New York Mets are entering an MLB season where they’ll have big expectations surrounding them. They went through major changes this offseason (including a change of management) and they want to be a winning organization once again.
The roster could suffer a major overhaul, too, with some pieces leaving the team and other landings to create a successful team. The trade market will be very important for them as a way to find players that can make an instant impact on their results and make them compete in the National League that will have a lot of good teams.
Los Angeles Dodgers come from winning the World Series against the Tampa Bay Rays and everybody will try to dethrone them, including the Mets. The president of the team, Sandy Alderson, has revealed the plans they have for this offseason and they are very ambitious.
New York Mets aiming to land three stars via trade this offseason
He revealed that the trade market will be very important for them to add new players and they’re aiming very high. Steven Cohen is a very wealthy owner and he’s ready to pay big salaries if that means his team will make a deep run in the playoffs.
“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 — notwithstanding, 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.”
That said, Danny Abriano of SNY identified three potential candidates to land in New York to make the Mets a real threat in the National League. Some of the biggest names in the trade market are now under the radar of the team to boost their ranks.
Third baseman Nolan Arenado is reportedly a target for the Mets and according to buzz around the league, the New Yorkers are “high on their list of teams to engage in discussions.” Nolan has been linked with the Dodgers in recent days but the Mets could surprise everybody and snatch the player from the California team.
Moreover, Abriano adds two big names to the mini-list, Francisco Lindor of the Cleveland Indians and George Springer of the Houston Astros, two players who are set to leave their teams and find another franchise in the Majors.
“One player who is known to be available this offseason and fits the criteria mentioned above by Alderson (expensive one-year deal, not under contract beyond 2021, a candidate for a long-term extension) is Cleveland Indians shortstop Francisco Lindor.
“It might be likelier for the Mets to first attempt to fill their remaining needs via free agency, with the potential that they could sign center fielder George Springer, whom SNY’s Andy Martino has reported is high on their list.”
The Mets are ready to make a splash this offseason. MLB doesn’t have a salary cap and they can take the most advantage of that factor. Cohen has made it clear that he won’t think twice to spend money if the team can get to the top of the league next October/November. These three names would make the Mets instant contenders to the championship and their fans can’t wait to see it.
Marcus Stroman returned to the team this offseason, Jacob deGrom will do the same, Noah Syndergaard is ready to help the team, too, and adding the firepower of Arenado, Lindor and Springer would be the cherry on the top for them.