Mets Rumors

NL Notes: Syndergaard, Cespedes, Dodgers, Myers, Gray, Cards

By Steve Adams | June 22, 2016 at 10:46pm CDT

The Mets and their fans had a scare earlier today when both Noah Syndergaard and Yoenis Cespedes departed from a game early, but the team gave fairly positive updates on that pair and on Zack Wheeler tonight (links to Twitter via David Lennon of Newsday). There’s no structural damage in Syndergaard’s elbow. He’s free to resume his normal routine and will begin taking some anti-inflammatory medication to help with the discomfort he’s experienced twice this season. Cespedes received a cortisone shot for a sprained left wrist but is day to day and isn’t headed to the disabled list at this time. Wheeler, too, received a cortisone shot for a nerve issue in his elbow but has no structural damage.

As Mets fans breathe a sigh of relief, here are a few other notes from around the Senior Circuit…

Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports points out that the Dodgers spent more on international amateurs (players that fall within international signing guidelines) than six organizations spent on their Major League payroll to open the season. Los Angeles spent about $96MM this period ($48MM on players plus about $48MM in luxury taxes), and that figure doesn’t even factor in the six-year, $30MM deal signed by right-hander Yaisel Sierra. Rosenthal spoke to commissioner Rob Manfred about the Dodgers’ spending, and Manfred said that there will be a strong focus on changes to the international system in the upcoming wave of CBA negotiations. “…when you see that kind of disparity in any part of the system, it generally suggests to us that the system is not functioning in a way that promotes competitive balance,” said the commissioner. “Rest assured, we’re going to be making proposals to address that.”
The Padres remain “active” in trade talks, per Jon Morosi of MLB.com (via Twitter), but one name that hasn’t seen much chatter is Wil Myers. It seems that San Diego is not terribly interested in discussing the outfielder/first baseman. The 25-year-old will hit arbitration eligibility after the season, and will be in line for a nice payday if he can keep hitting at anything like his current .290/.336/.529 pace. Myers has already knocked a career-high 16 long balls in 301 plate appearances, and finally seems to be coming into his own after inconsistency and injury issues in recent years. San Diego paid a high price to get Myers before the 2015 season, with talented young players Joe Ross and Trea Turner moving to D.C. in a notable three-team swap, and it appears for now as if the club would like to see its investment pay off on the field rather than cashing him in for prospects.
The Rockies pulled Jon Gray from today’s start with what the team is terming “arm fatigue,” and he’ll be reevaluated tomorrow, writes Nick Groke of the Denver Post. Gray threw just 40 of his 80 pitches for strikes and admitted that he’s felt some fatigue in his arm for his past couple of outings, but “it’s just now getting to a serious point.” Manager Walt Weiss said that Gray’s arm felt “heavy” today, and the right-hander himself said he had more trouble with his control than he ever has. “I’ve never had great control, but this, I didn’t know where this was going,” he said. “I wanted to leave it all out there and grind through it, but it wasn’t working.”
Brayan Pena is nearing the end of his 20-day rehab window with the Cardinals, writes Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, which could mean that the team will part ways with veteran backup Eric Fryer. The 30-year-old Fryer has been great in a very limited role with St. Louis, hitting .406/.457/.469 in just 35 plate appearances (despite appearing in 22 games). However, Pena is on a two-year contract signed with the Cardinals last offseason, so even though he’s struggled through 11 rehab games as he recovers from knee surgery, he figures to be in the team’s plans.

NL East Notes: Reyes, Mets, Ramos, Marlins

By Jeff Todd | June 22, 2016 at 6:30pm CDT

The Mets are beginning to “warm up” to the idea of a reunion with Jose Reyes, according to Newsday’s David Lennon. While Lennon cautions that those familiar with the team’s thinking won’t characterize it as any sort of sure thing, the team has begun to discuss the idea more seriously over the past several days, per Lennon. While Reyes has privately voiced a willingness to play third base if it means returning to Queens, Lennon hears that the Mets have also considered sliding Neil Walker to the hot corner when discussing various scenarios, which could open second base for Reyes. The Mets won’t be able to make anything happen on the Reyes front until this weekend, as he still needs to be placed on release waivers and clear (a 48-hour process) before he’s eligible to sign else where.

Here’s more from the National League East:

While Reyes is one infield option for the Mets, Fangraphs’ Dave Cameron opines that a trade for Danny Valencia is the perfect fit for New York. In perusing the teams that are likely to emerge as sellers this summer, Cameron notes that there’s a lack of impact bats available that can handle third base. Valencia is the exception, he writes, noting that the former platoon weapon has emerged as a legitimate threat to right-handed pitching over the past season-plus. Indeed, Valencia is hitting .304/.355/.528 across his past 155 contests, and his $3.2MM salary is eminently affordable. Cameron’s assessment is sound, and I’ll add to his argument that the remainder of Valencia’s relatively modest salary is less than the roughly $5.5MM the Mets stand to recoup from the insurance policy on Wright’s contract. Valencia is controllable through 2017 as well, and as Cameron points out, he’d serve as a safety net at third base in the event that Wright is again unable to take the field for the majority of the 2017 campaign.
Catcher Wilson Ramos has been a force for the Nationals this year, and Chelsea Janes of the Washington Post explores what his breakout means for the organization. “It hasn’t changed a lot for me,” said GM Mike Rizzo. “Since we traded for him, we’ve always seen the upside. We knew he was as good an offensive catcher as there is in the game.” The Nats certainly do not appear to have an everyday option waiting in the wings at the position, so it’s not hard to see the rationale for bringing back the pending free agent. Rizzo suggested that an extension could make sense, even at this point of the season, though he declined to spill any details. “I don’t think it’s ever too late or too early to think about [an extension],” he said. “We’ve got a plan in place for all the guys we have. He’s a guy we see as a long-term asset for us. Those are conversations we keep internal.”
Earlier this week FOX’s Jon Morosi reported that the Marlins have interest in Rays righty Jake Odorizzi, and Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald hears the same. However, Jackson also notes that the Marlins are aware that their farm system isn’t teeming with the types of players that it would take to net a controllable arm such as Odorizzi. Prior to the season, Baseball America and ESPN’s Keith Law both rated the Marlins’ farm system 29th among all 30 teams, with only the Angels trailing them. That, paired with the team’s perennially low payroll, makes the Marlins’ search for rotation help a bit more difficult than it might be for most clubs. Jackson also adds that the Marlins figure to skip one more Jose Fernandez start later this season in an effort to conserve some of his innings for a potential postseason berth.

Injury Notes: Syndergaard, Cespedes, Holland, Montero, Cole

By Steve Adams | June 22, 2016 at 4:34pm CDT

The Mets were hit with a pair of troubling injuries today, as Noah Syndergaard exited the game after six innings because his right elbow “flared up” (via MLB.com’s Anthony DiComo) and Yoenis Cespedes exited with a wrist injury (per ESPN New York’s Adam Rubin). Both players are being evaluated by doctors this afternoon, and the extent of their respective injuries remains unclear for the time being. However, manager Terry Collins conceded to Rubin that the Cespedes issue “is a concern,” as Cespedes dealt with a similar issue in 2015. And, as DiComo points out, Syndergaard has already experienced elbow discomfort once this season, although he didn’t miss a start. Certainly, the loss of either player for even a couple of weeks would be a notable blow to the Mets, who currently trail the Nationals by four games in the NL East.

As we await further word on the Mets, here are some more notable injury storylines from around the game…

The Rangers announced today that Derek Holland has been placed on the 15-day disabled list due to inflammation in his left shoulder. Texas didn’t include any sort of timeline, though the press release announcing the move did reference the fact that he’s eligible for activation on June 6. Holland has struggled quite a bit of late, and his 5.20 ERA is especially troubling due to the fact that his K/9 rate (5.3), BB/9 rate (3.1), ground-ball rate (36.2 percent) and average fastball velocity (91.8 mph) have all trended in the wrong direction this season. Knee and shoulder injuries have plagued Holland over the past two seasons; this year’s 72 2/3 innings are already the most he’s thrown in a big league season since 2013. The Rangers brought up right-hander Luke Jackson to take his place on the active roster.
UPDATED: Manager Joe Maddon said following today’s game that Cubs catcher Miguel Montero checked out OK after being forced to exit the contest with a knee injury (via ESPN Chicago’s Jesse Rogers, on Twitter). Montero initially sustained a right knee injury after Brandon Moss slid into home on a play at the plate following a chopper to third base. (That’s not to say Moss’ slide was dirty, as he slid into the lane left open by Montero, as can be seen in the MLB.com video of the play.) Montero was able to walk to the mound and back to home plate under his own power, though he was visibly limping and wincing. Willson Contreras, who was recently promoted from Triple-A Iowa, entered the game in Montero’s place and hit a two-run homer in place of Montero. An injury to Montero would’ve likely opened the door for more playing time for the top prospect, but Contreras will continue to be worked in alongside Montero and veteran David Ross.
MLB.com’s Adam Berry tweets that Gerrit Cole will not be rejoining the Pirates on the first day that he’s eligible to be activated from the DL. Cole has been playing catch but has yet to throw off a mound as he works his way back from a strained triceps muscle. Cole’s DL stint was backdated to June 11.

Mets Notes: Colon, Wheeler, Gurriel, Duda, Reyes

By Jeff Todd | June 21, 2016 at 6:40pm CDT

Veteran righty Bartolo Colon left his start tonight after just four pitches when he was struck on his pitching thumb by a comebacker. Fortunately, x-rays were negative, suggesting that the team may have dodged a bullet. A lengthy absence from Colon would represent a blow to a club that is already dealing with some significant injury questions.

Here’s more from Queens:

The hope has long been that Zack Wheeler would re-enter the picture this summer, adding another quality arm to a stacked rotation. His status could take on renewed importance if Colon is down, but we heard earlier today that he may now be on hold. Wheeler has been “backed down” from his pitching program after experiencing elbow discomfort, as Mike Puma of the New York Post was among those to report on Twitter. GM Sandy Alderson says that it’s not yet clear how concerning the issue is, with Wheeler set to be examined further tomorrow (via Adam Rubin of ESPNNewYork.com, on Twitter).
Third base remains arguably the biggest area of concern for New York, and Alderson said today that the club intends to host a private workout with Cuban star Yulieski Gurriel, as David Lennon of Newsday was among those to tweet. Widely regarded as the best Cuban player of his generation, the infielder was recently declared a free agent at an opportune time for clubs in need of a third or perhaps a second baseman. MLBTR’s Mark Polishuk examined the potential market for Gurriel earlier today, listing the Mets among many teams that could conceivably match up with the 32-year-old.
First baseman Lucas Duda has yet to advance to baseball activities, Rubin tweets. He has been limited thus far to bike exercise as he tries to recover from a lower back stress fracture. James Loney has filled in adequately thus far, with a .279/.329/.412 batting line in 74 plate appearances.
As the Mets weigh a move for infielder Jose Reyes — who is said to prefer a return himself (via Mike Puma of the New York Post, on Twitter) — Rubin reports that Alderson has hinted that Reyes’s ugly domestic violence incident will weigh into the equation. “We always evaluate talent and character,” said Alderson (who was understandably addressing the issue obliquely). “There’s a balance. With respect to issues of character, those are things we take a look at. Those are things we don’t ignore and are always taken into account when we make a player-acquisition decision.”

Mets Sign First-Rounder Justin Dunn

By Jeff Todd | June 21, 2016 at 6:15pm CDT

The Mets announced the signing of first-round pick Justin Dunn, a righty out of Boston College. The 19th overall selection will receive an at-slot bonus of $2,378,800, per MLB.com’s Jim Callis (via Twitter).

Dunn rated as high as 14th among draft-eligible prospects, with ESPN.com giving him that lofty rating. He showed a big-time fastball from the pen and continued to show promise in a starting role after a mid-season shift. He features both velocity and movement on the heater, with a promising slider, usable curve, and developing change also in the quiver.

Others didn’t view him quite as highly, based in part on a relatively small frame and questionable command. Baseball America had him 22nd on its board, while MLB.com rated him 29th. Still, all recognize that he has a chance to turn into quite an interesting starter — with a back-up plan, perhaps, of featuring as a high-octane reliever.

Trade Market Notes: Mets, Red Sox, Marlins, Astros, White Sox

By Jeff Todd | June 20, 2016 at 11:45pm CDT

The Mets have dealt with injuries and on-field struggles of late, and COO Jeff Wilpon says that the organization may not wait until August 1st to make a move, as Newsday’s Laura Albanese reports. “I think we might need to do something before [the deadline],” Wilpon said. “The deadline is still four, six weeks away. We’ve got to start playing better baseball now.” We’ve heard chatter about the club possibly going after free agent-to-be Jose Reyes, but it’s fair to wonder whether a more substantial improvement is preferable. The infield seems like the obvious place to target for the Mets.

Here are some more high-level notes as the summer trade market takes shape:

Red Sox president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski indicated that he’s still feeling out the trade market, as Evan Drellich of the Boston Herald reports. “[A] lot of times the conversations now are just as much an informational, feeling out [type],” he said. “And I think it’s also a situation where a lot of clubs really haven’t decided what they’re going to do yet.” While there are some obvious sellers, he noted, not many teams that came into the year with hopes of contending are now prepared to change course. “It’s important for us to stay in contact with those organizations so we know when they shift their focus,” said Dombrowski.
The Marlins don’t intend to trade from their major league roster to bolster their rotation, Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports reports. Unsurprisingly, that means that Miami won’t part with young outfielders Marcell Ozuna and Christian Yelich, who have drawn interest. With little of clear interest in the farm system, Rosenthal suggests that the club could look to take on some cash as a way of facilitating a trade — with owner Jeffrey Loria willing to boost the payroll if there’s a playoff chase to play for.
Astros GM Jeff Luhnow suggests he’s preparing for the trade deadline without a clear wish list, as Brian McTaggart of MLB.com tweets. “I like our team right now,” said Luhnow. “There’s no obvious hole. Clearly we’re going to talk to other clubs and be look out for upgrade.”
All eyes have been on the White Sox, who have put out word that they are open to improve sooner than later. GM Rick Hahn addressed concerns with both the roster and the field staff, as JJ Stankevitz of CBS Chicago reports. The executive declined to comment on any specific personnel, including skipper Robin Ventura, and stressed that he won’t get caught up in short samples. “You try to look at the entirety of the work,” said Hahn. “… I think it’s natural to look at areas where you can get better, but any decisions are made based upon the entirety of anyone’s performance, based on not just the snippet of five or 10 days or the length of a season or past career.” Hahn continued to emphasize that the organization is looking to add, rather than thinking about fall-back plans. “We very much believe the talent is there to be in the thick of things come October,” he said. “We need to get it turned around fairly quickly, though, so we can continue saying that and reinforce our notion, our believes in ourselves that this team has the ability to contend.”

Mets Weighing Run At Jose Reyes

By Jeff Todd | June 20, 2016 at 9:55pm CDT

We heard the suggestion yesterday from David Lennon of Newsday that the Mets could be open to a reunion with infielder Jose Reyes, and now Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports says the club is “debating internally” whether to pursue him. ESPNNewYork.com’s Adam Rubin suggests that the team’s thinking has shifted in recent days, as sources had previously suggested there was little chance of a match (Twitter link).

It’s not difficult to see the connection on paper. Reyes had his greatest success with New York before leaving the organization via free agency before the 2012 campaign. Though his bat and glove have faded more recently, the Mets are desperate to bolster an infield that is currently missing Lucas Duda and David Wright.

MLB.com’s Anthony DiComo tweets that the Mets believe Reyes could play third base, though to this point in his career he has exclusively been a middle infielder (appearing almost entirely at shortstop). In theory, the switch-hitter could share time at the hot corner with Wilmer Flores. Either or both could also move around the infield as needed.

Now at the tail end of the deal he signed with the Marlins, Reyes is in quite a different spot than the last time he was on the open market. He has been traded twice and was recently designated for assignment by the Rockies. (Though he is still in DFA limbo, Reyes will ultimately clear waivers without a claim.) In the interim, he not only exhibited some erosion of ability on the field but served a suspension after being arrested and charged with domestic violence against his wife. While those charges were dropped, there’s little question that Reyes comes with serious questions beyond those of most aging ballplayers.

Reyes had continued to deliver above-average offensive production over the first three years of his big contract, but only slashed .274/.310/.378 over 519 plate appearances last year. Defensive metrics haven’t loved his glove for quite some time, though perhaps the lack of range would be less of an issue at third or second.

All said, it’s not clear that Reyes would represent a solution, but the Mets wouldn’t necessarily need him to represent more than a fill-in piece. There are still nearly six weeks until the trade deadline, so New York could simply look to hold things over while weighing more significant additions. And since Reyes is still being paid by the Rockies, the Mets could simply pay him the minimum for whatever time he spends at the major league level. Still, given the serious baggage and the lack of a positive recent track record, it’s far from obvious that Reyes would be a worthwhile target.

NL Notes: Baez, Rodney, Phillies, Mets

By Steve Adams | June 20, 2016 at 9:02am CDT

While the Cubs have plenty of trade chips at their disposal due to farm system that is deep in position players, infielder Javier Baez is not among the candidates to be moved, reports Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports. The Cubs value Baez’s versatility and power upside enough that they wouldn’t part with him even if the Yankees were to make Andrew Miller available, per Rosenthal. Rather, the FOX scribe lists players such as Gleyber Torres, Eloy Jimenez, Ian Happ, Jeimer Candelario and Mark Zagunis as more realistic trade options for Chicago, who is loath to part with Baez, Kyle Schwarber, Albert Almora or Willson Contreras in summer trades. A power lefty for the bullpen is the team’s top priority as the Aug. 1 deadline inches closer, per Rosenthal.

Quick Hits: Crawford, Rays, Gurriel, Drury, Mets, Phillies

By Mark Polishuk | June 19, 2016 at 10:44pm CDT

Now that the NBA season has come to a spectacular conclusion, check out Hoops Rumors (the basketball wing of the Trade Rumors family) for all of your hardcourt news during what is sure to be a fascinating NBA offseason. Here are some items from around baseball as we wrap up the weekend…

The Rays would be interested in talking with Carl Crawford if the veteran was open to returning to his old team, Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times reports. Crawford can be signed for the league minimum after being released by the Dodgers, as L.A. would be responsible for the rest of the approximately $35MM remaining on the outfielder’s contract. Crawford still put up fairly productive numbers as a Dodger despite a plethora of injuries, so he could be of us to a Rays team that has three outfielders (Kevin Kiermaier, Steven Souza, Brandon Guyer) on the DL.
From that same item, Topkin looks at some of the major names who could have been Rays had the club drafted differently or kept future stars at earlier stages in their development. Topkin notes that every team in baseball could create a similar “what if?” roster but given how much Tampa relies on cheap young talent via the draft, it’s particularly intriguing to imagine a reality where the likes of Nolan Arenado, Buster Posey or Andrew McCutchen became Rays (especially since the players Tampa Bay drafted ahead of them all became busts).
The Diamondbacks’ Brandon Drury is a fit as a possible third base target for the Mets, though a source tells John Harper of the New York Daily News that Arizona holds Drury in high value. For Drury, the D’Backs would likely ask the Mets for someone like Zack Wheeler in return, which Harper figures is way too high a price in a one-for-one trade. Drury was actually demoted today by the D’Backs in an effort to give him regular playing time rather than ride the bench on Arizona’s crowded roster. The 23-year-old has a .270/.310/.450 slash line and eight homers over 213 PA for the Snakes, numbers boosted by a huge performance over the first six weeks of the season.
From that same Harper item, two scouts discussed Cuban superstar Yulieski Gurriel, noting that while Gurriel has looked impressive in the past, they would need a fresh look given Gurriel’s age (32). That age will surely limit the size of Gurriel’s eventual contract, as “even if he looks good in a workout, I wouldn’t give him more than two years,” one scout said, though he did predict an average annual value for Gurriel in the range of $10-$11MM per season. As one former Mets player anonymously told Harper, Gurriel makes a lot of sense for New York to replace the injured David Wright at third base.
Though the Phillies have very little money tied up in future salary commitments beyond this season, Matt Gelb of the Philadelphia Inquirer doubts the club will be significant spenders in free agency this winter. The Phils are still comitted to their youth movement, so it doesn’t make much sense to sign a big-ticket veteran at this stage in the rebuilding process. With another year or two to establish the young core, Gelb figures the Phillies could strike in the 2017-18 free agent market or the star-studded 2018-19 market.
Mark Lowe signed a two-year, $11MM free agent deal with the Tigers last winter but has struggled horribly in Detroit, posting a 10.71 ERA over 21 innings. There isn’t much the Tigers can do with Lowe, MLB.com’s Jason Beck writes, unless they’re willing to eat the remaining money or if Lowe is willing to accept a minor league assignment.

NL Notes: Mets, Reyes, Padres, Schwarber

By Connor Byrne | June 19, 2016 at 10:38am CDT

The Mets bringing back soon-to-be free agent shortstop Jose Reyes is a “long shot,” a source told Newsday’s David Lennon, who reports that the door isn’t closed on the possibility. As of now, the Mets are in wait-and-see mode with the 33-year-old Reyes, whom the Rockies designated for assignment earlier this week on the heels of a subpar 2015 showing and, more importantly, a 52-game domestic violence suspension. Reyes would bring much-needed speed to a Mets team with the fewest stolen bases in the National League (13), notes Lennon, who adds that he’d come at a cheap price and, unlike other options, wouldn’t require the club to trade prospects. If the Mets do reunite with Reyes, they’d likely put him at second base and move Neil Walker to third to replace the injured David Wright, per Lennon. During his Mets tenure from 2003-11, Reyes hit a terrific .292/.341/.441 in 4,840 plate appearances, racked up 380 steals, made the All-Star team four times and accounted for 30.7 fWAR.

More from Queens and two other NL destinations:

The Mets agreed to trade right-hander Zack Wheeler to the Brewers last summer for Carlos Gomez, but that deal fell through because of concerns over the outfielder’s health. A year later, the Mets have “close to zero interest” in using Wheeler as deadline trade bait, a source informed Lennon. Wheeler could return next month from 2015 Tommy John surgery, and the Mets regard him as either a key down-the-stretch piece in a potential six-man rotation or an option for their bullpen.
Padres ace Tyson Ross threw a bullpen session Saturday, his first since succumbing to right shoulder inflammation in early April, according to Carlos Collazo of MLB.com. Ross remains a long way off from returning to the majors, though, said manager Andy Green. That would seem to decrease the already fading chances of Ross going anywhere prior to the deadline.
One of Ross’ rotation mates, fellow righty Andrew Cashner, has been on the disabled list since June 11 with a strained neck. Cashner still isn’t ready to throw a BP session and will miss longer than the minimum 15 days as a result, tweets AJ Cassavell of MLB.com. Cashner, like Ross, was regarded as a valuable trade chip for the Padres entering the season. However, the 29-year-old Cashner has likely hurt his stock with two DL stints and less-than-stellar production (4.75 ERA, 6.1 K/9 and 3.7 BB/9 across 53 innings).
Cubs catcher/outfielder Kyle Schwarber is “hitting all his range of motion checkpoints exactly on schedule,” president of baseball operations Theo Epstein told Paul Sullivan of the Chicago Tribune. Schwarber, who suffered a season-ending torn ACL and LCL in his left knee on April 7, is currently on track to return for spring training next year. In the meantime, he assisted the Cubs during the amateur draft earlier this month. “’Schwarbs’ sat in the draft room with us while the team was away,” said Epstein. “He’s always looking for ways to contribute to the organization. He added some levity to the room.”

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