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AL Central Notes: Bruce, Alomar, Sano, Vargas, Royals

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With Jay Bruce enjoying a big night in Game One of the ALDS, the Indians’ official Twitter account couldn’t resist a pretty pointed tweet at the Yankees, who came up short in their bid to acquire Bruce from the Mets last summer.  Ken Davidoff of the New York Post recaps how negotiations between the Mets and Yankees broke down, not only because Cleveland was willing to absorb all of Bruce’s remaining salary, but also because “the Mets didn’t like one bit the idea of Bruce helping the Yankees’ pennant drive” given the inter-Big Apple rivalry.  Bruce was a big contributor down the stretch for the Tribe (hitting .248/.331/.477 with seven homers over 169 PA) then went 2-for-3 with a homer and three RBI in last night’s victory.

More from around the AL Cenral…

  • In more Mets/Indians news, Mike Puma of the New York Post reports (Twitter link) that Tribe first base coach Sandy Alomar Jr. “has received strong consideration” for an interview about the Mets’ managerial opening.  Alomar has been a member of Cleveland’s coaching staff for eight years, serving at first base except for a two-year stint as bench coach in 2012-13 that also included a six-game stint as interim manager at the end of the 2012 season.  Alomar has been linked to several managerial jobs over the years and has links to the Mets — he played his last season with the Amazins and spent his first two years as a coach in the Mets organization as a roving catching instructor.
  • It wouldn’t be a surprise if Miguel Sano requires surgery this offseason, 1500 ESPN’s Darren Wolfson (Twitter link) opines, given that the Twins third baseman is “in a lot more pain than many of us realized.”  Sano was sidelined on August 19 due to a stress reaction in his left shin, and while he returned for the final three games of the regular season, he didn’t make the roster for Minnesota’s wild card loss to the Yankees.
  • Kennys Vargas is interested in the idea of playing in Japan or Korea, and Mike Berardino of the St. Paul Pioneer Press wonders if the Twins could be more open to trading the first baseman overseas given their glut of first base/DH options.  The Twins rejected overtures about Vargas from NPB and the KBO two offseasons ago.
  • The Royals’ lease at Kaufman Stadium doesn’t expire until 2030, though the club has been in contact with parties exploring the possibility of a new ballpark in downtown Kansas City, Steve Vockrodt of the Kansas City Star reports.  According to Kevin Uhlich, the team’s senior vice president of business operations, the talks were merely to “touch base” with the project.  “We’re perfectly content where we are, we think it works well.  Thirteen years from now, who knows what the situation is going to be?  I can’t hold anybody back from doing what they’re doing on their side.  We would listen,” Uhlich said.  The city is currently funding a study to examine at least four downtown locations for a potential new park.  Kauffman Stadium is the sixth-oldest stadium in the majors, though it underwent significant renovations within the last decade.

Cashman: “We Are Getting Under The Threshold Next Year”

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The Yankees have long sought to reset their luxury tax penalty clock, and with payroll now finally nearing the tax’s cutoff point, GM Brian Cashman tells Joel Sherman of the New York Post are committed to getting under the $197MM threshold this winter.

“We haven’t had [offseason] meetings like this, but the exclamation point is we are getting under the threshold next year,” Cashman said.  “[Greg] Bird is our first baseman moving forward because obviously we believe in him and also because of the cost control.  The most important factor is if Bird is worthy enough to be our first baseman and our answer is yes.”

Since the modern luxury tax system was instituted prior to the 2003 season, the Yankees have been over the tax limit every single year, which cost them a whopping $325MM in penalty costs over those first 14 years.  Between their financial means and their desire to always be competitive, exceeding the tax threshold was seen as a necessary evil.  For instance, the Yankees planned to be under the tax limit several years ago, but after missing the postseason in 2013, they splurged on $555MM in player salaries that offseason to make another push in 2014.

[Related: MLBTR’s Yankees news and information page on Facebook]
[Related: Yankees payroll and information page at Roster Resource]

Now, however, the Yankees can realistically aim to avoid the tax thanks to the number of big contracts finally coming off the books this winter (Alex Rodriguez and C.C. Sabathia) as well as $20.4MM for Matt Holliday and Michael Pineda.

Masahiro Tanaka can also opt out of the three years and $67MM remaining on his contract this winter, though “the strong likelihood is that he does not,” according to Sherman.  This is noteworthy of itself, as Tanaka would be one of the top pitchers on the open market this winter if he did exercise his opt-out clause.  MLBTR’s Connor Byrne examined some of the pros and cons of Tanaka’s decision in a reader poll in early September, as Tanaka’s 4.74 ERA was somewhat inflated by some early-season home run problems, though his health issues and the qualifying offer could impact his market value.  (MLBTR readers polled, by the way, were almost split on Tanaka’s decision, with a slim 52.59% voting that he will opt out.)

Beyond just escaping some large contracts, the bonus for the Yankees is that they’ve been able to stay competitive thanks to pre-arbitration players like Aaron Judge, Gary Sanchez and Luis Severino posting star numbers.  Bird missed all of 2016 recovering from shoulder surgery and was limited to just 48 games this season due to ankle problems that required a surgical procedure, though Cashman clearly considers Bird to be another key part of the Yankees’ youth movement.

In counting on Bird as the regular first baseman in 2018, Sherman notes that the Yankees are foregoing a pursuit of top free agents options like Eric Hosmer.  Chase Headley or Tyler Austin are on hand as in-house first base options if Bird is hurt again or just struggles, with top prospect Miguel Andujar knocking on the door to take over third base and Gleyber Torres potentially on track to make his big league debut in 2018 if he recovers as expected from Tommy John surgery.  The Yankees will have positional flexibility with the DH spot open, and could use it to hand out more at-bats to players on rest days, or to lure Shohei Otani to New York.

Beyond just Hosmer and the other first basemen, the firm intent to avoid the luxury tax would seem to take the Bronx Bombers out of the running for most of the biggest free agents available this winter.  Many of the most high-priced trade candidates could also be off the table, unless the dealing team is willing to eat some money or if the Yankees are able to unload a big salary back in return.  This isn’t to say that New York couldn’t still be active in free agency, perhaps attracting veteran depth pieces who could be willing to play at a relative discount for a shot at a World Series.

Getting under the luxury tax threshold just once would send the Yankees from the highest level of tax payments all the way back to zero.  In true Yankees fashion, of course, the team seems likely to exceed the level once again in the 2018-19 offseason, when the likes of Bryce Harper, Manny Machado, Josh Donaldson, and several other superstars hit the market in arguably the most distinguished free agent class of all time.  The new CBA imposes stiffer penalties for exceeding the tax limit, both by how much a team exceeds the threshold and if it is exceeded in multiple years, though even that may not necessarily be an issue for the Yankees given their wave of young talent both now and in the near future, plus even more high-priced veterans (Headley, David Robertson, Brett Gardner) coming off the books after 2018.

Five Brewers Minor Leaguers Select Free Agency

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Right-handers Wily Peralta, Rob Scahill, Michael Blazek, David Goforth, and outfielder Kirk Nieuwenhuis have all elected to become free agents, as per the Brewers’ player development Twitter feed (tip of the hat to MLB.com’s Adam McCalvy).

Peralta is the most notable name of the bunch, as it wasn’t long ago that the righty looked like a promising part of Milwaukee’s rotation.  After posting solid numbers in 2013-14, however, Peralta’s form dipped the next two seasons and then cratered this year, as he managed only a 7.85 ERA over 57 1/3 IP, with 10 homers and 32 walks in that stretch.  Peralta wasn’t helped by a month-long DL stint due to a calf strain, but his performance also fell off at the Triple-A level over the last two seasons.

His struggles got him designated for assignment and then outrighted off Milwaukee’s 40-man roster over the summer, which allowed Peralta to elect free agency even though he still had two remaining years of team control thanks to Super Two status.  Peralta and the Brewers avoided arbitration by agreeing to a one-year, $4.275MM deal last winter.

Blazek was twice DFA’ed and then outrighted off Milwaukee’s roster this season, so it perhaps isn’t surprising that he’s looking for a chance of scenery, especially given his displeasure at being demoted to the minors during Spring Training.  Blazek only made five appearances (one of them a start) for the Brewers in 2017, posting an 8.31 ERA over 8 2/3 innings of work.  The righty posted very effective numbers out of Milwaukee’s bullpen in 2015 but ran into some injury problems and struggled in 2016.

Scahill was also twice designated for assignment this season, plus once more back in February.  The 30-year-old tossed 22 1/3 innings for the Brew Crew, posting a 4.43 ERA despite recording the same number of strikeouts (10) as walks, though four of those free passes were intentional.  Never one to miss many bats over his six years in the bigs, Scahill nevertheless posted a solid 3.03 ERA over 65 1/3 innings for the Pirates and Brewers in 2015-16.

Nieuwenhuis agreed to a split contract last winter and spent much of the season at Triple-A, only appearing in 16 big league games.  Nieuwenhuis received the most playing time of his six-year career in 2016 (125 games and 392 PA) but became an afterthought this year as the Crew had more outfield depth.

Goforth appeared in just one game for the Brewers in 2017, and has 36 1/3 Major League innings to his name after appearing in parts of the last three seasons.  The right-hander has a 3.96 ERA over 533 2/3 career frames in the minors (all in the Milwaukee organization), though he has had increasing control issues and a lack of strikeouts over the last couple of years.

Heyman’s Latest: Colon, Cashner, Vargas, Upton, Bridwell, Marlins, Cardinals

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Here’s the latest hot stove buzz from FanRag Sports’ Jon Heyman, from his weekly collections of American League notes and National League notes…

  • Bartolo Colon feels he can play “just one” more season.  A return in 2018 would make it 21 seasons in the big leagues for Colon, who turns 45 in May.  The veteran has become a fan favorite around baseball thanks to his unlikely late-career revival, though Colon finally started to look his age in 2017, posting a 6.48 ERA over 143 innings with the Twins and Braves.  Despite his recent struggles, Colon seems to be a likely candidate to land a low-cost MLB contract with a team next year, given his lengthy track record.
  • The Rangers are considering issuing a qualifying offer to Andrew Cashner.  This would ensure that Texas received some draft pick compensation if Cashner rejected the QO, though given the Rangers’ need for pitching, they could welcome the chance to bring back Cashner on a one-year deal.  Still, since the QO carries a hefty cost of $18.1MM, it is still a little surprising that Texas is considering issuing one to Cashner, who is a decent candidate to accept.  MLBTR’s Jeff Todd recently covered Cashner’s interesting offseason case in a Free Agent Stock Watch piece, outlining the many pros and cons suitors face in weighing a Cashner this winter.
  • In less-surprising qualifying offer news, the Royals are a virtual lock to extend the QO to Lorenzo Cain but aren’t planning to issue one to Jason Vargas.  Tommy John surgery sidelined Vargas for much of his three-year stint in Kansas City, though he was mostly effective (4.16 ERA, 6.7 K/9, 2.31 K/BB rate) over 179 2/3 IP in 2017.  Given that TJ surgery and the fact that Vargas turns 35 in February, he’d seem to be a good candidate to accept a qualifying offer, and the Royals probably don’t want an $18.1MM salary on the books as they embark on a possible rebuild.
  • There apparently haven’t been any talks between the Angels and Justin Upton about his opt-out clause, which Heyman finds “interesting.”  There isn’t any immediate rush, of course, as Upton doesn’t need to make his decision until three days after the World Series is over.  “Most see it as a very close call” as to whether Upton will actually opt out of the four years and $88.5MM remaining on his deal given the mutual interest between he and the Angels.  The possibility exists that the two sides could work out an extension to tack another year or two beyond the current end of Upton’s deal, though the lack of talks indicates that scenario has yet to be explored.
  • The Angels initially tried to acquire Parker Bridwell from the Orioles last year before finally landing the right-hander in April for what Heyman describes as “just a small amount of cash.”  This minor deal at the time ended up being a steal for the Halos, as Bridwell delivered a 3.64 ERA over 121 innings, starting 20 of his 21 appearances for Los Angeles.
  • According to one Marlins player, the Cardinals reportedly expressed interest in Marcell Ozuna, Dee Gordon and Brad Ziegler this summer, with Ziegler’s name surfacing after Trevor Rosenthal was lost to Tommy John surgery in late August.  The Cards’ interest in Ozuna (and other Miami outfielders) is known, though this is the first time Gordon and Ziegler have been linked to St. Louis.  It makes sense that the Cards would’ve checked in on Ziegler given their sudden need for relief help after Rosenthal went down, though it remains to be seen if Ziegler would be a trade target this winter as the team looks to bolster its pen.  Ziegler has a hefty $9MM salary in 2018, though the Marlins could eat some of that money to make a deal happen.  Gordon would be an even pricier addition at $38MM owed through the 2020 season, plus a $14MM vesting option for 2021.

AL West Notes: Dipoto, Angels, Astros

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Here’s the latest from around the AL West…

  • Jerry Dipoto originally signed a three-year deal with the Mariners, FanRag Sports’ Jon Heyman reports, so the general manager is entering his last year under contract.  Seattle is 164-160 in two seasons under Dipoto, with a winning year in 2016 followed up by a disappointing, injury-filled year this season.  There haven’t been any rumblings about Dipoto’s job security, however, and it would make sense if the M’s explored extensions with Dipoto and manager Scott Servais (whose deal is also up after 2018) this winter in order to avoid lame-duck status for either man.  More pressure would seem to be on Servais since managers are more readily replaced than GMs, though Dipoto recently defended his skipper against some reports of clubhouse criticism.  The firings of bench coach Tim Bogar and first base coach Casey Candaele does remove some of Servais’ support system — Heyman notes that Candaele and Servais are good friends, while Bogar is close with Dipoto.
  • The Angels announced earlier this week that hitting coach Dave Hansen won’t return to the club next season.  Hansen had been with L.A. for the last four seasons, first as an assistant hitting coach and then taking over the lead job in 2016-17.  The Angels finished near the bottom of most offensive categories last year, as Mike Trout (181), Andrelton Simmons (103) and late-August addition Justin Upton (137) were the only regulars to finish with a wRC+ above the league-average 100 mark.  (Yunel Escobar also finished with a 100 wRC+ on the dot.)
  • Analytics played a major role in the Astros’ rebuild and subsequent rise to World Series contender, though as Alex Speier of the Boston Globe writes, the Astros are now faced with the challenge of staying ahead of the curve.  “It’s a double-edged sword.  If [other teams are] following things we did first, it means, a) it works; and b) our advantage is gone, or dissipating,” Houston GM Jeff Luhnow said. “That’s why we’re constantly trying to figure out how we can gain small advantages in multiple areas.  We’re all observing each other.  I copy what I see works with other teams and vice-versa.  Keeping things a secret allows you to benefit longer but it’s hard to do.”

Miles Mikolas Interested In Returning To MLB After Thriving In Japan

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While Shohei Otani rightly draws the majority of headlines when it comes to international free agents potentially making the jump to Major League Baseball, there’s another interesting righty that could try to transition from Nippon Professional Baseball star to MLB starter. Right-hander Miles Mikolas is now a free agent after wrapping up a successful three-year stint with the Yomiuri Giants, and MLBTR has learned that he is interested in making his way back to the big leagues.

Mikolas’s name probably rings a bell with Padres and Rangers fans, but it’s been a while since he has factored into the discussion on this side of the Pacific. After failing to find his footing in parts of three seasons in the majors, Mikolas has spent the past three campaigns as one of the best starters in Japan.

Over 91 1/3 MLB innings from 2012-14, Mikolas managed only a 5.32 ERA with pedestrian peripheral marks: 6.1 K/9 against 3.4 BB/9 along with a middle-of-the-road 44 percent ground-ball rate as a big leaguer. He’d shown impeccable control early in his pro career, but his walk rates spiked as he reached the upper levels of the game.

Mikolas began reversing that trend in 2014 — the same year he attempted to work from the rotation for the first time. While he struggled through 10 MLB starts, he also worked to a 3.22 ERA with 7.7 K/9 against just 0.6 BB/9 in his 44 2/3 Triple-A frames that year.

That performance caught some attention overseas, as Yomiuri purchased the rights to Mikolas from the Rangers in the 2014-15 offseason. The move allowed the Texas organization to clear some space on its 40-man roster and gave the righty a chance to earn more money while functioning as a starter overseas.

Mikolas impressed enough in his first campaign in Japan that the Giants re-signed him to a fairly notable two-year, $5MM contract. While that agreement looks modest by MLB standards, it’s a relatively sizable commitment overseas and certainly a life-changing figure for a pitcher who hadn’t established himself in the majors as he headed into his age-26 season.

Now 29 years of age (30 next August), Mikolas has posted video-game numbers over the life of his three-year tenure in Japan. He carries a 2.18 ERA through 424 1/3 innings with Yomiuri, and he really put things together in a 2017 season in which he spun 188 frames of 2.25 ERA ball over 27 starts. He not only struck out a batter per inning but also dropped his walk rate to 1.1 BB/9.

It isn’t entirely clear at this point just what kind of offers Mikolas might receive, but he should generate interest and could well command a 40-man roster spot. We’ve seen guaranteed money go to other pitchers who rejuvenated their careers in Japan. Colby Lewis, for instance, signed for $5MM over two years back in 2010. More recently, reliever Tony Barnette took home a $3.5MM promise over two seasons. Both of those pitchers landed with the Rangers, who along with the Padres are not only prior employers of Mikolas, but also figure to be among the numerous teams that will be looking to add rotation candidates this winter.

Mikolas will not be the only former big leaguer on the radar for a possible return. Reliever Chris Martin has also thrived in Japan, allowing just 11 earned runs on 46 hits over 88 1/3 innings across the past two seasons while carrying a 91-to-13 K/BB ratio. That translates to a 1.08 ERA in his two seasons with the Nippon Ham Fighters, and the fact that he’s been a teammate of Otani for two years means that big league scouts have had plenty of chances to determine whether the former Yankees/Rockies reliever can plausibly sustain some of that success in the Majors in what would be his age-32 season. Martin has just a 6.19 ERA in 36 1/3 MLB innings, but he had a solid 3.48 ERA with 9.2 K/9 against 2.5 BB/9 in 106 Triple-A innings before landing in NPB.

Beyond that duo, Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch has already reported that the Cardinals have interest in Orix Buffaloes closer Yoshihisa Hirano, who is also a free agent this year and can explore MLB opportunities without needing to go through NPB’s posting system. Even beyond Otani — whose pursuit has the potential to surpass the Masahiro Tanaka sweepstakes in attention and drama — it’ll be an interesting winter to watch trans-Pacific player movement.

NL East Notes: Nola, Mackanin, Braves, Moore, Marlins

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Though Phillies righty Aaron Nola tells Matt Gelb of the Philadelphia Inquirer that he hasn’t thought much about the potential of signing a long-term deal with the Phils, Gelb opines that Nola is a prime extension candidate for the team this winter. The 24-year-old’s recent arm troubles present some risk in approaching him about a long-term pact, but there’s inherent risk when extending any pitcher, and Nola has established himself as an above-average starter over his two-plus seasons of work, Gelb argues. With Nola still a year away from arbitration eligibility, the Phils could look to strike now in hopes of securing control over one or more free-agent years, as they did with center fielder Odubel Herrera in the 2016-17 offseason. Gelb’s piece includes a number of potential comparables as well as quotes from Nola and teammate Clay Buchholz, who signed a long-term deal himself at a similar point in his career.

More out of the NL East…

  • FanRag’s Jon Heyman writes that one reason the Phillies might’ve made the surprising decision to remove Pete Mackanin as manager just months after giving him an extension was that the arrival of players like Rhys Hoskins, Nick Williams and other young talents may have somewhat accelerated the team’s timeline. Heyman writes that the Phils viewed Mackanin as “more of a caretaker” than a long-term solution, and they may now look for a skipper who’ll hold down the fort for years to come. Heyman notes that having a more concrete manager in place could be a selling point next winter when the team could pursue multiple top names in free agency.
  • Heyman also reports that Braves chairman John Schuerholz and president of baseball ops John Hart are “said to be at odds” with one another, though Hart firmly denied the notion. “John and I are lifelong friends, and there is mutual baseball respect as well,” Hart tells Heyman. “Nobody totally agrees on every player, staff member, etc. That’s just baseball.” Heyman adds that Schuerholz “would love” to bring Royals GM Dayton Moore on board to run the team’s baseball ops department and groom Schuerholz’s son, Jonathan. The younger Schuerholz is currently the team’s assistant director of player development. USA Today’s Bob Nightengale tweeted yesterday that Moore is “more open” to leaving the Royals for the Braves than in the past, though the decision will likely boil down to whether he’s given full authority over the team’s baseball operations department. That’d suggest that Hart sticking around and holding onto the “president” title he’s held for the past few seasons would be a deterrent to hiring Moore.
  • Derek Jeter’s former teammates Jorge Posada, Tino Martinez and Andy Pettitte are all candidates for jobs with the Marlins, reports Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald. It’s not yet clear what role any would have with the organization, if hired, though Martinez’s first stint with the Marlins didn’t exactly end well, as he resigned from his post as hitting coach after allegations about being abusive with his players. In other Marlins news, Heyman writes that Jeter is “serious” about bringing Yankees exec Gary Denbo over to the Miami front office — likely as the head of player development and scouting. Michael Hill is expected to maintain his duties as the team’s president of baseball operations. Denbo’s contract with the Yankees is up soon, Heyman notes.

Rangers Notes: Offseason, Otani, Bush

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Rangers general manager Jon Daniels didn’t mince words in telling reporters that he has no plans to embark on a rebuild, as T.R. Sullivan of MLB.com and Jeff Wilson of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram write. “This is not a rebuild,” Daniels told reporters. “We expect to win. We are always going to have that mindset.” Texas will face an uphill challenge in filling out a rotation that, at present, has only Cole Hamels and Martin Perez locked into spots. Daniels acknowledged that the Rangers “are going to have to remake half the staff,” and as Sullivan notes, that applies to the bullpen as well, where Keone Kela, Matt Bush, Alex Claudio and Jake Diekman look like the only set-in-stone options. Per Wilson, Daniels suggested that team payroll will be more in the $155MM range at which it sat in 2016 than this past season’s $165MM territory. While the Rangers may not pursue a closer, they’ll look to bring in at least one veteran bullpen arm.

A bit more on the Rangers…

  • Daniels was also candid about the fact that his team will be firmly in the mix for Japanese star Shohei Otani if he is posted for MLB clubs to bid on this winter. “We are not hiding anything,” the GM said. “If the Fighters ultimately post Ohtani, you are going to have 30 interested clubs, of which we’ll be right there with them.” Of course, as Daniels points out, competition for Otani would be immense. International spending restrictions would largely level the playing field to acquire his services, making it difficult to predict any type of favorite for the young ace/slugger.
  • Sullivan also writes that the Rangers are once again internally mulling the possibility of moving right-hander Matt Bush into the rotation. Texas discussed the move last offseason as well but ultimately elected to leave Bush in a role with which he was familiar. Daniels tells reporters that Bush has expressed interest to the team in working out of the rotation, which bodes well for the potential transition. “If it’s the player who initiated and wants to put the work in, I think you’ve seen success,” Daniels explains (possibly in a nod to C.J. Wilson). “When it’s players who are in between, probably best to leave him in the role he is in.” Sullivan runs down six prior cases of the Rangers moving a reliever to the rotation, including Wilson, and examines their success rates.

How They Were Acquired: Cleveland Indians ALDS Roster

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The Indians came within one game of celebrating their first World Series championship in nearly seven decades last season, and they had the luxury of retaining the vast majority of that team for the 2017 campaign. Unlike others so far in this series, Cleveland has assembled its roster almost entirely via the draft, international free agency and trades. Such moves have accounted for 22 of the Indians’ 25 players, with only three joining the roster via free agency or waivers.

Here’s how president of baseball operations Chris Antonetti, general manager Mike Chernoff and the rest of the Indians’ brain trust have pieced together a 102-win team that led the American League in wins thanks largely to a historic winning streak late in the year…

[Related: Cleveland Indians Depth Chart and Payroll Outlook]

The vast majority of the Indians’ core is controlled not only for the 2018 season but into 2019 as well. Cleveland could lose Santana and Shaw as free agents this winter, and rental pickups Bruce and Smith are eligible for free agency as well. But Cleveland’s future is exceptionally bright, with stars like Kluber, Carrasco, Lindor and Ramirez all controlled through at least the 2020 season. With at least two teams in full rebuild mode in the AL Central, the Indians are primed for a prolonged run of success.

David Wright Undergoes Back Surgery

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The Mets announced on Thursday that third baseman David Wright underwent a back procedure known as a laminotomy (Mayo Clinic link detailing the surgery).  The 34-year-old Wright also had shoulder surgery back in September, but he made clear today that he has no plans to retire despite his considerable injury woes in recent years.

“Through this entire rehab process, I have been driven to get back on the field as quickly as I can,” said Wright in a statement. “That’s why I had the shoulder surgery and that’s why today I underwent back surgery to reduce the risk of further issues going forward. With these two surgeries behind me, I hope to be able to put on a Mets uniform again as soon as possible. My desire to play is as strong as ever.”

It’s now been more than 16 months since Wright last suited up for a big league game, as his career has been slowed dramatically by a diagnosis of spinal stenosis and myriad neck, shoulder and back issues over the past several years. Wright at one point looked to be carving out a path to Cooperstown, but he’s now played just 75 games since the conclusion of the 2014 season.

For the Mets, Wright’s latest surgery changes little. General manager Sandy Alderson has already acknowledged that Wright’s “uncertain” status will have to be accounted for this winter, suggesting that the team will at the very least be on the hunt for an experienced depth option. Speculatively speaking, it certainly seems plausible that the team seeks to add a more established option — possibly one with some versatility that can play multiple spots on the diamond.

As for Wright, he’s still owed $47MM through the 2020 season as part of his eight-year, $138MM contract. As much of 75 percent of next year’s $20MM salary is insured, so the Mets will receive some financial compensation if he misses significant time once again in the 2018 campaign.

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