Headlines

Go To Pro Hockey Rumors
Go To Hoops Rumors

Mets Rumors

Position Player Notes: Beltran, Norris, Pearce, Jay

By | at

The Indians have had some talks with the Yankees about veteran right fielder Carlos Beltran, among other players, per Jon Heyman of Fan Rag (via Twitter). Though Cleveland president of baseball operations Chris Antonetti has previously stated that financial considerations won’t be a major factor in the team’s deadline moves, Heyman suggests that may not be the case. Beltran is earning $15MM this year, with about $5.5MM left to go the rest of the way.

  • Another American League contender, the Rangers, have also approached the Yankees on Beltran, per MLB.com’s T.R. Sullivan (via Twitter). While Texas could certainly decide to plug a big bat onto its roster with Prince Fielder down for the year, it seems that its interest in Beltran isn’t terribly strong at present.
  • We’ve heard chatter suggesting that the Rangers could look at Jonathan Lucroy, but Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports says that’s not likely (Twitter link). Padres receiver Derek Norris, though, could be in play for Texas, per the report. That’s not exactly a new link — the sides were said to be weighing a deal this spring — but we haven’t seen clear indications of present interest.
  • While the Mets like Steve Pearce, the cost of acquisition is too high at present, ESPN.com’s Jerry Crasnick tweets. The veteran slugger would certainly add some punch to a moribund Mets lineup, though he wouldn’t address the team’s new need for a right-handed-hitting center fielder now that Juan Lagares is headed for surgery. But Pearce would help fill in for Jose Reyes, who could require a DL stint, and would also represent a platoon option at any infield position but shortstop as well as the corner outfield.
  • One under-the-radar name to watch in the next few days is Padres outfielder Jon Jay. While he won’t return before the deadline, Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports says (Twitter links) that he’s still drawing interest. The Pads would surely prefer to wait for him to resume playing, but passing the affordable veteran through waivers may prove a challenge, so the best value may be found now — even if Jay won’t command quite what he would have had he remained healthy to this point.

Latest On Jonathan Lucroy Sweepstakes

By | at

10:54pm: The Rangers could view a strike for Lucroy as a way to improve their pitching, given his highly-regarded work behind the plate, per Evan Grant of the Dallas Morning News. With Texas finding high asking prices on the pitching market, the report suggests, the club could make a move for a group of Milwaukee pieces that might include Lucroy, a quality reliever, and possibly even a starter.

3:41pm: There’s a mystery team involved on Lucroy, tweets Jon Heyman of Fan Rag, and it isn’t the Red Sox or the Mariners. Those two clubs would certainly have been among the plausible suitors for the veteran.

2:49pm: The Braves have inquired on Lucroy, according to Rosenthal (via Twitter). At present, though, it doesn’t appear as if the sides are likely to strike a deal. Atlanta’s interest is limited, it seems, because it would need to extend the veteran receiver in order to justify trading him.

The teams is “wary of paying twice” — first in the swap, then in a hypothetical extension — though certainly that’s the price of poker when  just a fact of life for a club that would competing with teams that have a much higher present need for a top-quality backstop. It’s no sure thing, either, that Lucroy himself would agree to a new contract.

12:29pm: Yesterday, Milwaukee asked teams with interest to make offers of a certain “minimum standard,” Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports reports (Twitter links). It’s not entirely clear whether the request was for best and final offers, but Rosenthal adds that discussions are still taking place.

Among several teams to put their chips on the table are the Mets, per the report. With the Brewers still evaluating their options, multiple teams remain in the hunt.

11:27am: Jonathan Lucroy is one of the most talked-about names on the trade market right now, and ESPN’s Jerry Crasnick adds some context to the complications in working out a deal, reporting the eight teams to which Lucroy can block a trade (Twitter link). Lucroy can block trades to the Twins, Angels, Athletics, Padres, Mariners, Nationals and, most interestingly, the Indians and Tigers. Both of the two latter teams have been connected to Lucroy in trade rumors this week, though both Crasnick and his colleague Jayson Stark were told this morning that the Tigers are no longer in the picture (links to Twitter).

Cleveland’s presence on Lucroy’s no-trade list certainly doesn’t preclude a deal from happening — Lucroy has candidly stated to the media that he wants to play for a contending team on multiple occasions in the past six months — but it does further complicate matters for the Indians. While Lucroy’s postseason aspirations could make him willing, to some extent, to waive his no-trade rights, he could also wield that clause as leverage in an attempt to coerce the Indians into an extension or, at the very least, restructuring his contract to give him a raise on next year’s wildly affordable $5.25MM salary.

The Indians are said to be discussing Lucroy and left-hander Will Smith with the Brewers, but they face competition even if the Tigers and Astros are out of the market, as has been reported recently. The Rangers, Red Sox and Mets — none of whom are on his no-trade list — have all still been linked to Lucroy, and a premium player of his value figures to draw widespread interest. (Indeed, FanRag’s Jon Heyman last night again mentioned a mystery team in the mix.) The Mets were said to offer a package centered around Travis d’Arnaud, which was quickly dismissed, but FOX’s Ken Rosenthal reported last night that the two side “re-engaged” on trade talks. ESPN New York’s Adam Rubin adds a bit more detail to that story this morning, reporting that the Brewers circled back with the Mets and proposed a counter-offer that “was not out-of-hand rejected.” The Mets, he notes, have no intention of dealing either shortstop prospect Amed Rosario or first base prospect Dominic Smith, though.

Dodgers Among Teams In Talks On Jay Bruce; Yasiel Puig May Be Involved

By | at

8:31pm: Morosi says the Rays are still a player; he tweets that the team could end up shipping out two starters, one to each of the two other teams.

It seems that the reason for the involvement of a third team is that Cinci prefers position-player prospects, per Heyman (via Twitter), while the Dodgers are somewhat more inclined to deal arms. Of course, an earlier report suggested that the Rays’ role could involve sending a pitcher to the Reds, so the entire situation still seems in flux at present.

8:08pm: Tampa Bay is actually not involved in any Dodgers-Reds scenarios, Stark tweets.

7:36pm: The Rays appear to be the potential third team, per a Morosi tweet. Tampa Bay has been chatting with Los Angeles about scenarios that “could link up” with the talks between the Reds and Dodgers.

7:23pm: Talks between the Reds and Dodgers involving Bruce and Puig “didn’t materialize,” according to Jeff Passan of Yahoo Sports (Twitter link). He adds, though, that there are other trade scenarios still being tossed around between the clubs.

6:59pm: Dodgers outfielder Yasiel Puig could be in play in the talks regarding Bruce, Stark tweets. He’d presumably be pushed out of a regular role if a significant corner outfielder is added, and Stark says that L.A. has been trying to move him in proposals with other teams.

6:24pm: The Reds and Dodgers could be putting together another three-team arrangement after joining up for such a deal over the winter, Jayson Stark of ESPN.com tweets. Details — including the would-be facilitator — remain unclear, but Bruce would end up in Los Angeles if it comes to fruition.

5:46pm: The Dodgers remain in the hunt for Bruce, with MLB.com’s Mark Sheldon tweeting that there’s dialogue between the clubs and Jon Heyman of Fan Rag adding (via Twitter) that he has heard the same. Los Angeles isn’t keen on the idea of giving up much in the way of prospects to make a deal, though, per C. Trent Rosecrans of the Cincinnati Enquirer (Twitter link).

Heyman also lists the Nationals, Orioles, Mariners, and Mets as teams with ongoing interest — many of whom have been tied to Bruce in recent days (if not for longer). Despite the report below suggesting that Seattle had left the Bruce market, Heyman’s report adds to another suggesting that he’s still in play. And while the Giants were also said to be out on Bruce, Nightengale tweets that they are still holding talks — even with Hunter Pence now set to return from the DL.

5:28pm: Two new entrants in the market have ratcheted up the bidding on Bruce, according to Bob Nightengale of USA Today (Twitter link). The pair of mystery teams has been “aggressive,” per the report.

It remains somewhat difficult to guess where exactly the most focused interest could come from. Bruce, after all, would be a flexible addition for most AL contenders and could also fit with an NL team that is looking to add pop and has favorable scouting reports on his glove in right. With an added year of team control through an affordable-enough option, there’s also some future value — and the possibility of an offseason deal to return something different if Bruce isn’t needed past the present season in his new home.

2:16pm: The Mets are among the clubs that have spoken with the Reds about outfielder Jay Bruce, according to ESPN.com’s Buster Olney (via Twitter). Among the other teams in dialogue with Cincinnati are the Dodgers, Nationals, and Orioles, ESPN.com’s Jerry Crasnick adds on Twitter.

New York’s level of interest isn’t too great at the moment, per Joel Sherman of the New York Post (Twitter link). And Crasnick adds that the Nats and O’s appear to have their sights set on other areas at present. Likewise, we’ve heard that the Dodgers have engaged on a number of other possibilities, including Josh Reddick.

Two other potential suitors — the Giants and Mariners — “appear to be out,” according to Crasnick. With Seattle and San Francisco apparently no longer in pursuit, and none of the teams listed above appearing to represent aggressive pursuers, it’s not hard to see why Cincinnati president of baseball operations Walt Jocketty expressed frustration yesterday over the response that Bruce has drawn on the market.

Bruce has put up quite a nice season after two straight duds. And he comes with control rights for 2017; though his $13MM option isn’t cheap, it looks more appealing than committing a similar annual amount for a longer term to an alternative on the free agent market this winter.

It has seemed at various times that Bruce’s big power numbers, added year of control, and eminent availability would make him a desirable and quite likely trade candidate. But Jocketty suggested a deal isn’t inevitable for a player that the Reds value quite highly.

Latest On Jim Johnson

By | at

9:08pm: Johnson is entering tonight’s game in a save situation, so it certainly doesn’t appear that a deal is nearing finalization at this moment.

6:01pm: The Braves are nearing a deal involving veteran right-hander Jim Johnson, according to SB Nation’s Chris Cotillo (Twitter links). He adds that the Blue Jays and Mets are among the teams that have shown at least some interest in the reliever. As MLB.com’s Mark Bowman notes on Twitter, Atlanta is carrying ten pen arms tonight, which could be due in part to the possibility of a swap going down.

Johnson, 33, could join infielder Kelly Johnson in signing with the Braves in consecutive years, only to be dealt each summer. Last season, he went to the Dodgers as part of the monster, three-team swap engineered at the deadline, only to re-sign with Atlanta on a one-year, $2.5MM pact.

For the season, Johnson carries a 4.21 ERA with 7.9 K/9 against 3.5 BB/9. Johnson’s average fastball velocity has dropped just below 93 mph for the first time in his career, but that hasn’t stopped the sinker-baller from checking in with a hefty groundball rate — it stands at 56.4% at present. He has been prone to the long ball when batters have put it in the air, with a 16.7% HR/FB rate, but he’s only allowing 0.74 dingers per nine.

Clearly, Johnson isn’t going to be valued like he was in his heyday as the Orioles closer. But teams looking to add depth to their pen will surely take a look, particularly if they are intrigued by the idea of adding an arm that’s capable of generating lots of grounders without adding significant payroll or coughing up much in terms of prospects.

Mets, Angels Discussing Joe Smith

By | at

The Mets and Angels are discussing trade scenarios centered around veteran righty Joe Smith, according to Marc Carig of Newsday (Twitter links). While Halos closer Huston Street is also in play, it doesn’t appear as if he’s drawing much interest from New York.

Smith, 32, is in the final season of his three-year pact with Los Angeles. He hasn’t pitched to his lofty former standards over the last two years, struggling especially early in 2016. On the season, he’s carrying a 3.96 ERA with just 5.9 K/9 against 3.2 BB/9 — well off his usual numbers. He also missed time with a hamstring injury.

The results have turned up of late, though, as Smith has run off seven straight scoreless appearances. Rather remarkably, he hasn’t registered a strikeout in any of the last six — or issued a free pass. Smith is, instead, generating a ton of groundballs, driving his season rate up to 54.5% with his typical sinker/slider mix.

New York has long been said to be looking for pen reinforcements, and Smith would fit the bill given his track record and history of pitching in high-leverage innings. Though he has only been used in a closing role in spot duty, Smith has long featured as a regular eighth-inning setup man.

Juan Lagares To Undergo Thumb Surgery

By | at

Mets outfielder Juan Lagares is headed to the DL and the surgeon’s room to address a partially torn thumb ligament, per a team announcement. ESPNNewYork.com’s Adam Rubin had reported the move was likely; fellow outfielder Brandon Nimmo will come up to take the open roster spot.

[Related: Updated Mets Depth Chart]

It is expected that Lagares will take six weeks to recover, though it’s not quite clear whether that is the best case for an MLB return or just the possible starting point for a rehab stint. Either way, it appears that the center fielder will miss a good chunk of the remainder of the season.

New York had been utilizing Yoenis Cespedes as its primary center fielder, with Lagares taking action against lefties and the slugger moving to left field. But the decision was made to back off on using the team’s best hitter up the middle, which has resulted in the sudden conversion of youngster Michael Conforto into a center fielder — where he’s scarcely played.

Alejandro De Aza does have plenty of experience up the middle, but most of it came a few years back and he has struggled in quite a limited role this year. It also doesn’t seem that the organization has much inclination to deploy aging right fielder Curtis Granderson in center, which he also used to play in his younger years.

As a result, New York may now find itself in the market for a center field-capable outfielder — most likely one that hits from the right side. Mike Puma of the New York Post reported earlier today (via Twitter) that the injury made the team somewhat more likely to go after such a player, though it won’t be the Mets’ primary deadline focus. We just took a look at the market center fielders, which does include several plausible rental pieces — as well as some bigger targets.

Pitching Rumors: Sale, Rangers, Dodgers-A’s, Walker, Santana, Jays, Rays, Niese

By | at

The Rangers are still pushing hardest for White Sox ace Chris Sale, Bob Nightengale of USA Today reports (Twitter links). Chicago is holding out with a high asking price, per the report, demanding Nomar Mazara and Joey Gallo as headliners. Presumably, the club is looking for more to go with that pair, though the full demands from the Sox remain unknown. Texas will obviously be hesitant to part with Mazara, in particular, since he’s not only an important future piece but has played a notable role on this year’s roster. On the other hand, he seems like a perfectly reasonable request; there simply aren’t very many pitchers out there that combine Sale’s track record and contract situation.

Here’s more on the market for starters:

  • The Athletics and Dodgers have discussed trade scenarios involving both lefty Rich Hill and outfielder Josh Reddick, per ESPN.com’s Buster Olney. It seems that the sides have batted around concepts involving both players in a single swap, as well as scenarios involving each player separately. It’s not hard to see the interest here from a Los Angeles organization that not only desires to add a starter and a left-handed-hitting outfielder, but has exhibited more injury risk tolerance in acquiring starting pitching than any team in baseball.
  • Other teams may be looking at Mariners righty Taijuan Walker, but Seattle GM Jerry Dipoto says that he’s not interested in offers, Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports tweets. “We’re not currently discussing Taijuan with anybody,” said Dipoto. “He’ll stay right where he is.” Dipoto says that the same holds with regard to lefty James Paxton, as SB Nation’s Chris Cotillo tweets.
  • At this point, the Twins would need to be “overwhelmed” to deal away righty Ervin Santana, according to Jon Heyman of Fan Rag (via Twitter). Minnesota is still said to be open to dealing relief assets, but apparently is rather committed to keeping the veteran righty in its rotation over the final two years of his contract.
  • While the Blue Jays’ tough call on whether to keep Aaron Sanchez in the rotation, or instead to move him to the pen to limit his innings, has long been building as an important decision. ESPN.com’s Jayson Stark takes a look at the subject with the trade deadline seemingly forcing the issue. While GM Ross Atkins says the club won’t let Sanchez’s status impact its plans, and stresses that the organization is looking at far more than a simple innings tally, Stark reports that rival executives see Toronto as an aggressive pursuer of starters. He suggests that Jeremy Hellickson could make a nice target as a back-of-the-staff rental that shouldn’t cost too much.
  • Before striking a deal this morning for two starters, the Marlins tried to work something out with the pitching-rich Rays, according to multiple reports. Per Stark (Twitter links), the sides weren’t seeing eye to eye on Miami’s interest in Jake Odorizzi and Matt Moore. One source suggests that Tampa Bay wanted Christian Yelich and J.T. Realmuto — which would obviously be a non-starter — while another suggests it never got that specific, with Tampa Bay simply not interested in the Marlins’ farm.
  • Moore seems now to be the Rays starter who is most likely to be traded, according to Jeff Passan of Yahoo Sports (via Twitter). Always regarded as a highly-talented pitcher, Moore has looked more like his pre-Tommy John self of late. His last poor outing came on June 24th, leaving him with a 5.04 ERA to that point on the year. Since that time, over seven starts, Moore has allowed just nine earned runs in 40 2/3 innings. He only has a 25: 14 K/BB ratio in that span, which isn’t all that exciting, and doesn’t have a velocity bump  or increasing whiff rate to support the improved results,
  • The Mets have chatted with the Pirates about a possible Jon Niese return, SB Nation’s Chris Cotillo tweets. New York has previously been suggested to have some interest in the lefty, who was dealt from New York to Pittsburgh over the winter. As before, though, the Mets don’t appear to be prioritizing starting pitching, given that the club has reasonable back-of-the-rotation options at hand with Zack Wheeler still working toward a return

Latest On Jonathan Lucroy’s Market

By | at

JULY 28, 7:11pm: The Mets are believed to be “behind” other organizations in pursuit of Lucroy, Jon Heyman of Fan Rag tweets. But it’s still a “fluid” pursuit for one of the best-available players this summer.

Heyman adds that there’s a mystery team involved. There’s another layer of intrigue here, perhaps, as that could be another report on a solitary, unidentified trying organization — or it may represent the second such unknown entrant to the sweepstakes. (See Crasnick’s report referenced below.)

4:29pm: The Brewers have “re-engaged” with the Mets on Lucroy after New York’s initial offer was reportedly deemed light, according to Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports (via Twitter). That doesn’t mean that the sides are anywhere close to a deal, he cautions, but it seems at least that there’s more to discuss.

3:35pm: Crasnick now tweets that the Astros aren’t believed to be in play for Lucroy, with a source telling him that Houston’s interest was previously overstated.

JULY 27, 7:35pm: The Indians have spoken to the Brewers about both Lucroy and left-handed reliever Will Smith, according to Crasnick (on Twitter). A left-handed reliever has long been said to be one of Cleveland’s top priorities, so the addition of Smith to talks is natural and one that we’ve speculated upon in the past. The 27-year-old Smith was in the mix to be Milwaukee’s closer but suffered a freak knee injury in Spring Training and missed upwards of two months due to a partially torn LCL. He somewhat improbably avoided surgery and is back in the Milwaukee ’pen, with a 3.72 ERA and an 18-to-8 K/BB ratio in 19 1/3 innings. Smith took his game from solid relief arm to lights-out lefty last season when he posted a 2.70 ERA with 12.9 K/9 against 3.4 BB/9 in 63 1/3 innings and is controllable through 2019.

6:10pm: The Brewers’ trade talks surrounding catcher Jonathan Lucroy are picking up, per ESPN’s Jerry Crasnick (links to Twitter). The Indians, Rangers, Mets, Astros and Red Sox have all been mentioned in connection with Lucroy, Crasnick notes, and offers being made by other clubs have become more serious recently. Crasnick adds that the the ever-popular “mystery team” may have entered the mix as well.

While that typically leads to a large amount of speculation, Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports may have quickly shed some light on the matter, reporting that the Tigers are a somewhat surprising new entrant into the Lucroy market. He hypothesizes that Detroit could offer James McCann to the Brewers in a similar manner to the Mets’ reported offer of Travis d’Arnaud, though Milwaukee will want more than that in exchange. The Brewers, per Rosenthal, are seeking high-end prospects back in addition to any catcher that is offered in exchange for Lucroy.

While there’s a common belief that Lucroy will indeed be traded prior to the Aug. 1 non-waiver deadline, Rosenthal writes that the Mets feel that Milwaukee is “overreaching” in its asks for Lucroy, while AL West contenders like the Astros and Rangers are more focused on adding pitching depth than a catcher at this time. Houston is also looking at other backstops, he notes, so it’s not a guarantee that even if they move for a catcher, Lucroy would be the target. Meanwhile, MLB.com’s T.R. Sullivan tweets that the Rangers have yet to show serious interest in Lucroy and consider adding a catcher to be a “luxury” at this point, as pitching depth remains their primary focus. Those tweets came prior to Texas’ acquisition of Lucas Harrell and Dario Alvarez from the Braves, but one would assume that those two arms alone have not ended the Rangers’ search for pitching upgrade.

Lucroy, who turned 30 last month, is hitting .301/.362/.486 with 13 homers, 16 doubles and three triples on the season while playing excellent defense. He’s earning a modest $4MM salary in 2016 (of which about $1.46MM remains), and his contract contains an exceptionally affordable $5.25MM club option for the 2017 campaign.

Mets Interested In Jonathan Lucroy, Offering Travis D’Arnaud In Return

By | at

The Mets are interested in Brewers catcher Jonathan Lucroy, and current Mets catcher Travis d’Arnaud seems to be part of any potential package the Amazins could send to Milwaukee, Kristie Ackert of the New York Daily News reports.  The Brewers rejected a straight one-for-one offer of Lucroy for d’Arnaud, so as Ackert notes, the Mets’ ability to stay competitive in the race for Lucroy’s services will hinge on the caliber of prospect New York is willing to surrender along with d’Arnaud.  As of Sunday, no deal between the Mets and Brewers was imminent.

Lucroy has been speculatively linked to the Mets as a possible solution to their hitting woes, though the Mets were still thought to be looking at d’Arnaud as their catcher of the future.  In my recent examination of Lucroy’s trade market, I also dismissed the Mets as a possible candidate mostly due to d’Arnaud’s presence but also due to a lack of minor league depth.  While New York has some impressive prospects on hand (i.e. Dominic Smith, Amed Rosario, Gavin Cecchini, Brandon Nimmo), their system is rather thin overall.

For dealing d’Arnaud and years of a controllable top prospect, the Mets would land one of the top catchers in baseball in Lucroy.  Not only has Lucroy strongly bounced back after an injury-plagued 2015 season, he has re-established himself as one of the game’s top bargains.  Lucroy is in the final guaranteed year of a five-year, $11MM extension signed prior to his breakout 2012 season, and there is a team option on his services for only $5.25MM for 2017.  With payroll limitations still a lingering concern for the Mets, they could be particularly eager to obtain a top-tier talent at a low price.

It wasn’t too long ago that d’Arnaud was himself a sought-after commodity, as he and Noah Syndergaard headlined the trade package sent by the Blue Jays to the Mets in the R.A. Dickey trade in December 2012.  While d’Arnaud has looked good when healthy, he has been plagued by a wide array of injuries during his brief career, missing time due to varied injuries to his hand, foot, knee, back, elbow and (most recently) a rotator cuff strain that put him on the DL earlier this season.  Perhaps most troubling of all, d’Arnaud has also suffered at least three known concussions.  There has already been heavy speculation that d’Arnaud will have to be moved to first base for the sake of his health, so he doesn’t necessarily protect as a replacement for Lucroy behind the plate in Milwaukee.

Lucroy may not be the only Mets target on the Milwaukee roster, as the Amazins are known to be looking for relief help and have been linked to relievers Jeremy Jeffress and Will Smith.  Ackert reports that the Brewers were one of many teams recently scouting the Mets’ lower-level minor league clubs.  This is just my speculation, but New York may be more willing to part with a top prospect in the Smith/Rosario/Cecchini tier if both Lucroy and one of the relievers could be obtained in the same deal.

Latest On The Mets’ Deadline Plans

By | at

The Mets aren’t likely to make a big splash at the trade deadline, as Mike Puma of the New York Post notes that the team simply doesn’t have the prospect depth to acquire a big bat as they did last season with Yoenis Cespedes.  A bullpen addition is still in the team’s plans, however, and as Puma reports in a separate tweet, the Mets could add one reliever prior to August 1 and then another in the August waiver period.  Just yesterday, Puma reported that Jeremy Jeffress, Joe Smith and Chris Withrow were a few of the relief names on the Mets’ radar.

It could be a quiet deadline in another sense for the Mets should the team suddenly hit a slump, as Newsday’s Marc Carig reports that the Mets wouldn’t become deadline sellers in the event that they were to fall back in the standings over the next week.  In fact, the Mets would likely still look to buy even if they did have a losing streak, as the team is looking ahead to a weak September schedule as an opportunity to make a late run at a wild card, if not the NL East if the Nationals slow down.

At least a couple of notable teams (the Royals and White Sox) are considering becoming deadline sellers after a dip in form, and the Yankees have long been seen as candidates to unload veterans as August 1 approaches.  Any of these teams could become big players in the trade market if they made some of their established stars available, and the Mets could follow suit by shopping Cespedes or Neil Walker.  In regards to those two, however, Carig reports that the team prefers to receive draft pick compensation in the form of the qualifying offer if either or both leave in free agency this winter.  The Mets also don’t have interest in dealing Bartolo Colon, which isn’t surprising given the injury questions within their rotation.

Show all

MLB Trade Rumors is not affiliated with Major League Baseball, MLB or MLB.com

Do not Sell or Share My Personal Information

hide arrows scroll to top