The New York Mets were trying to land a Chicago White Sox player on a trade but since the arrival of Munetaka Murakami, an audible must happen for the Big Apple team if they want to make business. The arrival of the Japanese had a domino effect.
According to Rising Apple, the Mets wanting Luis Robert Jr. is real, but who they trade is the issue. It looked like the Mets were going to offer Mark Vientos but now it’s not possible. Vientos was an affordable 1B/DH whose 3B days seem to be a thing of the past. With the arrival of Murakami, the Vientos option is pretty much null.
It’s reported that the Mets are still interested, because otherwise it’s Carson Benge, Nick Morabito, and Jett Williams could be the prospects to play as infielders and Robert is a much better option, albeit a more expensive one.
Luis Robert Jr. has way more upside
Last season, Robert scored 52 runs, batted 85 hits, 14 home runs, 53 RBIs and also stole 33 bases. The former All Star could be a massive improvement on the Mets roster. Also, at 28 years old, he is still in his prime.
The White Sox were not good last year and having a big pay on Robert is not necessarily the best for the team right now. The Mets, otherwise, have much more bigger expectations, and can afford Robert even if they are nearing their payroll limits.
The Mets need to bounce back
Last season, the Mets had a historic collapse after the All Star Break. They were one of the best teams in the MLB, and ended up out of the playoffs altogether. Then, they have lost key players in the offseason.
The Mets must bounce back from a terrible last few months. The team is under much duress and it’s a cloudy horizon what they have in front of them. This latest setback is just another roadblock for them to face.