Good afternoon, Mets fans.
With the trade season practically upon us and a move to be struck potentially any day, here is our first rumor round up of the season.
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According to Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic, the Los Angeles Dodgers and Milwaukee Brewers are currently the top two suitors in the Manny Machado sweepstakes, and up to seven teams are in talks about trading for the slugger.
Machado, 26, is in his walk year with the Baltimore Orioles and just earned his fourth trip to the Mid-Summer Classic.
In 88 games this season, he has hit .313/.382/.560 with 21 homers and 60 RBI.
Jon Paul Morosi of MLB.com also writes about Machado and which team he thinks is the best fit.
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The Texas Rangers this weekend acquired outfielder Austin Jackson, relief pitcher Cory Gearrin and starting pitcher prospect Jason Bahr from the San Francisco Giants in exchange for a player to be named later or cash considerations.
Jackson will likely not report to Texas, as the Rangers are rumored to be trying to find a team that will give him more playing time. The main player Texas acquired in the deal was Bahr, and the Giants logic for making the move was to be under the luxury tax.
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Ten teams were reportedly in attendance for Nathan Eovaldi‘s start Sunday against the Mets.
Eovaldi, 28, impressed, holding the Mets hitless until the seventh inning. Overall, he went seven innings and struck out nine.
The right-hander missed all of last season after undergoing Tommy John surgery, but has returned this year, starting eight games so far. He is 3-3 with a 3.35 ERA in 48.1 innings pitched.
Eovaldi is a free agent at year end.
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Jon Heyman of Fancred reports that the Washington Nationals and Tampa Bay Rays may match up as trade partners.
The Rays are rumored to be closely watching Washington’s farm system, while the Nats are interested in a potential reunion with catcher Wilson Ramos.
Washington had been interested in Miami Marlins’ catcher J.T. Realmuto, but were reportedly dissuaded by Miami’s asking price.
Ramos, 30, is also a free agent at the end of the year, and is having a splendid walk campaign, being good for 1.9 bWAR and hitting .289/.340/.462 with 12 home runs and 47 RBI in 73 contests.
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The New York Yankees are in the market for a starting pitcher, with one name being tossed around in J.A. Happ.
The Yankees roughed Happ up this weekend in Toronto, but their interest in the veteran remains, according to Buster Olney of ESPN.
Happ, 35, is 10-5 on the year with a 4.44 ERA, 3.97 FIP and 94 ERA+ in 18 starts.
The Yankees were also in attendance for Eovaldi’s start against the Mets on Sunday and could potentially look to reunite with the right-hander.
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Stay tuned into Mets Merized over the next couple weeks as we will have daily rumor roundups and will keep you up to date on all the trades that are set to go down leading up to the trade deadline.
