing with soreness, Tim Healey of Newsday reports. Cespedes, who revealed Friday that he has calcification in his heels and may need surgery, will meet with a foot specialist and have an MRI next week, per Healey. Despite that, the Mets haven’t ruled Cespedes out for Sunday’s game, according to manager Mickey Callaway.
- The Angels activated right-hander Nick Tropeano from the disabled list and optioned fellow righty Eduardo Paredes to Triple-A Salt Lake on Saturday. Tropeano, who started the Angels’ game Saturday, missed just under a month and a half with inflammation in his pitching shoulder. He’s among a cavalcade of Angels who haven’t been able to get through the season unscathed, which helps explain their disappointing record (49-49). The 27-year-old entered Saturday with a 4.83 ERA/4.86 FIP, 7.33 K/9 and 3.33 BB/9 over a 10-start, 54-inning span.
- Rangers catcher Jose Trevino has undergone season-ending left shoulder surgery, Evan Grant of the Dallas Morning News reports, adding that he should be ready for spring training in 2019. The 25-year-old had a poor season at the plate at the Triple-A level (.234/.284/.332 in 201 trips), but he’s a well-regarded defender who ranks as the Rangers’ 21st-best prospect at MLB Pipeline. Trevino also earned his first major league promotion this season, collecting eight PAs.
Athletics Acquire Jeurys Familia
In a trade that has been widely expected since last night, the Athletics have officially acquired right-hander Jeurys Familia from the Mets. In exchange, the Athletics have sent a pair of minor leaguers back to New York: third baseman William Toffey and right-hander Bobby Wahl. The Mets will also receive $1MM in international bonus money, while the Athletics will take on all of Familia’s ~$3MM remaining salary.
With Familia set to reach free agency at season’s end, and the Mets suffering through a miserable 40-55 season thus far on the year, the closer’s ticket out of Queens has been all but purchased for weeks. Familia earned the number two spot on our Top 75 Trade Candidates At The All-Star Break list owing in part to the above factors as well as his excellent start to the 2018 season. Thus far, Familia’s managed an excellent 2.88 ERA and 17 saves to go along with 9.52 K/9 and a 50.5% ground ball rate.
Familia’s excellence goes beyond the common surface stats, too. His peripherals have earned him a 2.54 FIP, for one. He’s also been excellent at limiting homers, with a minuscule 2.8% homer-to-fly-ball rate on the season. An even deeper dive reveals that Familia has allowed hard contact at just a 26.8% clip during a season in which hard contact is up on the whole, and he’s also managed to induce swinging strikes on 12% of his pitches. According to Statcast, the batted ball profile of hitters against Familia gives him an xwOBA of just .289, which is only a few points above his actual wOBA (.273).
The excellent figures above are a well-timed bounce back from a miserable 2017 season for Familia that began with a 15-game domestic violence suspension and got even worse when it was revealed that the righty had an arterial clot in his right shoulder that would ultimately require surgery to repair. By the time he was finally able to return on August 26th, he looked nothing like himself, posting a 4.70 ERA while walking 4.11 batters per nine and not even notching a strikeout per inning. His 2018 comeback not only allowed the team who signed and developed him to capitalize on his success and reap a prospect return, but it also earned Familia a trade to a contending team, and the promise of pitching in meaningful games by which he can boost his free agent pay day.
That team, the Athletics, didn’t look like a serious player for the American League West crown early on in the season. But thanks to a torrid stretch during which they’ve gone 21-7, the Athletics have vaulted themselves into contender status and currently sit just four games out of the second AL Wild Card spot currently owned by the division rival Mariners. A breakout season from third baseman Matt Chapman, a career year from infielder Jed Lowrie, and the continued success from young core players such as Matt Olson and Sean Manaea are all contributing factors to the A’s owning an impressive 55-43 record at this juncture.
Familia will join an elite-level A’s bullpen that’s already 38-0 this season when leading after seven innings. That group includes breakout closer Blake Treinen along with other excellent 2018 performers such as Lou Trivino, Chris Hatcher, Ryan Buchter and Yusmeiro Petit. There’s no word on who will handle the closing duties in the Familia era in Oakland, but it seems quite possible that Familia could supplant the incumbent Treinen in order to suppress his saves, a stat that holds an inordinate amount of weight in baseball’s arbitration process and would therefore help to drive up Treinen’s price tag in future seasons.
As for the Mets, it signals the waving of a white flag on the 2018 season. It’s not clear yet, however, whether the move signals a short retooling phase or a longer-term, larger-scale rebuilding process that could drive them to ship out players with longer-term club control such as Jacob deGrom, Noah Syndergaard and Michael Conforto. With the meteoric rises of the division-rival Braves and Phillies, and the Nationals unlikely to go south anytime soon, the NL East doesn’t figure to get any easier in the ensuing seasons. Add to that uncertainty surrounding the future of the injured Yoenis Cespedes (who will likely require surgery and a nine-month rehab period), and the development of young players like Amed Rosario and Dominic Smith not working out as planned, it’s possible the Amazins could be motivated to tear down the major league roster and start from scratch.
Though manager Mickey Callaway stated this morning that the Mets would go with a closer-by-committee approach in the post-Familia era, it’s worth noting that he made the exact same comment at the beginning of the season before proceeding to use Familia as his 9th-inning hurler almost exclusively. During times when Familia was unavailable, Callaway turned to multi-inning workhorse Robert Gsellman, who’s earned five saves on the season (including one last night when Familia was kept on the pine amidst trade discussions).
With Familia headed to Oakland, the market figures to focus its attention on Zach Britton, who earlier today was deemed “the next Oriole out the door” by beat reporter Roch Kubatko of MASNsports.com. In a concurring report, Buster Olney of ESPN tweeted that Baltimore is expected to move Britton as soon as this weekend. Joakim Soria, Raisel Iglesias and Fernando Rodney represent some right-handed alternatives to Familia who could now garner increased attention from the Cubs, Diamondbacks, Indians, Red Sox and Braves (Jon Heyman of Fancred reports that those clubs were all players for Familia). Meanwhile, Zach Duke and Felipe Vazquez could earn the focus of clubs looking for a southpaw.
The trade of Familia marks the latest development in a surprisingly fast-moving trade market for relief pitchers. The Mariners acquired Alex Colome from the Rays back in May, the Nationals landed Kelvin Herrera from the Royals in June, the Indians pried Brad Hand from the Padres before the All-Star break came to a close, and the Cubs traded for Jesse Chavez later that night; and it’s still ten days in advance of the actual trade deadline. It falls in line with a trend we saw this past offseason in which teams are aggressively pursuing reliable relievers, perhaps because they seem to be more valuable than ever before.
Toffey, 23, is a left-handed-hitting third baseman who came to the Athletics by way of their fourth-round pick in the 2017 draft. In 197 plate appearances at Class A Advanced this season, he’s hit .244/.357/.384. Baseball America ranked him as Oakland’s 19th-best prospect headed into the 2018 season, noting his excellent plate discipline. Though he doesn’t possess any serious raw power, scouts believe it’s possible he’ll be able to hit some bombs simply by virtue of his ability to wait and swing at his pitch. Toffey’s best tool, perhaps, is his glove, though his fringe-average speed may prevent his defense from reaching its true ceiling.
Wahl is perhaps the better of the two prospects in this deal. Though his September cup of coffee last season was average at best (four earned runs, eight strikeouts and four walks in 7 2/3 innings), Wahl’s been mowing down opponents at Triple-A Nashville so far this season. Across 39 2/3 innings, the right-hander owns a 14.75 K/9 figure against 3.86 BB/9 and has posted a 2.27 ERA that’s not too far below his 2.52 FIP. If he’s able to produce something close to those numbers at the major-league level, he could be a fixture in the Mets’ bullpen for years to come.
Despite the interesting upside for Wahl, the general consensus in the industry is that the prospect return in this trade isn’t particularly impressive, especially considering the trade value of Familia. It could be that the $1MM in international bonus money is the true prize in this deal, and if that’s the case, we could see the Mets come to terms with one of the top remaining international prospects in the coming days; high-upside Cuban righty Osiel Rodriguez currently tops the list of unsigned players.
Jane Lee of MLB.com was the first to report that two sides had come to an agreement involving two prospects and international bonus pool money. Shortly thereafter Joel Sherman of the New York Post revealed which prospects were headed back to the Mets. Susan Slusser of the San Francisco Chronicle first noted that the international bonus pool amount was $1MM, and Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic made first mention that the A’s were taking on all of Familia’s remaining salary. Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
Mets, Athletics Expect To Finalize Jeurys Familia Trade By End Of Day
12:45pm: The two clubs expect to complete the deal by the end of the day, reports Anthony DiComo of MLB.com.
Saturday, 11:08am: It’s “down to the medical reviews,” says ESPN’s Jerry Crasnick, who expects that the deal should “sail through” once that’s finished. Mets manager Mickey Callaway told reporters today that Familia remains unavailable for today’s game.
Friday, 10:36pm: The A’s are indeed the team trying to wrap up an agreement, Martino tweets. “Barring [a] snag,” Familia will head to Oakland, he says. Olney hears similarly. (Twitter link.)
10:26pm: The structure of a deal is in place but it is not yet final, Olney tweets. Meanwhile, the Mets have informed reporters that nothing will be announced tonight (via Puma, on Twitter). Though Familia is saying his goodbyes in the clubhouse, he says he hasn’t been given any official word (via DiComo, on Twitter).
The Astros are not involved, Olney adds on Twitter.
10:13pm: There’s definitely some fire producing this smoke, as Mets skipper Mickey Callaway tells reporters he was advised not to deploy Familia owing to a possible trade. (Via Anthony DiComo of MLB.com, on Twitter.) It remains to be seen if a swap can be completed.
9:51pm: As Jeurys Familia watches from the bullpen rather than entering in a save situation, the Mets are working to finalize a deal to send him elsewhere, Buster Olney of ESPN.com reports on Twitter. The prospective destination is not yet known.
Earlier this evening, it was reported that the Athletics are a suitor for Familia, and all signs are currently pointing to a potential match with Oakland. Many other possibilities seem to have been dismissed. The sides are “well down the road,” per Andy Martino of SNY.tv (via Twitter), though ESPN.com’s Jerry Crasnick tweets that the A’s are “not willing to take on as much money as another club in the bidding.”
Most other suitors seem questionable at best. The Cubs had been tied to Familia, but Olney says they are not involved at the moment. Also on the sidelines are the Braves, Olney adds on Twitter. Though he suggested the Giants might be a factor, MLB.com’s Mark Feinsand tweets that they are out owing to luxury tax considerations. Meanwhile, Chris Cotillo of MassLive.com (via Twitter) and Nick Cafardo of the Boston Globe (Twitter link) indicate that Boston isn’t deeply involved at the moment, though Crasnick tweets that they have been in the picture.
Despite the intrigue, it may be that talks won’t result in a deal. Andy Martino of SNY.tv tweets that, even if ultimately consummated, agreement may not be struck tonight. Clearly, though, talks are “too close to take a risk,” as a source puts it to Mike Puma of the New York Post (via Twitter).
Familia is the top remaining trade candidate from MLBTR’s recent ranking of deadline assets. There has never been any question he’d be moved since the Mets fell out of contention in the NL East. Though he hasn’t been at his most dominant thus far, Familia is getting good results and showing his typical upper-nineties power sinker.
Teams weighing a move for Familia will surely consider him rather affordable at a $7.9MM salary with no future commitment. If not, Mets front office point-man John Ricco made clear today that the club is willing to pick up the tab if it can achieve sufficient prospect value. (Via Puma, on Twitter.)
This is a developing story …