Mets Working on “Big Bat” Trade
One of the most entertaining — or infuriating, depending on your perspective — aspects of the trade deadline is the very slow way news leaks out, one tidbit after another. Like a trail of breadcrumbs, deals get pushed into public consciousness one nugget at a time. Tonight’s trail? The Mets are working on a deal for a hitter. The breadcrumbs.
#Mets still working on a deal that apparently would really please fans if it materialized.
— Adam Rubin (@AdamRubinESPN) July 29, 2015
Told Mets are indeed very close to pulling off a big trade. No sense of who it is, but chance it’s a big bat.
— Marc Carig (@MarcCarig) July 29, 2015
Mets working on a trade. Not sure when of it will be done, but there's momentum. Like others, hearing it's so called big bat
— Andy Martino (@MartinoNYDN) July 29, 2015
Too much smoke for there to be no fire. So, who are they going after?
Cespedes out, Reds not moving Bruce at moment, I'm told. Parra trade fell apart last week. Mets almost certainly not on CarGo.
— Andy Martino (@MartinoNYDN) July 29, 2015
#Mets have talked to #Brewers about Carlos Gomez, sources tell me and @jonmorosi. No deal appears close. NYM also looking at other hitters.
— Ken Rosenthal (@Ken_Rosenthal) July 29, 2015
Process of elimination seems to point to Carlos Gomez, Justin Upton, or someone we haven’t yet realized is available. And, of course, Upton and the rest of the Padres just happen to be playing the Mets at Citi Field right now, so if you want to believe that the Mets are so cheap that they waited to make a deal until they could save on the plane fare, then maybe you should buy into Upton being the guy. But since Gomez is under control for next year, and could fill center field if (when?) Juan Lagares needs a DL stint, he seems like a better fit for a team that is likely playing for a Wild Card berth than a rental corner OF.
Odds are we’ll find out in the next few hours, one kernel of information at a time.
Dave is the Managing Editor of FanGraphs.
Winning the division is more likely but that’s just me bickering over semantics. Upton or Gomez would be huge.
We’ll trade you Gomez, Parra, and $2.33 million (Parra’s contract ROS) for Zach Wheeler, Amed Rosario, and Dilson Herrera.
We don’t want to give up Wheeler, so make it Gomez, Parra, and $2.33 million for Rosario, Herrera, Michael Conforto, and Rafael Montero.
Deal.
I hate this deal.
I would love to see them get Tulo from the Jays for one of the young arms.
What about a deal centered around Puig for Thor?
I feel like the foundation makes sense with a little extra heading to the Dodgers, no? Perhaps a Nimmo type?
In no way is Puig for Thor happening. Thor is pitching even better than deGrom did last year, and Thor has a lot more control on his contract than Puig at this point. Alderson would hang up laughing.
Come on, man. The trade helps areas of need for both teams and both players are great.
You get Puig for 4 more years vs 6 more for Noah, though Puig will be owed a lot less money over the course of the contract.
Pitchers carry a significant amount of risk compared to hitters on top of that.
Saying he will hang-up laughing is kind of silly. The framework for a deal is certainly there.
Puig is owed $28M over the next 3.5 years, Syndergaard is owed maybe $5M total. That’s one significant difference.
Thor looks like an elite starting pitcher. Puig used to look like an elite outfielder, but also with numerous off the field issues and having a terrible year.
I think if the Mets decide to pay an extra $23M or so in salary to have Puig on the roster, they will need lots of incentive.
Thor ate a sandwich during a preseason game. He gtg!
Big Bat? Man!
Remember the Batusi?
Adding one hitter is not going to be enough to put them ahead of Pittsburgh or San Fran, and I’m betting on double-sided regression putting Washington comfortably ahead by September. Projections on the odds page have the Nats winning the east by 6 games.
totally agree 100%
but Gomez is under contract for next year, too. DeGrom is under team control, so is Matz, so is Thor, Harvey is Arbitration Eligible, so he’s not going anywhere, and you still have Niese for one more year
This rotation will be back next year, and you have legit pop in the outfield now.
Reportedly it’s Gomez for Wheeler and Flores, pending physicals. Seems a bit much to give up, but given both of these pieces are likely expendable in the long run (and Gomez is needed now with Lagares’ arm), I think it’s a good trade for the Mets.
i don’t get why more Mets fans aren’t through the moon for this deal? Wheeler was good, but Syndergaard is better right now. Wheeler was going to be the 5th starter next year, more than likely.
Your 5th starter and an expendable hitter (who’s below average as per wRC+, even for a SS) for a guy with 2 years of control, in his prime, who fills a direct positional and batting order need.
This deal is a slam dunk for the Mets in my mind, even when they choose not to keep Cargo after next year.
Wheeler may have been the Mets’ fifth starter, but he could be a second or third starter on most other teams. I don’t think this is a bad trade, but who knows if Thor or Matz will need TJ in a year? Wheeler could help weather that, much like Thor has helped this year.
As I said before, I think this is a good trade for the Mets, but I also think it’s a pretty good deal for the Brewers as well.
Matz already had TJ in 2010 though I suppose that wouldn’t preclude him from a second one.
Lol stupid Mets got the wrong CarGo.
This one fell apart pretty spectacularly.
How do you know how anybody is “progressing” physically where the end recovery time is measured in years a few months after the surgery? Honestly I thought TJ patients weren’t even supposed to grip a baseball until 6 months out. Wheeler’s arm must be in bad shape.