I want to start off by saying that I love Curtis Granderson. He plays with hustle and his off-field endeavors are admirable and laudable. He’s willing to do whatever is necessary to help the team, and is seen as a leader in the clubhouse. That being said, the Mets might want to consider the possibility of trading him this offseason.
Grandy is entering the fourth and final year of a 4 year, $60 million contract, and will make $15 million in 2017. Granderson hit .237/.335/.464 with 30 home runs and 59 RBIs in 2017, so his trade value is pretty high right now. That home run total and solid on-base percentage would surely catch some interest, however he greatly increased his value in another way this season as well. When Juan Lagares went down with a thumb injury, Granderson slid over to play center field in his absence.
He played a more than adequate center field, culminating in that brilliant catch against the wall in the Wild Card game. He made no errors this season while tallying 8 outfield assists in 1209.2 innings (905 in RF, 251 in CF, 53.2 in LF). Even at age 35, he has shown that he can still put up good power numbers while playing a solid outfield. Pair that with his leadership skills and his $15M salary seems to be reasonable.
So, why trade him? Assuming the Mets keep Yoenis Cespedes and Jay Bruce, the outfield would most likely consist of those two All Stars at the corners with Juan Lagares patrolling center field. That would be a phenomenal defensive outfield. Yoenis Cespedes is a Gold-Glover with easily one of the best arms in the game.
Jay Bruce makes up for his slight lack of range with a plus arm, accounting for an impressive 86 outfield assists in only 9 seasons. Lastly, Juan Lagares is, well, the best. He’s worthy of a 1(-5) rating in Strat-O-Matic (If you’re under the age of 30, ask your father).
If Michael Conforto returns to his 2015 and early 2016 form, he would be an incredibly valuable asset as well that will certainly figure into the outfield equation. $15 million is a lot to be paying a 4th or 5th outfielder if Curtis Granderson remains on the team. There are many teams that would love to add a player like Curtis Granderson, too many to name. He can play any of the outfield positions and put up decent offensive numbers.
One of the most important reasons the Mets could trade him, though, can not be quantified. Every inning he would play in the outfield, every at-bat in 2017, he takes an inning or an at bat away from Juan Lagares, Michael Conforto, or Brandon Nimmo. These guys have tremendous upside, but they need consistent innings. From a developmental standpoint, trading Granderson could certainly be a viable choice.
The Mets need upgrades in many areas this offseason, including but not limited to the bullpen, catcher, and second base. Creating a package including Curtis Granderson might help fill those needs, and the Mets would still be left with a very good outfield. I’d hate to see him go, but that $15M could be spent on one or two difference-makers that can get the Mets back to the World Series.
