While the New York Mets have implied during the offseason that they would prefer to focus on signing free agents instead of the trade market, it doesn’t mean that they will completely turn their back on the latter. Yes, they want to save prospect capital and take advantage of their resources, but if a good deal presents itself, they will surely analyze it.
The Mets have already made quite the splash during the free agency period, having secured James McCann to be the starter at catcher and Trevor May to pitch high-leverage innings in the bullpen. But they want more. They need more, actually.
Center fielder George Springer and starting pitcher Trevor Bauer are, reportedly, New York Mets’ targets. But the team is also monitoring the market of Cleveland Indians’ star shortstop Francisco Lindor.
In a cost-cutting initiative, the tribe made it public that they would like to trade their star before Opening Day. And teams like the Mets always entertain the possibility of adding players of his caliber.
Mets’ president will monitor his market
Mets president Sandy Alderson appeared Wednesday on WFAN with Craig Carton and Evan Roberts and said his team will be closely monitoring all of the big names available via trade.
Per SNY: “I expect that we’ll be involved in that because they’re alternatives to free agency,†Alderson said. “The players that we might identify, who have big contracts and we have a year of control (over). (There’s a) variety of reasons their clubs would like to trade them — not withstanding, outstanding performance. That’s similar to being in the free agent market in the sense that, ‘OK, there’s a lot of money involved. There might not be as many prospects involved as in a typical trade.’ And that’s something we’re trying to avoid, which is trade prospects. So yeah, if there are — I don’t expect this to happen, but if there are really good players out there that, for whatever reason, a club is looking to move.â€
Lindor is a four-time All Star with two Gold Gloves in his resume and a career .285/.346/.488 line, with a 118 wRC+. He would improve the Mets’ roster, but given that the team already has two shortstops in Amed Rosario and Andres Gimenez, it’s unclear if they will pursue an acquisition.