Good morning, Mets fans, and welcome back to another rumor roundup! Here are the most recent developments along the hot stove this offseason:

Cleveland Stubborn in Demand for Starter Returns

Per Jon Morosi of MLB Network, the market for Cleveland Indians’ aces Corey Kluber and Trevor Bauer has failed to progress of late, with the main culprit being the team’s insistence on receiving a top-notch prospect package for either arm. More specifically, the Indians’ front office has pushed for a return similar to that of Chris Sale over two years ago.

In exchange for Sale, the Boston Red Sox, of course, gave up three top-ten organizational prospects in infielder Yoán Moncada, right-hander Michael Kopech, and outfielder Luis Alexander Basabe, while also sending righty reliever Victor Diaz (whom MLB Pipeline had ranked 28th in the organization at the time) to the Chicago White Sox. Morosi claims that discussions have been particularly serious with the Los Angeles Dodgers, though no traction has been made at the moment.

At least two of the Dodgers’ five best prospects – Alex Verdugo (outfielder), Keibert Ruiz (catcher), Dustin May (right-handed starter), Gavin Lux (middle infielder), and Will Smith (catcher) – would seemingly need to headline the return, at least for Kluber, who has an 83-45 record and 2.85 ERA since 2014, while boasting 10.1 K/9 against 1.8 BB/9 to warrant a Cy Young award and three All-Star nominations. Though at 27, Bauer certainly has his merits as well, most notably a 2018 campaign in which he put up a 2.21 ERA, 2.44 FIP, and 3.88 K/BB ratio while finishing sixth in American League Cy Young voting.

Kluber’s agent recently told MLB Network Radio that the likelihood of a Kluber deal altogether falls as the organization draws closer to Spring Training, though Morosi notes in a separate article that the San Diego Padres, Milwaukee Brewers, and Philadelphia Phillies all remain interested as well, with the Indians fixed on netting a viable center fielder in the prospect bundle.

Rockies Interested in Dozier

Thomas Harding of MLB.com is the first to report the Colorado Rockies’ interest in second baseman Brian Dozier. Dozier, 31, is coming off his worst season as a starter, having hit just .215/.305/.391 in 151 games between the Minnesota Twins and Los Angeles Dodgers.

Once a respected power hitter and regular MVP candidate in the Twin Cities, Dozier’s subpar 90 wRC+ and -8 defensive runs saved at second ultimately forced him to the bench as the Dodgers ran through the postseason.

His .643 OPS against lefties and .262 wOBA at home made it difficult to justify playing Dozier in any capacity, which perhaps explains why the Rockies intend to pursue Dozier on a short-term deal, hoping to catch the player who averaged 32 homers a season from 2014-2017.

With the expectation being that longtime second baseman DJ LeMahieu finds another home this offseason, the Rockies have prospect Garrett Hampson and current first baseman Daniel Murphy as potential solutions at the keystone next year.

Seeing as the defense takes a significant hit with Murphy replacing LeMahieu and Hampson’s 40 career plate appearances pose plenty of questions, pursuing Dozier and tapping into his upside would certainly carry its share of benefits.

Eckstein, Banister Join Pirates’ Front Office

In a development beyond signings and trades, the Pittsburgh Pirates have added two well-known names to their front office ahead of the 2019 season in Jeff Banister and David Eckstein (the former being announced by the team and the latter first reported by MLB.com‘s Adam Berry). Both join as special assistants to general manager Neal Huntington.

Banister, 54, spent the last four years managing the Texas Rangers to two division championships over a 325-313 record, but had previously served with Pittsburgh as a field coordinator in the majors and minors as well as the club’s interim pitching coach in 2008 and bench coach in 2010. He was named American League Manager of the Year in 2015, but was fired from the Rangers’ organization before the conclusion of the 2018 season.

Eckstein, 43, is a two-time All-Star and lifetime .280/.340/.355 hitter across ten seasons and five teams. He was named the 2006 World Series MVP following a stellar postseason with the St. Louis Cardinals, and had previously served as a coach for the Los Angeles Angels and Arizona Diamondbacks.

This job will make for Eckstein’s first in a big-league front office, though Huntington is confident that he can have an impact, saying “[his] intelligence, intensity and a unique drive and energy will be an asset for our Major League team and player development system as a teacher and mentor.”