The New York Mets will not be the MLB team that signs Korean shortstop Jung-ho Kang. According to Mike Puma of the New York Post, the Mets never submitted a bid on the power-hitting infielder.
KBO’s Nexen Heroes have in fact accepted a $5 million dollar winning bid for the rights to exclusively negotiate with their 27-year old phenom. To be exact, the bid was for $5,002,015. Clever.
Which MLB team submitted the winning bid has yet to be announced.
For several weeks, general manager Sandy Alderson maintained that the Mets had interest in Kang, and up until a day go kept alive the possibility that the team could place a bid but were still undecided.
Kang’s agent reportedly told one Korean news outlet that he is seeking a four-year deal worth $5 million per year.
However, Kang would also accept a three-year contract for $5.5 million per season, or a two-year deal valued at $6 million per season.
In other words, there’s a possibility that the team with the winning bid could sign Kang for a two-year deal for $17 million which includes the $5 million posting fee.
On Wednesday, Alderson confirmed again that there is a “very high” probability Wilmer Flores is the Opening Day shortstop.
That possibility becomes ever so certain with each passing day.
