Good morning Mets fans. Here’s the latest activity around Major League Baseball.
Alex Cobb was offered a three-year, $42 million contract from the Chicago Cubs in December, which he chose to decline according to David Kaplan of NBC Sports.
Cobb finished last season with a 12-10 record, 3.66 ERA, 1.221 WHIP, 4.16 FIP, and 128 strikeouts in 179 1/3 innings pitched over the course of 29 starts.
While his career 3.50 ERA might suggest he would be likely to receive a bigger contract, Cobb has failed to ever accumulate 200 innings pitched in a season and has already had Tommy John Surgery.
Jon Heyman of the FanRag Sports Network projected the 30-year old to receive a five-year, $75 million contract this off-season, while an expert who co-wrote the article projected him to receive a four-year contract worth $58 million.
Other MLB News and Notes
The Toronto Blue Jays acquired infielder Yangervis Solarte from the San Diego Padres in exchange for outfield prospect Edward Olivares (ranked 18th in Toronto’s farm system) and relief prospect Jared Carkuff.
Solarte, 30, has been on the trading block all winter and has finally been moved. In 2017, he was good for 1.3 WAR, while hitting to a .255/.314/.416 clip over 512 plate appearances. He also clubbed a career-high 18 home runs and had a 93 wRC+ and .311 wOBA.
Jon Heyman of the FanRag Sports Network reports that former MLB pitcher Nick Martinez has agreed to a deal in Japan with the Nippon Ham Fighters for $1.8 million next season.
Heyman also reports that, on the flip side, Japanese reliever Kazuhisa Makita has signed a deal in the U.S. with the San Diego Padres. The deal is for two years and is worth $4 million.
Paul Hoynes of the Cleveland Plain Dealer reports that the Indians plan to move Jason Kipnis back to second base next season after getting playing time in center field last year. Kipnis was rumored to be a Mets target at the keystone this off-season.
