Headlines

Go To Pro Hockey Rumors
Go To Hoops Rumors

Mets Rumors

Details On The Mets’ Interest In Yoshinobu Yamamoto

By | at

Right-hander Yoshinobu Yamamoto is expected to be posted by the Orix Buffaloes of Nippon Professional Baseball in the coming months, which will make him one of the top free agents available to major league clubs this winter. The Mets are one of many clubs that have reported interest in him and Will Sammon of The Athletic provides some details of their upcoming courtship.

The Mets already made one big signing of a pitcher making the move from Japan, inking Kodai Senga to a five-year deal less than a year ago. That deal is looking good for the club right now, with Senga being one of the few bright spots during a tough 2023 season. He made 29 starts and threw 166 1/3 innings, finishing the year with an earned run average of 2.98.

Yamamoto is expected to be an even more appealing investment than Senga, due to a couple of factors. Senga had an ERA of 2.59 in his NPB career before coming to North America, whereas Yamamoto has a mark of 1.82. Senga dropped his ERA to 1.94 in his final NPB season but Yamamoto’s has landed at 1.21. Furthermore, Senga made the move for his age-30 season whereas Yamamoto just turned 25.

Sammon makes reference to a piece by his colleague Ken Rosenthal, who reported in April that some people in the league think that Japanese players don’t like being on the same team as other Japanese players. This seems like an absurd assertion given that NPB teams are composed primarily of Japanese players and Japanese clubs have also performed extremely well in international play, with their World Baseball Classic triumph earlier this year giving them a third title out of the five times the tournament has been held. Regardless of the merits of that line of thinking, Sammon reports that it wouldn’t apply here, with Yamamoto having no reservations about wearing the same uniform as Senga. Furthermore, Senga has openly told Mets’ management that he wants Yamamoto on the team. Sammon also reports that Yamamoto wants to play in a large market, which should work in the Mets’ favor.

Sammon goes on to address the departure of Billy Eppler, who was with the Yankees when they signed Masahiro Tanaka and with the Angels when they signed Shohei Ohtani. This may have helped him and the Mets in getting Senga aboard, but Eppler recently stepped down as general manager, with president of baseball operations David Stearns now the primary baseball decision maker. Whether the transition from Eppler to Stearns has any impact on the pursuit of Yamamoto isn’t really known.

Beyond those factors, the financials will undoubtedly be significant. Given Yamamoto’s youth and talent, it’s expected by many that he could get himself a lengthy contract with a guarantee in the range of $200MM. That gives an edge to the higher-spending clubs, a group that certainly includes the Mets, with owner Steve Cohen allowing the 2023 club to have the highest payroll in baseball history.

One thing that arguably undercuts the connection to the Mets is that the club is giving hints they won’t be as aggressive this offseason. If the team is planning a sort of reset year after the disappointing 2023 campaign, giving the new president time to assess the organization and build the farm system, then landing one of the top free agents would seem to be a bit incongruous.

But the club does need starting pitching, having dealt away Justin Verlander and Max Scherzer at the deadline. Carlos Carrasco is also about to hit free agency, leaving the club with a rotation of Senga, José Quintana and a few question marks beyond that. Quintana only has one year left on his deal, creating further uncertainty down the line. The position player prospects in the Mets’ system are also generally regarded higher than their pitching prospects. Since Yamamoto is so young, it’s possible the Mets could view this as a rare opportunity to add a pitcher with many prime years remaining, which would push them to make an earnest pursuit and improve their long-term pitching outlook even if the overall offseason plan is going to be less aggressive than it was a year ago.

The Mets making a legitimate run at Yamamoto seems plausible but they figure to have plenty of competition, as he’s already been publicly connected to the Phillies, Giants, Cardinals, Cubs, Dodgers, Diamondbacks, Rangers, Tigers, Yankees, and Red Sox.

Poll: What Team Will Craig Counsell Manage In 2024?

By | at

With four teams looking for new managers at the moment, the Brewers are hoping they won’t be the fifth, as team owner Mark Attanasio has made clear his preference that Craig Counsell remains in the dugout.  The logic is obvious — Counsell has a 707-625 record in his nine seasons as Milwaukee’s manager, leading the Brewers to playoff appearances in five of the last six seasons.  Widely regarded as one of baseball’s better skippers, Counsell has been a key ingredient in the Brewers’ success, and thus a very intriguing candidate for other teams looking for a new leader.

Counsell’s contract is officially up on October 31, and though Attanasio approached the manager about a new deal earlier this year, Counsell’s preference was to wait until the season was over to delve into contract negotiations.  With another NL Central title on his resume, Counsell is in a pretty nice negotiating position to command a big raise from the Brewers, and continue both his run as manager and his longstanding ties to the organization.  In addition to his stint as manager, Counsell also grew up in Wisconsin, his father worked for the Brewers’ community relations division, and Counsell played six of  his 16 MLB seasons as a player in a Brewers uniform.

As per recent reports from Jon Heyman of the New York Post, “Counsell will stay if he’s paid what he believes is fair,” according to a source linked to the Brewers.  That said, it isn’t yet clear how far along (if at all) the two sides are in negotiations, even with the October 31 deadline getting closer.  It could be that Counsell is waiting until November to officially hit the open market and gauge his worth with some other offers….and one high-spending team in particular looms as a natural candidate for Counsell’s services.

Rumors swirled for years that the Mets were targeting David Stearns as the next president of their baseball operations department, and the pursuit finally ended in September when New York hired Stearns as the new PBO.  With Stearns seen as likely to eventually join the Mets, there was lots of speculation that Counsell might be looking to join his former Brewers boss in Queens, and that speculation only intensified when Stearns fired Buck Showalter in one of his first acts in charge of the front office.

There hasn’t been a ton of public buzz about the Mets’ managerial search, apart from the fact that the team is looking to hire a skipper from outside the organization.  Blue Jays first base coach Mark Budzinski and Rangers associate manager Will Venable have both been linked to the position, though Venable took him out of the running by declining an interview opportunity.  The relative lack of news about the Mets’ search could indicate that they’re waiting to get a chance to speak with Counsell, or it could simply mean that the team is keeping its cards close to the vest.  It is also possible that Stearns might be a little preoccupied with other business given the unexpected resignation of GM Billy Eppler, though the managerial search was expected to take priority over the efforts to find a new general manager (who would act as Stearns’ chief lieutenant).

If not Milwaukee or New York, we can’t rule out the other teams with managerial openings as possible landing spots for Counsell.  Hiring Counsell would give the Guardians an appropriately big name to help fill the void left by Terry Francona, and the Guards have a Brewers-esque approach in trying to perpetually contend despite a limited payroll.  The Giants have a lot more spending capacity and seem to be looking for something of a culture change, so hiring Counsell could certainly provide such a spark to the organization.  The Angels could be going through something of a transition phase if Shohei Ohtani leaves, though there’s obvious appeal in managing Ohtani (if he re-signs) and Mike Trout, and Counsell could welcome the challenge of ending the Halos’ playoff drought.  Beyond these teams, we might also consider other teams who could be more open to a managerial change if Counsell enters the market, with the Padres perhaps still a club to watch in this regard.

With all of this in mind, where do you think Counsell will be managing next season?

(poll link for app users)

Will Venable Declined Managerial Interview With Mets

By | at

Rangers associate manager Will Venable declined an opportunity to interview for the Mets’ managerial vacancy, he told Joel Sherman of the New York Post. The former MLB outfielder had also drawn interest from the Guardians.

MLB.com’s Jon Morosi reported last week that Venable intended to remain in Arlington, however. Venable went on record to confirm that, telling Sherman he’s “not pursuing any other jobs.” He expressed his comfort working with Texas general manager Chris Young and skipper Bruce Bochy.

Venable has long been regarded as a future manager. The Princeton graduate played nine years in the big leagues. He has since spent six seasons on an MLB coaching staff, working with the Cubs and Red Sox before joining Texas last winter. Venable has interviewed for manager jobs in prior offseasons but clearly doesn’t intend to take on such a position in 2024.

There hasn’t been a ton of detail on the Mets’ search since the team moved on from Buck Showalter three weeks ago. First-year baseball operations leader David Stearns has said only that the club planned to cast a wide net. The Athletic’s Will Sammon reported this week that New York would go outside the organization for its new hire. There’s been plenty of speculation about Craig Counsell leaving Milwaukee to rejoin Stearns in Queens, but the Mets won’t be able to speak with Counsell until the start of next month under the terms of his contract with the Brewers.

Mets Place Six Players On Outright Waivers

By | at

The Mets have placed six players on outright waivers, per Anthony DiComo of MLB.com. They are left-hander Anthony Kay, right-hander Vinny Nittoli, catcher Michael Pérez, outfielder Rafael Ortega, and infielders Danny Mendick and Jonathan Araúz. This will open six spots on the club’s 40-man roster. As noted by DiComo, each player will have the right to elect free agency if they pass through waivers unclaimed.

Kay, 28, was only with the Mets a short time, coming over from the Cubs in mid-September via a waiver claim. Between the two clubs, he tossed 14 2/3 innings with a 6.14 earned run average. He was much better in the minors, with a 3.76 ERA in 40 2/3 Triple-A innings this year. He will be out of options next year.

Nittoli, 33 next month, was also a midseason acquisition from the Cubs. He opted out of his minor league deal and was flipped to the Mets for cash in early June. He spent most of the rest of the season on optional assignment, only making three appearances at the major league level. He tossed 42 2/3 Triple-A innings between the two organizations with an ERA of 4.64 in that time. He will also be out of options next year.

Pérez, 31, signed a minor league deal with the Mets in the offseason and was added to the roster in May. He got into three games in the big leagues this year, spending most of his time on optional assignment. He hit .204/.309/.352 in 70 Triple-A games, leading to a wRC+ of 66. He, too, will be out of options next year.

Mendick, 30, had an encouraging performance with the White Sox in 2022, hitting .289/.343/.443 for a wRC+ of 125. But that came in just 31 games since he tore the ACL in his left knee in June of that year. The Sox non-tendered him and the Mets decided to take a chance, signing him to a $1MM guarantee. He hit well in the minors this year, slashing .282/.369/.424 in Triple-A, but his 35 major league games resulted in a paltry line of .185/.232/.277.

Araúz, 25, was selected from the Orioles in the minor league portion of the Rule 5 draft. He was selected to the major league roster in August and got into 27 games but hit just .136/.203/.288 in those. His 100 games at the Triple-A level resulted in more palatable line of .239/.340/.415.

Ortega, 32, signed a minor league deal with the Mets in June and was added to the roster at the start of August. He hit .219/.341/.272 in 47 games as the season was winding down for a wRC+ of 83. He had a strong season with the Cubs in 2021, hitting .291/.360/.463, but his career line of .247/.324/.352 translates to a wRC+ of 89.

Most of these players were added to the club late in the year, after they traded away various players at the deadline and needed some fresh bodies to play out the string. None of them were key parts of the long-term plans and they have been removed from the roster in order to give the club some greater flexibility with the offseason set to begin shortly. If they clear waivers, they will become free agents and look to find minor league deals this winter.

Mets Will Pursue External Candidates for Managerial Opening

By | at

Once David Stearns was officially in place as the president of baseball operations for the Mets, it wasn’t long before he had to answer questions about the team’s managerial opening. After all, firing manager Buck Showalter was the executive’s first major decision in his new role.

During his introductory press conference, Stearns told reporters (including Anthony DiComo of MLB.com) that he didn’t have anyone in mind just yet, and the team would “cast a wide net” in search of a new manager. In recent days, however, he has begun to narrow the field. According to Will Sammon of The Athletic, the Mets will only look outside the organization to hire a replacement for Showalter. That takes candidates like bench coach Eric Chavez and third base coach Joey Cora out of the running. As Sammon notes, Carlos Beltrán is another name to come off the table. Beltrán, who briefly served as the Mets manager during the 2019-20 offseason, re-signed with the team as a special assistant to the GM earlier this year.

It’s not surprising that Stearns wants to hire from outside the organization. Other than Beltrán, there aren’t any obvious internal candidates, and what’s more, it’s quite common for a new executive to bring in a manager of his choosing.

The name most frequently mentioned in speculation thus far has been Brewers manager Craig Counsell, although the Mets cannot formally consider Counsell until his contract with Milwaukee expires at the end of October. Still, Jon Heyman of the New York Post reported on Monday that the Mets have “a reasonable chance” to sign the long-time Brewers manager this offseason. It’s more than a reasonable fit; Counsell worked under Stearns in Milwaukee for seven years. What’s more, Heyman cites a source who claims Counsell is looking to be paid “what he believes is fair.” Either team could afford to pay Counsell the salary he’s looking for, but recent history suggests the Mets are far more willing to spend.

Other potential contenders include Astros bench coach Joe Espada, Brewers bench coach Pat Murphy, and Blue Jays first base coach Mark Budzinski. Two years ago, Espada was a candidate for the job that eventually went to Showalter, and he has interviewed for numerous other managerial openings around baseball. Meanwhile, Murphy worked with Stearns in Milwaukee for seven seasons, and he interviewed for the Mets managerial position back in 2019. He could be a consolation prize of sorts if the Mets cannot tempt Counsell away from the Brewers. Finally, Budzinski doesn’t have as clear a connection to New York, but Scott Mitchell of TSN reports that he is in consideration for the job.

While Stearns previously claimed he was open to hiring a first-time manager, the fact that he’s limiting the search to external candidates might suggest he prefers someone with more experience. If that is true, several options will be available, including Counsell, former Giants and Phillies manager Gabe Kapler, and Astros manager Dusty Baker, whose contract expires at the end of the season. Ultimately, however, the Mets remain tight-lipped about any and all candidates they’re considering for the position.

Latest On Craig Counsell

By | at

Brewers manager Craig Counsell just wrapped up the final year of his contract in Milwaukee, prompting widespread speculation that he could depart his hometown team after nine years in the club’s dugout. Jon Heyman of the New York Post reported this evening that the Mets have “a reasonable chance” of prying Counsell away from his longtime team, though Heyman added that a source connected to the Brewers indicated that the organization believes he’ll remain with the team as long as he gets paid “what he believes is fair.”

Heyman adds that negotiations between Counsell and the Brewers have seemingly not yet progressed at this point, though as previously reported, Counsell won’t have the option to speak to other teams until November. While Counsell, who lives year-round with his family in the suburbs of Milwaukee, has strong ties to both the are and the Brewers organization, Heyman notes that the Mets have potential advantages in newly-hired president of baseball operations David Stearns and, perhaps more importantly, the reported ability to offer Counsell a significant raise; Heyman relays that a source suggested the Mets could offer Counsell double his 2023 salary with Milwaukee of $3.5MM.

A consensus top-tier manager in today’s game, Counsell would surely attract interest from other clubs if he was willing to depart Milwaukee; the Guardians, Giants, and Angels all have managerial openings of their own. Whether Counsell eventually ends up staying with the Brewers, headed to the Mets, or somewhere else entirely, Heyman notes the Mets are still proceeding with their managerial search in order to ensure they have options outside of Counsell.

  • One candidate for the Mets Heyman floats is Astros manager Dusty Baker, though his connection of Baker and Queens appears to be purely speculative. That said, Heyman does suggest that Baker is “frustrated” over disputes with the front office regarding analytics. Baker’s decision to use Martin Maldonado as the club’s primary catcher rather than rookie Yainer Diaz as an example of a situation where GM Dana Brown’s front office has butted heads with the dugout. Baker, for his part, has managed in Houston for four seasons on a series of one-year pacts and was noncommittal regarding whether he planned to manage beyond 2023 when asked earlier this year. If the Astros do go in another direction for the manager’s chair after this season, Heyman speculates that bench coach and longtime managerial candidate Joe Espada would be a “logical replacement” for Baker in the Houston dugout.

Trevor May Announces Retirement

By | at

Right-handed reliever Trevor May announced his retirement from professional baseball on his Twitch channel earlier today. His full comments can be found here. The 34-year-old spent the 2023 campaign with the Athletics, pitching to a 3.28 ERA with a 4.71 FIP in 49 games.

“I have a thousand things that I want to do, a million things… everything that I do outside of the game has just lit me up, and I really enjoy doing it,” May said during his announcement, “I love talking pitching, I love talking about the game, I love teaching people about the game… this is not the end of my relationship with the game of baseball, I just want to go out on my own terms.”

Drafted by the Phillies in the fourth round of the 2008 draft, May made his big league debut as a starting pitcher with the Twins in 2014. His time in the rotation did not go well, as he posted a 5.85 ERA across 26 career stars, almost exclusively concentrated in his first two seasons with Minnesota. After converting to the bullpen in July of 2015, May saw his results improve significantly, as he posted a 3.15 ERA and 3.25 FIP in 34 1/3 innings for the remainder of the season.

That revelation late in the 2014 season led May to convert to the bullpen full-time from 2016 onward, and May went on to be a solid relief option for the Twins over the next five seasons. Though he missed the 2017 season due to Tommy John surgery, May posted a 3.76 ERA and 3.63 FIP in 155 2/3 innings of work while striking out 32.7% of batters faced from 2016 until 2020, his final year in Minnesota. The most impressive of those seasons was May’s 2019 campaign during which he posted a sterling 2.94 ERA, 55% better than league average by measure of ERA+, with a solid 3.73 FIP.

Upon departing the Twins, May signed a two-year deal with the Mets. His first campaign with the club went quite well, as he posted a 3.59 and 3.74 FIP in 62 2/3 innings of work with the club as one of the primary set-up men for closer Edwin Diaz. Unfortunately, 2022 saw May struggle with injuries, as a stress reaction in his humerus sidelined him for most of the season. Ultimately, May departed New York following the 2022 campaign having thrown 87 2/3 innings of 4.00 ERA (100 ERA+) ball with a 3.78 FIP and a 30% strikeout rate.

That led May to the A’s, where he received his first opportunity to act as a club’s primary closer, though he had already picked up 12 saves over his years in Minnesota and Queens. After a difficult start to the season, May spent a month on the injured list due to issues pertaining to anxiety. Upon returning just before Memorial Day, May finished the season in dominant fashion with a 1.99 ERA and 3.92 FIP in 40 1/3 innings of work, though his full-season strikeout (19.5%) and walk (14.1%) rates did not reflect his excellent results. Despite the shaky peripherals, May took to the closer’s role with aplomb, going 21-for-22 in save opportunities throughout the remainder of the season.

Altogether, May posted a 4.24 ERA and 3.79 FIP in 450 1/3 innings of work across nine major league seasons. He finished 102 games while picking up 33 saves and punched out 520 batters in just 358 career games. We at MLB Trade Rumors congratulate May on a fine career, and wish him well in all of his post-playing endeavors.

Offseason Outlook: New York Mets

By | at

The Mets endured one of the most disappointing seasons in history and now change is the name of the game. There’s a new front office regime in place, which will hopefully lead to better results going forward. It’s expected that they will be less aggressive this winter, but by how much?

Guaranteed Contracts

Option Decisions

Other Financial Commitments

  • Paying $30.83MM to Rangers for Max Scherzer’s salary
  • Paying $31.3MM to Astros for Justin Verlander’s salary (plus half of $35MM vesting option in ’25, if triggered)
  • Paying $8MM to Orioles for James McCann
  • $250K buyout on 2024 club option for IF/OF Darin Ruf

2024 financial commitments (assuming options for Narvaez/Ottavino/Raley are all picked up): $218.98MM
Total future commitments (assuming options for Narvaez/Ottavino/Raley are picked up, not including Verlander’s ’25 option): $714.98MM

Arbitration-Eligible Players (projected salaries via MLBTR contributor Matt Swartz)

Non-tender candidates: Vogelbach, Hernández, Smith, Guillorme, Locastro, Coonrod, Brigham, Curtiss, Pérez, Mendick, Ortega

Free Agents

The Mets won 101 games in 2022 and then ran up the highest payroll in baseball history for 2023, going into the season with the greatest of expectations. Unfortunately, a rash of pitcher injuries put them behind the eight ball early on and they fell out of contention. As the summer wore on and the plane continued its descent towards the ocean, they had no choice but to reach for the emergency floatation devices. They traded Justin Verlander, Max Scherzer, Tommy Pham, Mark Canha and David Robertson, often eating substantial amounts of money in order to improve their prospect returns.

After that fire sale, Scherzer told the media that he was informed the Mets planned to take a sort of step back in 2024. Owner Steve Cohen and then-general manager Billy Eppler sort of confirmed those remarks, with each adding that the club hopes to compete in ’24 but with a greater focus on ’25 and ’26. “We will be competitive in ’24 but I think ’25-26 is when our young talent makes an impact,” Cohen said at the time. “Lots of pitching in free agency in ’24. More payroll flexibility in ’25. Got a lot of dead money in ’24.”

That makes it unclear exactly how the club will approach the upcoming winter, but it won’t be Eppler calling the shots. David Stearns was hired to be the new president of baseball operations, leaving the Brewers and coming over to run the team he grew up cheering for. Since Milwaukee was generally quite competitive under Stearns despite limited payrolls, it’s hoped that he can bring even more success to Queens now that he will have Cohen’s resources at his disposal.

It was originally expected that Eppler would stay on as GM and work under Stearns, but he recently stepped aside amid a strange league investigation into the club’s use of the injured list. Stearns also fired manager Buck Showalter, leaving that position vacant as well. Presumably, replacing Showalter will be the higher priority, as Stearns should be capable of steering the front office without a GM for the time being.

Though the Mets ended up saving some money by selling at the deadline, they still have a payroll of $346MM for the year, per Roster Resource. That translates to a competitive balance tax figure of roughly $359MM, still well beyond the highest luxury tax threshold of $293MM, leading to a tax bill of over $88MM.

It seems they want to dial things back in the year to come, though there’s already plenty on the books, with RR pegging their 2024 payroll at $204MM and their CBT number at $219MM. That’s before factoring in estimated arbitration salaries. Pete Alonso alone will add over $20MM to both of those figures, putting them above next year’s $237MM base threshold for the luxury tax before the offseason even begins. They could move some money around if dipping under than line is a priority, but it doesn’t seem to be. Stearns has said the club plans to retain Alonso, while Cohen’s comments suggest the club is looking to bring in free agent pitchers this winter.

How aggressive they will be in that market remains to be seen, but there is definitely work to be done. With Scherzer and Verlander both out of the picture, the rotation is now headlined by Kodai Senga, who posted an excellent 2.98 earned run average in his first major league season. José Quintana missed much of 2023 due to injury but should be able to serve as a solid mid-rotation arm. After that is where things get murky. David Peterson, Tylor Megill, Joey Lucchesi, Peyton Battenfield and José Butto but the Mets likely don’t want to be relying on that group for anything more than depth.

That means they could realistically add two or three starters this winter. Given they are thinking of 2024 as a kind of transitional season, they probably won’t be aiming for top-of-the-market names like Blake Snell or Aaron Nola. Perhaps they would still consider Yoshinobu Yamamoto since he’s just 25 years old and would still line up with their future plans. But it’s also possible they target a lower level of free agency, perhaps taking fliers on bouncebacks from Frankie Montas or Luis Severino. Veterans like Kenta Maeda or Hyun Jin Ryu could eat some innings on short-term deals, with the knowledge that they may end up traded if the club is out of contention by next summer.

In the bullpen, Edwin Díaz will be back after a season lost to a fluke knee injury. Adam Ottavino seems likely to trigger his player option and come back for another season. Brooks Raley posted an ERA under 3.00 for a second straight year and the club should pick up his option, given the reasonable $5.25MM net decision. Trevor Gott should be in the mix after his decent season, especially after the club ate Chris Flexen’s contract to acquire him. But beyond that group, the bullpen core is a host of waiver claim types such as Phil Bickford and Anthony Kay.

A run at an expensive arm like Josh Hader or Robert Stephenson seems unlikely, but a few veterans on one-year deals would be sensible to strengthen the relief corps and also perhaps turn into deadline trade fodder. Craig Kimbrel, Matt Moore and John Brebbia are some of the many options there.

On the position player side, there should be less work to do. Francisco Álvarez took the catching job and ran with it this year. He received strong marks for his glovework while also popping 25 home runs. His offense was around league average on the whole thanks to a .209 batting average and .284 on-base percentage, but his .222 batting average on balls in play figures to improve going forward. Omar Narváez missed much of the year due to a calf strain and struggled after getting healthy but should be capable of serving as a solid backup.

Alonso figures to have first base spoken for, assuming he sticks around. His name was apparently discussed in trade rumors at the deadline but no deal came together. He’s entering his final arbitration season before he’s slated to reach free agency. As mentioned, Stearns has indicated the club plans to keep him for 2024 but he could wind up back on the trading block next summer if no extension is reached and the Mets aren’t in contention.

Francisco Lindor had yet another excellent season and should be back anchoring shortstop next year. He underwent surgery this week to remove a bone spur from his elbow but is expected to be ready for Spring Training. His double play partner will likely be Jeff McNeil, who started slow in 2023 but recovered in the second half. The Mets could theoretically add a second baseman and move McNeil to the outfield, but given the poor free agent market for middle infielders, it makes more sense to him to man the keystone. Middle infield prospect Luisangel Acuña could be a factor at some point next year, at which point McNeil could move to the grass.

Third base is a bit less certain, though there are internal options. Each of Brett Baty, Mark Vientos and Ronny Mauricio were highly-touted prospects on their way up but none of them have established themselves at the big league level yet. The club could consider a veteran stopgap here but it could also roll with a spring competition, leaving room for one of this group to break out and take the job.

The outfield will be anchored by Brandon Nimmo, who had a second straight healthy and productive season. The corners are a bit more questionable, especially with Starling Marte’s ongoing groin problems. He only played 86 games this year and had the worst showing of his career when healthy enough to play. With his injury absences and Canha being traded, DJ Stewart got a lengthy showing to finish the year. He struck out in 30.3% of his plate appearances but also hit 11 home runs in just 58 games. The power has been there before but he’s a poor fielder, which could perhaps lead the club to non-tender Daniel Vogelbach and make Stewart their left-handed DH.

There should be room for a veteran corner outfielder, or perhaps two if Marte remains a question mark. Assuming the club doesn’t go to the top available free agents like Teoscar Hernández or Lourdes Gurriel Jr., they could reunite with Tommy Pham or perhaps reach out to someone like Jason Heyward, Robbie Grossman or David Peralta.

It’s also possible the Mets throw their hat into the Shohei Ohtani bidding. It would be slightly incongruous to give out a record-setting contract in what’s supposed to be a quieter offseason, but it’s an unprecedented opportunity and Cohen can’t really be ruled out on anyone. Ohtani reportedly had a West Coast preference when he first came over from Japan but it’s in his best interest to entertain all suitors this time in order to maximize his earning power. He won’t be able to pitch in 2024 but could theoretically join the Mets’ rotation in 2025 while also adding a potent bat to the lineup right away.

The club is still a bit of a mystery this winter, especially with Cohen constantly deviating from standard operating procedure. Last winter’s aggression was unprecedented so it remains to be seen what his definition of a more modest offseason looks like. But with the division featuring a couple of powerhouse teams in Atlanta and Philadelphia as well as a Marlins club that’s coming off a strong campaign, it seems fair to expect the Mets play things somewhat cautiously for now, keeping their eyes on a future that will hopefully have plenty to be excited about with the Stearns-Cohen pairing.

In conjunction with this post, Darragh McDonald held a Padres-specific chat on 10-12-23. Click here to view the transcript.

Francisco Lindor Undergoes Elbow Surgery, Expected To Be Ready For Spring Training

By | at

The Mets announced this morning that Francisco Lindor underwent surgery to remove a bone spur from his right elbow (relayed by Abbey Mastracco of the New York Daily News). He is expected to be ready for Spring Training.

Lindor remained one of the sport’s most durable and effective players this past season. The switch-hitting shortstop appeared in 160 games and hit .254/.336/.470 across 687 plate appearances. He popped 31 home runs, 33 doubles and stole 31 bases while being thrown out on just four occasions. Paired with his consistently strong defensive grades, the four-time All-Star had another excellent year.

While the Mets were a major disappointment overall, Lindor looks likely to finish in the top 10 in MVP balloting for the fifth time in his career. He joined Ronald Acuña Jr., Bobby Witt Jr. and Julio Rodríguez as the only players with a 30-30 season. He continued to produce even as the team was out of the race, hitting .274/.355/.460 in the second half.

Assuming his rehab goes as planned, Lindor will head into next spring as one of the league’s top shortstops. He’ll be a key contributor for the Mets as they look for a rebound showing in 2024 under a new front office and manager. Lindor is under contract for $32MM annually for another eight seasons.

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