Despite an earlier report from Jon Morosi that Ohtani was “en route” to Toronto, multiple reports have disputed this.

Bob Nightengale of USA Today made it clear that Ohtani is not in Toronto, nor is he on a flight there. Rather, he’s still at home in Southern California. Jim Bowden of MLB also reported that Ohtani is not in Toronto, and he has not made a decision. Bowden added that “people need to stop lying and guessing.”

The Ohtani saga has taken multiple twists in the span of just a few hours, but as of now, the latest indication seems to be that everything’s back where it started, with no Ohtani decision imminent.

Update: 12/08/23 at 4:09 p.m. ET

Shohei Ohtani is on his way to Toronto, Jon Morosi of MLB Network reported after rumors that the Blue Jays were making headway on a deal.

This does not yet officially confirm that Ohtani is signing with Toronto, but it’s certainly an indication that he’s headed in that direction. As of now, he remains unsigned.

Per Morosi, a representative from CAA declined to comment about Ohtani’s travel plans.

Shohei Ohtani. Photo by Roberto Carlo

Original article: 12/08/23 at 2:20 p.m. ET

A Friday report from J.P. Hoornstra of Dodgers Nation indicated that superstar free agent Shohei Ohtani‘s decision has been made, and that he’s going to the Toronto Blue Jays. He reported that the formal announcement is expected later Friday night. He did not report the terms of the contract, though he said it’s expected to “shatter” Mike Trout‘s 12-year, $426.5 million deal with the Los Angeles Angels.

However, multiple sources have since denied that Ohtani has made a decision yet. Ben Nicholson-Smith of Sportsnet said that Ohtani has not made a decision, nor is there a timeline for one. Alden González of ESPN confirmed as much, and Jeff Passan retweeted him. Both Nicholson-Smith and González noted that the Blue Jays are still one of the finalists, and Ohtani could very well end up with them, but it’s not official as the initial report made it out to be.

If true, Ohtani’s signing comes after a wealth of deliberation and rumors, with the Los Angeles Dodgers, Angels, San Francisco Giants and Chicago Cubs also at the forefront of discussions. The two-way star was the most highly coveted of this year’s free agent class, and has dominated what has been a relatively slow offseason thus far.

Per Hoornstra’s original report, it came down to the Blue Jays, Dodgers and Angels. He added that the appeal of being Canada’s only MLB team played a factor.

The post Reports: Shohei Ohtani Not in Toronto, Decision Not Imminent appeared first on Metsmerized Online.

After he is posted, he will be free to negotiate a contract with all 30 MLB teams. The team that signs him must also pay a fee to the BayStars.

Japanese newspaper Sponichi reported that the Mets were among seven teams with scouts at one of Imanaga’s starts in June. He allowed one earned run in a 126-pitch complete game.

Imanaga, who just turned 30 years old on Sept. 1, has a 2.57 ERA in 133 ⅓ innings this year. It is the fourth time his ERA has been under three in the last five seasons, with the shortened 2020 season being the only time it was not. He has a 0.945 WHIP, 10.5 K/9 and 1.3 BB/9, all of which are either career bests or second-bests. Among qualified MLB pitchers this season, his BB/9 would rank third, just behind George Kirby and Zach Eflin. 

Shota Imanaga, Photo by Sam Navarro-USA TODAY Sports

Per @Beisbol108 on X, his fastball has averaged 91.7 mph, his cutter at 86.7 mph, the slider and split-change low-80s and the curveball low-70s. He usually utilizes the cutter and slider against lefties and the split against righties.

Imanaga pitched in three games at the World Baseball Classic and gave up two earned runs in six innings. Most notably, he was the starting and winning pitcher for Team Japan in the WBC Final. He threw two innings and gave up one earned run on a solo homer to Trea Turner in the second. In his two innings, he gave up hits to Turner, Mike Trout, J.T. Realmuto and Tim Anderson while striking out Paul Goldschmidt and Cedric Mullins.

Eno Sarris of The Athletic tweeted following the WBC that Imanaga had the highest Stuff+ of any pitcher in the tournament (minimum 28 pitches per appearance), right ahead of Yoshinobu Yamamoto.

Imanaga joins Yamamoto, who is expected to be posted by the Orix Buffaloes this offseason as well, as two of the more sought-after free agent starting pitchers who will not be attached to a qualifying offer. Yamamoto, who will be 25 years old for most of next season, has a 1.28 ERA in 141 innings this season and is on his way to his third-straight Eiji Sawamura Award, which is awarded to the top pitcher in the NPB each year. The Mets are expected to have strong interest in Yamamoto, and Kodai Senga has already talked about recruiting the young Japanese right-hander. 

Currently, only Kodai Senga and José Quintana are locks for the Mets starting rotation in 2024. Adding one of Yamamoto or Imanaga — or both — would make a lot of sense, especially with Billy Eppler’s well-documented history of signing players from Japan.

The post Japanese Lefty Shōta Imanaga Will Be Posted This Offseason appeared first on Metsmerized Online.

Wendell Cruz-USA TODAY Sports

Updated Post – Nov. 18, 10:20 AM

Jeff Passan of ESPN was on a Blue Jays-centric Podcast to talk about what the offseason looks like for Toronto and center fielder Brandon Nimmo was a hot topic on the show.

Here’s what Passan had to see about the type of contract Nimmo could expect to see as transcribed by Andrew Stoeten:

“I went into it thinking, OK, he’s going to get, like, $80 million. And then I was told, ‘No, no, no, no, it’s going to be nine figures.’ And I was like, $100 million? And he was like, ‘No, no, no, no, no. Keep going.” $125 million? ‘Nope.’ You know? The Shin-Soo Choo deal, which was six years and $130 or so million, is the place where I’ve landed after talking to people, but it wouldn’t surprise me if it goes higher than that.”

Choo signed the seven-year, $130 million deal (Passan wrongly said six years) back in 2013 with the Rangers at the age of 31.

Nimmo, still only 29, is coming off posting a 5.4 fWAR for the Mets in the 2022 season. That WAR value by FanGraphs ranked him behind only Aaron Judge and Mike Trout for outfielders that played a majority of their time in center field this year.

Original Post – Nov. 16, 12:13 PM

Free agent outfielder Brandon Nimmo is drawing interest from the Toronto Blue Jays, per Jon Morosi of MLB Network.

Nimmo rejected his qualifying offer from the New York Mets last week in order to hit the open market, and he has plenty of suitors as one of the best outfielders available this offseason. According to Morosi, the Seattle Mariners have already made contact with Nimmo’s representatives.

Toronto traded outfielder Teoscar Hernández to the Seattle Mariners for right-handed reliever Erik Swanson and pitching prospect Adam Macko earlier today. As a result, the Blue Jays have now freed up space in the outfield and Nimmo would give them the left-handed bat they badly need.

In total, Toronto hit .255/.326/.426/.753 with 42 home runs and 153 RBI against lefties in 2022, while Nimmo slashed .264/.358/.428/.786 against lefties last season with 12 doubles, three triples, five homers, 24 walks and 26 RBI. The lefty also excelled as a leadoff hitter for the Mets in 2022, hitting .274/.367/.433 with a .800 OPS in 673 plate appearances, to go along with 30 doubles, seven triples, 16 homers, 64 RBI and 71 walks.

Nimmo’s on-base percentage of .367 underlines his ability to put the ball in play and make things happen, and he enters free agency as one of the best outfielders available after Aaron Judge. The 29-year-old also displayed an ability to play above-average defense in center field, which only adds to his value. He would be a perfect fit for a team like Toronto who is on the rise but needs battle-hardened and proven veterans to help their young, talented core.

Nimmo compiled a 5.0 WAR in 2022 and, given that no free agent outfielder outside of Nimmo or Judge has accumulated a 2.0 fWAR over the last two seasons, it is understandable that the longtime Met would attract a lot of interest from teams needing to add both a quality bat and glove to the outfield. Nimmo proved his credentials as an elite leadoff hitter in 2022, while he boasts high-end intangibles on and off the field that are hard to replicate.

He is a natural-born leader and is starting to play some of the best baseball of his life, which is why the Mets made Nimmo one of their biggest priorities to try and re-sign this offseason. However, with the Mariners and the Blue Jays named as two of the teams with interest in the outfielder, owner Steve Cohen may have to dig extra deep into his never-ending funds in order to keep a vital piece of this roster in Queens for the 2023 season and beyond.

The post Report: Nimmo Could Get More Than $130 Million appeared first on Metsmerized Online.

Nick Turchiaro-USA TODAY Sports

Hot Stove season is officially here and there are plenty of storylines to keep an eye on with free agency now open. As a result, we at MMO are going to attempt to keep you up to date with the latest rumors involving the New York Mets and the rest of MLB.

Yankees Focussed on Judge

It shouldn’t come as a surprise that the New York Yankees are making re-signing Aaron Judge their biggest and most pressing priority this offseason. The slugger is the biggest prize available on the open market, especially after hitting 62 home runs in a historic 2022 season. After turning down a seven-year, $213.5 million contract from the Yankees last offseason, Judge will get a mega deal this time around and it seems as though his current employers are finally willing to give their face of the franchise what he wants.

Speaking to Meredith Marakovits of the YES Network, Yankees owner Hal Steinbrenner stressed that he will “do everything we can to make that happen” in regards to keeping Judge in pinstripes. Steinbrenner revealed he has had positive discussions with his superstar masher and it does appear that it will be the Yankees who will give Judge a blockbuster deal worth north of $36 million per season.

Mets Interested in Heaney / Lugo Attracting Interest

Bolstering pitching will be one of the biggest priorities for the Mets this winter and, per Tim Healey of Newsday, they are taking a look at LHP Andrew Heaney. The 31-year-old, who knows general manager Billy Eppler from their time with the Angels, posted a 3.10 ERA and 1.09 WHIP in 14 starts with the Dodgers in 2022 on a prove-it deal. While not a flashy name, Heaney would give the Mets a much-needed lefty arm and he would provide some depth to the bottom of the rotation.

Meanwhile, according to Mike Puma of the New York Post, Seth Lugo is already attracting admiring glances from a number of teams with free agency only a few days old. The veteran has posted a 3.48 ERA in just shy of 500 innings of work for the Mets, and he’s established himself as an important part of the bullpen. Although the front office were successful in locking elite closer Edwin Diaz down to a new and historic contract, they have their work cut out in rebuilding this bullpen for the 2023 season.

Cubs Going Big Fish Hunting

Per Jon Morosi of MLB Network, the Chicago Cubs have made contact with the agents for shortstops Carlos Correa, Trea Turner, Xander Bogaerts, and Dansby Swanson. Chicago has been in a rebuild but it seems clear that the franchise is serious about taking major strides forward in 2023. As such, it shouldn’t come as a surprise that the Cubs are already very active in the shortstop market, and it appears likely that they will sign one or two big free agents this winter.

White Sox After Murphy

It isn’t fun to be an Oakland A’s fan at the moment. The team is in a full-blown rebuild, they are trading assets like they are going out of fashion and, oh, the team could be relocating to Vegas. And, if that wasn’t bad enough, the A’s could be on the cusp of trading away another fan favorite with the Chicago White Sox one of several teams taking a hard look at Sean Murphy, per 670 The Score. The catcher is under team control as an arbitration-eligible player through 2025. He hit 18 home runs with 66 RBI in 2022 and is an excellent all-round catcher who will significantly upgrade the catcher position for most teams in the majors.

Angels Looking For More Pitching

The Angels chasing pitching is nothing new and that won’t change in 2023. Per Jon Morosi of MLB Network, the Angels have checked in on RHP Kodai Senga. The soon-to-be 30-year-old has spent his entire career with the Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks in Japan, posting a 1.94 ERA in 144 innings with a 27.5% strikeout rate and 8.6% walk rate in 2022. It is believed the Cubs, Dodgers and Rangers are also interested in Senga, who is projected to be a very good middle of the rotation guy on a contender.

Astros Looking At Familiar Face For GM

The Houston Astros shocked the baseball world this week by parting company with general manager James Click, despite the fact he helped build the team that won the 2022 World Series days before. Never let anyone tell you sports isn’t a business. Anyway, Click reportedly had a poor relationship with owner Jim Crane, who is now looking to a familiar face to become his new GM. Per USA TODAY, the Astros have Orioles Assistant GM Sig Mejdal on their list of candidates. Mejdal spent 2012-18 with Houston and is said to have a strong relationship with Crane. Should he get the job, Mejdal will be inheriting an elite team that could well compete for another World Series in 2023. Watch this space.

The post Rumor Roundup: Yankees Positive On Aaron Judge appeared first on Metsmerized Online.

Credit: Jay Biggerstaff-USA TODAY Sports

The Mets have been linked to starting pitcher Trevor Bauer heavily the last couple weeks, but the team is considering a Plan B in case a deal doesn’t materialize.

According to Jon Morosi of MLB Network, the Mets are a possibility to sign right-handed pitcher Jake Odorizzi if they fan on signing Bauer. The Los Angeles Angels, Boston Red Sox, Toronto Blue Jays, San Francisco Giants, and Minnesota Twins have also been in contact with the Illinois native.

Odorizzi, 31 in March, is the second best arm left on the free agent market behind Bauer. The Mets were linked to him earlier in the offseason, but talks simmered down as the offseason progressed.

The nine-year veteran has spent the last three years with the Twins after a February, 2018 trade with the Tampa Bay Rays.

Odorizzi pitched in just four games during the shortened 2020 season, but had a career best year in 2019, appearing in his first All-Star Game and logging 4.3 fWAR.

For his career, Odorizzi owns a 3.92 ERA, 4.12 FIP and 4.43 xFIP.

At the dish, Odorizzi isn’t going to blow batters away as his fastball velocity during his last full season was in the 23rd percentile, while his fastball spin was in the 39th percentile, according to Statcast.

However, Odorizzi does find a way to rack up a decent amount of strikeouts, as he has 995 in 1,042.1 career innings. His whiff rate in 2019 was also solid, ranking in the 67th percentile, and his strikeout percentage in the 73rd percentile.

MLB Trade Rumors projected at the beginning of the winter that Odorizzi would secure a three-year, $39 million deal. If the Mets pivoted to him instead of Bauer, it would allow them to also fill other needs around the diamond, such as in center field and at third base.

Odorizzi is represented by Excel Sports Management.

The post Morosi: Mets Could Consider Odorizzi If They Miss on Bauer appeared first on Metsmerized Online.

Credit: Robert Hanashiro-USA TODAY Sports

Starting pitching reinforcements may soon be on the way for the New York Mets.

According to Jon Morosi of MLB Network, who has confirmed a report from Japanese news outlet Sports Hochi earlier today, Tomoyuki Sugano has arrived in the United States. Morosi adds that the Mets, San Francisco Giants and Toronto Blue Jays are the three teams in competition to sign him.

The posting system deadline to sign Sugano is this upcoming Thursday, Jan. 7.

Sugano, 31, has spent the last eight seasons with the Yomiuri Giants of Nippon Professional Baseball in Japan.

During the 2020 season, Sugano went 14-2 with a 1.97 ERA, punched out 131 batters, had a 0.888 WHIP and surrendered just eight home runs in 20 games (137.1 innings pitched).

For a glimpse into what Sugano brings to the table, below you can find a highlight video of some of his strikeouts.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=URC1ZYmX_KI

Sugano is represented by Joel Wolfe of Wasserman Media Group.

The post Morosi: Mets Among Candidates to Sign Tomoyuki Sugano appeared first on Metsmerized Online.

Good morning, Mets fans, we hope you enjoyed your Labor Day weekend!

Michael Wacha takes the mound for the Mets tonight as they open a two-game series against the Baltimore Orioles at 7:10 pm EDT. SNY and MASN 2 will have the coverage of tonight’s matchup.

Mets vs Phillies 

The Mets dropped a heart-breaker to the Philadelphia Phillies last night, losing 9-8 in extra innings. Erasmo Ramirez threw 34 strikes over 54 pitches thrown in five innings of relief.

Latest Mets News

Per Mike Puma of the New York Post, Mets’ 3B coach, Gary DiSarcina returned to the team Monday after being out for a few weeks due to a player and coach from the Mets’ organization testing positive for COVID-19.

Per Anthony DiComo of MLB.com, The Chicago Cubs claimed OF Billy Hamilton off of waivers from the Mets

Steve Cohen’s deal to buy the Mets is getting closer, awaiting MLB approval. Joe D discusses this in-depth in an article on MMO.

Latest MLB News

Per Jon Morosi of MLB Network, the Blue Jays have placed Teoscar Hernandez on the 10-day IL with a left oblique strain.

Per Jordan Bastian of MLB.com, the Chicago Cubs claimed OF, Billy Hamilton off of waivers from the Mets, added INF Ildemaro Vargas to the active roster, optioned and DFA’d LHP, Matt Dermody, and signed Pedro Strop to a minor league deal. They also added RHP, Duncan Robinson to the 60-man player pool and released catcher, Jose Lobaton. Following those transactions, the Cubs’ 60-player pool stands at 59 players.

Per Jake Kaplan of The Athletic, The Astros have placed Blake Taylor and Chris Devenski on the IL with elbow Soreness and have recalled Humberto Castellanos and Chase DeJong.

Latest NL East News

JT Realmuto hit his tenth home run of the season tonight against the Mets.

Rhys Hoskins has hit eight home runs in his last 13 games, homering today against the Mets.

With just three weeks left in the 2020 regular season, the Braves lead the NL East, with the Phillies two games back, the Marlins three and a half games back, the Mets five and a half games back, and the Nationals nine games back.

Latest on MMO

MMO is doing a giveaway. Head over to twitter to win a five-card park of David Peterson Bowman Rookie cards. Five winners will be selected Wednesday.

Sam Lebowitz and Jack Hendon posted episode three of the “Pleasant Good Evening Podcast” in memory of Tom Seaver and talked all things Mets. Follow the podcast on Twitter @PGEPod_MMO for all the content.

Rich Sparigo recalled the Mets’ 2015 record-stirring win against the Nationals in article on MMO.

Checkout Ryan Finkelstein’s article looking at the Mets’ push for playoffs.

On this Day in Mets History

On September 8, 1964, The Mets announced the signing of 18-year old right-handed pitcher, Bill Denehy.

On September 8, 1967, The Mets honored former Dodger pitcher, Sandy Koufax, who threw a n0-hitter against the Mets in 1962 and retired in 1966 due to arthritis.

On September 8, 1969, the Mets defeated the Chicago Cubs 3-2 at Shea Stadium. Jerry Koosman was credited witht the win for the Mets.

On September 8, 1993, Darryl Kile no-hit the Mets at the Astrodome in the Astros’ 7-1 victory over the Mets.

Birthdays: Bobby Parnell (36), Don Aase (66),

Let’s go Mets!

The post Morning Briefing: Mets Lose Extra-Innings Heartbreaker to Phillies appeared first on Metsmerized Online.