(AP Photo/John Minchillo)
While the offseason has been slow to progress in its early stages all around baseball, the first domino fell Sunday when the Texas Rangers inked Doug Fister. This could signal that more moves are on the horizon.
In addition to Fister, Bryan Shaw has reportedly received two multi-year offers with the Mets thought to be one of them. It’s no secret the Amazin’s are seeking to upgrade their bullpen and find complementary pieces to Jeurys Familia, AJ Ramos and Jerry Blevins.
A name that could be appealing to the Mets is Cincinnati Reds right-hander Raisel Iglesias, whose name has been floated around as a potential trade piece.
The 27-year-old transitioned from a starter to a reliever after suffering shoulder problems and it has paid great dividends. He pitched to a 2.49 ERA with a 2.70 FIP and 1.105 WHIP in 76.0 innings this past season in his first year as a full time bullpen piece.
The Minnesota Twins have reportedly inquired about Iglesias, who is signed through 2020 and is arbitration eligible in 2021.
He is approaching his prime years and with his low salary, will likely command a big package. However, with the Mets figuring to be in win-now mode, investing in someone like Iglesias could benefit them for the next couple seasons as a fixture in the back end of the bullpen.
If the Mets are as strapped with cash this offseason as they figure to be, going the trade route for a reliever would make sense. At the very least, Sandy Alderson should pick up the phone and feel the situation out.
While the farm system is particularly lacking in New York, they still have several valuable trade pieces that could be packaged in a trade.
