The New York Mets have not had meaningful discussions with free agent starters Lance Lynn or Alex Cobb yet according to Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic.
Rosenthal mentions that the Mets could jump in but it’s more likely they end up acquiring a lower tier starter or swingman.
Mets GM Sandy Alderson has previously mentioned the loss of their second round pick and $500,000 in international bonus pool money as reasons not to sign Mike Moustakas and both Lynn and Cobb would have the same ramifications if they signed one of them.
Original Post – Feb. 8, 12:23 p.m.
Jon Heyman of Fan Rag Sports was making his weekly appearance on WFAN today talking about the New York Mets and mentioned that he thinks right-handed starter Lance Lynn is a more likely acquisition than Alex Cobb.
Heyman believes the Mets have a better chance of signing Lynn because he will be the cheaper option of the two citing lack of interest around the league in the former Cardinals starter.
It has been widely reported that the Mets are monitoring the starting pitching market including Lynn and Cobb though neither seem likely unless their price tag drops significantly.
We recently compared the two starters here at MMO with both of them receiving qualifying offers meaning they would cost the Mets a second round pick and $500,000 in international bonus pool money.
Lynn, 30, went 11-8 with a 3.43 ERA, 1.229 WHIP, 4.82 FIP, and 153 strikeouts last season in 186.1 innings for the Cardinals. He missed the entire 2016 after having Tommy John surgery.
The 30-year-old Cobb threw a career-high 179.1 innings with a 3.66 ERA, 4.16 FIP, 6.4 K/9, and 1.22 WHIP for the Rays last season.
Heyman also mentioned lower cost options like Andrew Cashner, Jason Vargas, Hector Santiago, Jeremy Hellickson and Jaime Garcia as options for the Mets.
