According to Jon Heyman of CBS Sports, Dillon Gee and Jon Niese are very much still available as the Mets would like to make room for top pitching prospect Steven Matz in their six-man rotation.
“Word around league is Mets really ramping up effort to try and trade not just Dillon Gee, but Jon Niese as well,” also writes Andy Martino of the Daily News.
The buzz that the Mets are trying to unload a veteran arm has been growing over the last week with several reports the Mets are reaching out to other teams.
Mets GM Sandy Alderson acknowledged Wednesday that he and his staff are exploring external options to upgrade or bolster the team in light of the uncertainty over when or if David Wright will return from his spinal stenosis.
Some scouts told Heyman that Matz is better than any other pitchers the Mets have except for Matt Harvey.
Wow, an incredible thing to say in light of what Jacob deGrom has already shown and accomplished.
Las Vegas pitching coach Frank Viola compared Matz to Hall of Famer Randy Johnson in an interview with Tim Rohan of the New York Times, this after previously comparing him to Madison Bumgarner.
“It took Randy years to command the strike zone with that fastball,” Viola said. “Yes, he had a great slider. But it took him years to be able to do what Steven’s doing now.”
It’s certainly high praise and high expectations, but it’s great to see the Mets are well aware of how much his presence is needed in the rotation. I would be shocked if he’s not with the Mets by July 15 at the latest, and sooner if they can move Niese or Gee.
Incidentally, one scout says about Harvey, “He has the best stuff in baseball, better than Clayton Kershaw, better than anyone.”
