The big news from Friday was that the Mets signed infielder Bo Bichette to a three-year, $126 million contract with opt-outs after Years 1 and 2. The news was first reported by Will Sammon of The Athletic.

Bichette is the Mets’ answer after losing the Kyle Tucker sweepstakes to the Dodgers. Bichette is a career .294 batter who hit .311/.357/.483/.840 with 18 home runs and 94 RBIs across 139 games last season. He is expected to play third base, a position he has never played before in the major leagues.

Not only did the Mets add a formidable bat to their lineup, but they potentially persuaded him from going to a vaunted division rival. Per Bob Nightengale of USA Today, the Phillies agreed Thursday night to Bichette’s ask of a seven-year, $200 million contract, but the Mets came with an offer that would not be beat.

Photo Credit: John E. Sokolowski-Imagn Images

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In a follow-up article for The Athletic after Bichette signed with the Mets, Will Sammon detailed the team’s preparation on the infielder that allowed them to pivot off of Tucker so quickly. Per Sammon, “The Mets’ talks with Bichette began at the GM meetings, league sources said. Not knowing what to make of their chances with Tucker, the Mets met with Bichette via video within the last week.”

Per Jon Heyman of MLB Network, the Mets are expected to play Brett Baty at multiple positions, including left field.

Per Sarah Langs of MLB Network, the Mets could become just the second team in the last 100 years to start two non-rookie infielders on Opening Day with one career game or fewer played at their position. This would occur if Bo Bichette starts at third and Jorge Polanco starts at first, positions that will be new for both players.

The Mets claimed infielder Tsung-Che Cheng off waivers from the Rays. Cheng has just seven career at-bats at the major league level, all of which came in 2025 with the Pirates. He spent most of the season in Triple-A with the Pirates, where he struggled mightily with a .578 OPS.

Mets prospect Ryan Clifford came in as MLB Pipeline‘s no. 5 first base prospect. Clifford had an .826 OPS and 29 home runs across Double-A and Triple-A in 2025.

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The Phillies, who thought they were getting Bichette before the Mets swooped in, instead re-signed catcher J.T. Realmuto to a three-year, $45 million contract. Realmuto was once one of the best catchers in the game, but his numbers have trailed off the past few years. He had a .700 OPS in 134 games in 2025.

The Twins signed catcher Victor Caratini to a two-year, $14 million deal. Caratini spent the past two seasons with the Astros, where he performed well offensively. In 2025, he recorded a .728 OPS in 114 games.

Latest on MMO

In the latest MMO Roundtable, we react to Kyle Tucker signing with the Dodgers.

Jack Markowski discusses how Bo Bichette signing with the Mets will impact their lineup.

David Melendi details the latest rumors, including that the Mets might still be in on Cody Bellinger.

On This Date in Mets History

Born on This Date: Colin Poche (1994), Dario Álvarez (1989), Don Zimmer (1931).

The post Morning Briefing: Bo Bichette Nearly Had Agreement With Phillies appeared first on Metsmerized.

Francisco Álvarez. Wendell Cruz-USA TODAY Sports

Francisco Álvarez has always been highly regarded because of his power and potential at the plate. The one aspect of his game that not only kept the young Venezuelan from breaking into the big leagues sooner, but also caused several pundits and scouts to question his true ceiling overall has been his defense. Well, in just 22 games this season Álvarez’s defensive game has not only been serviceable, but borderline elite.

First off, his framing grade ranks in the league’s 90th percentile per Baseball Savant. Framing is an underrated attribute of any catcher’s game, especially one that deals with struggling starting pitching, is the ability to steal some extra strikes on pitches that may be out of the zone. The 21-year-old has demonstrated this ability on several occasions early this season resulting in the immensely impressive 90th percentile ranking.

As for the other pressing defensive duty of a catcher – managing the basepaths, on the surface, Álvarez has “struggled.” He has only caught three of 25 individuals that have attempted to swipe a bag against him this season. The 22 stolen bases Álvarez has allowed is the fourth-most in the National League. This all seems pretty bad right?

Well, what is encouraging is despite the subpar 12 percent caught-stealing rate, his pop time to second base ranks in the league’s 64th percentile. Basically, the rookie catcher is doing a good job of getting the ball down to second base, but, the runners are either getting too large of a jump/lead (poor job by Mets’ pitchers in holding runners on) and/or the effects of the new pickoff rules and the increased base sizes are really helping the opposition.

Both appear true in this scenario. This, in essence, explains the strong pop time but low caught-stealing rate.

To summarize the totality of Álvarez’s defensive performances this season you can look at the following all-encompassing defensive statistics: a defensive runs saved (DRS) of plus-5 (per Fangraphs), a defensive rating of 3.4 (per Fangraphs), and a defensive WAR of 0.4 (per ESPN). These figures rank the rookie eighth, second, and eighth in each category, respectively. Note, those rankings are of the 78 catchers who have appeared in a major-league game this season thus far and do the best job of valuing Álvarez’s defensive game as a whole.

For specific comparison’s sake, Álvarez tops Phillies’ catcher, and two-time Gold Glove award winner, J.T. Realmuto, in all of the following defensive categories: Fangraph’s DRS, Fangraph’s defensive rating, and Baseball Savant’s framing. They are tied in the ESPN’s defensive WAR statistic.

Bottom line: it is certainly not obscene to say Álvarez’s defensive game has been one of the strongest in the majors so far this season.

Final Thoughts

At the end of the day, Álvarez is only 22 games into the 2023 season which means all of the above is based on a very small sample size. I am not arguing that Álvarez is going to capture a Gold Glove this season and go one to be a defensive superstar.

Simply, given all the preconceived notions about how weak Álvarez’s defensive game would be in the major leagues, it is a terrific early sign to see him performing so well. Especially given how there were certainly some who argued that Álvarez’s defensive game was going to be so bad that he may had to resort to being a designated hitter only given he would not be playable behind the dish.

We knew this hitting is going to be there, but if the defensive game reflects anywhere near the level it has through the first 22 games, there’s a real chance the Mets may just get one of the best all-around catchers in the majors for years and year to come when it is all said and done.

All statistics and rankings of the evening of May 13, 2023.

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Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports

After losing Taijuan Walker earlier Monday night, veteran reliever Trevor May left the mound with an apparent injury. John Flanigan of MMO reported a noticeable injury during a pitch to Alec Bohm. Eduardo Escobar quickly called for the training staff and Buck Showalter to check on May.

Joely Rodriguez came on to replace May in the eighth, ultimately serving up a two-run home run to J.T. Realmuto. The flood gates opened up later in the inning for five Philadelphia runs.

According to Steve Gelbs, Trevor May and Taijuan Walker will receive MRIs tomorrow to further evaluate their arm injuries. After the game, May stated, “…the beginning of the year I usually work through some bicep, tricep soreness. It’s a normal thing for me.” He went on to say, “…it’s my version of dead arm, a little bit.” It appears May had been feeling this leading up to the season, but the images will tell the true story. Check out the full version of the postgame interview.

As one of the Mets’ high leverage relievers, May expressed optimism, according to MMO’s Ben Reimer, about the 2022 bullpen heading into the season. As the injuries pile up in April, the reliever corps will need to turn that optimism into results. The team will hold its collective breath awaiting an official report on the extent of May’s injury.

The post Trevor May Leaves With Injury appeared first on Metsmerized.

Neville E. Guard-USA TODAY Sports

After a 3-1 series win in Washington, the Mets start their second series of the year with a three-game set in Philadelphia against the Phillies. The bats came alive in the series against the Nationals, and the pitching was as advertised, leading the Mets to their three victories. Even though they faltered in game four, the series was solid for the Mets.

The Mets new acquisitions led the way for the first three games in Washington. Despite an injured hamstring, Max Scherzer pitched well in game two, and Chris Bassitt was electric in his game three start. Starling Marte had three hits and four RBIs in his three games, Mark Canha has a blistering .700/1.469/.700 stat line to start the season, and Eduardo Escobar hit three doubles in 11 at bats. The Mets also got production from players who underachieved last year, with the biggest improvement so far coming from Jeff McNeil, who again looks like the high average contact hitter he was in 2019. Finally, Tylor Megill pitched phenomenally in his first-ever opening day start, taking over for the injured Jacob deGrom.

The Phillies are also coming off a series win. They went two for three against the Athletics in Philly. During the offseason, the Phillies prioritized strengthening their lineup, adding Kyle Schwarber and Nick Castellanos to an already strong group of hitters, including reigning NL MVP Bryce Harper and star catcher J.T. Realmuto. While Schwarber and Castellanos have not been scorching hot at the plate, they both homered for the Phillies in the first series. It can be argued, though, that they have subtracted the same on defense for all the Phillies have added on offense. The Phillies made three errors in their first two games, although the scorer charged two of those to Realmuto, who should be one of the better defensive Phillies this season.

The Phillies and Mets faced less than stellar opponents in their opening series. The Nationals and the Athletics are in rebuilds, and the Athletics have an almost criminally low payroll. It will be interesting to see how the Mets and Phillies fare in their first real challenge of the young season.

Monday, April 11, 2022: RHP Taijuan Walker (0-0, 0.00 ERA) vs. LHP Ranger Suárez

(0-0, 0.00 ERA)

A sore knee shortened Taijuan Walker’s final spring training start. But after a 45 pitch bullpen on Friday, Walker pronounced himself ready for his start against the Phillies on Monday. Walker had an excellent first half in 2021, earning his first trip to the All-Star Game with a 2.66 ERA in 94 and 1/3 innings. However, he faltered in the second half, finishing with a 4.47 ERA. Hopefully, we see the Taijuan from the first half in the first game of this series.

Ranger Suarez was excellent for the Phillies last season, going 8-5 with a 1.36 ERA and a 2.72 FIP. Suarez arrived late for spring training this year due to visa issues in Venezuela. He pitched in two spring games for the Phillies for five and two-thirds innings, giving up two hits, including a home run and two earned runs. While the Mets did not have a great lineup against lefties in 2021, they did well against Patrick Corbin on opening day and will hopefully carry that over against Suarez.

Tuesday, April 12, 2022: RHP Tylor Megill (1-0, 0.00 ERA) vs. RHP Zack Wheeler (0-0, 0.00 ERA)

Stepping in for Jacob deGrom on opening day, Tylor Megill pitched phenomenally for his first start of the season. He hit 99mph at times on the radar gun, which was a first for him, and tossed five scoreless innings. If he can hold down the Phillies lineup the same way he held down the Nationals, look for him to have a great 2022 season.

Zack Wheeler is getting a slightly late start to his 2022 season. He came into spring training a bit behind the other Phillies’ pitchers due to a sore shoulder from his workload last season when he threw a career-high 213 and 1/3 innings. He pitched to a career-low 2.78 ERA and finished second in the Cy Young Award. So for the Mets hitters’ sake, it might be good if Wheeler is a little rusty to start 2022.

Wednesday, April 13, 2022: RHP Max Scherzer (1-0, 4.50 ERA) vs. RHP Aaron Nola (1-0, 6.00 ERA)

Max Scherzer pitched six innings for the Mets on Friday against the Nationals. Even though he did not have his best stuff, Scherzer battled and only gave up three runs in his six innings. The offense helped him out, tying the game in the third inning, taking the lead for good in the fifth inning, and adding to that lead in the sixth and ninth innings. If Scherzer’s leg feels better on Wednesday, look out Philly lineup.

Aaron Nola got the opening day nod for the Phillies. He pitched six innings and gave up four runs on four hits, including two home runs. In 2021, Nola posted his worst ERA since 2016. However, Nola has been a better pitcher at home than he has been on the road for the Phillies in his career. His ERA in 86 games at Citizen’s Bank Park is 3.15; in 86 games on the road, his ERA is 4.27. Hopefully, Nola is not up to his usual home pitching against the Mets on Wednesday.

Prediction:

After going 3-1 against the Nationals, the Mets will keep the good times rolling against the Phillies. The Phillies lineup will challenge the pitching, especially the bullpen. But if the Mets keep putting the ball in the play as they did for most of the series against the Nationals, they should be able to take advantage of the Phillies’ weaker defense. These two teams are both trying to compete in 2022,  but if all goes well, the Mets should be able to take the series from the Phillies and win two of the three games.

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All in all, it’s been a quiet winter around baseball.

With many team’s suffering revenue losses from the shortened 2020 season and having no fans in attendance, clubs are erring on the side of frugality this offseason.

So far, we’ve seen teams non-tender or designate players for assignment that otherwise may not have been during previous winters, and a majority of the top free agents are still left on the open market.

But for the Mets, they’ve been hard at work since Steve Cohen’s purchase of the team went through in November.

The hedge fund billionaire cleared house from the previous regime and appointed Sandy Alderson as team president, Jared Porter as general manager, and plucked Red Sox assistant general manager Zack Scott away from the team, and made him Mets’ assistant general manager.

The coaching staff has been more or less rounded out, and the team has signed a slew of players to minor league deals in an effort to replenish the upper levels of a farm system that was decimated by the previous regime.

Cohen and Alderson also struck early this winter by bolstering their bullpen with former Minnesota Twins reliever Trevor May, and signing James McCann to be the backstop for at least the next four years.

There’s still much work to be done, as New York could afford to further add to their bullpen, strengthen their starting rotation, and potentially add a big bopper to their lineup. Beyond that, the team will likely add some supplementary pieces here and there to round out the rest of their roster.

Speaking of supplementary pieces, and even though the team has already added a big name catcher this winter, could they add another catcher beyond McCann this winter?

McCann will be taking a majority of reps behind the dish for the foreseeable future, and with Wilson Ramos and Robinson Chirinos gone, Tomas Nido has the inside track to be the team’s primary backup.

Nido, 26, missed a majority of the 2020 season after contracting the novel coronavirus, but has proved to be a serviceable defensive option in a reserve capacity in the past.

During the last full MLB season of 2019, Nido ranked No. 19 out of 123 qualified catchers in catcher defensive adjustment (CDA), and No. 19 in fielding runs above average (FRAA), according to Baseball Prospectus.

The Puerto Rican born catcher is out of minor league options as well, so he will likely get every opportunity to stick with the team during this upcoming season.

However, behind Nido, the Mets’ catching depth chart is rather thin.

On the 40-man roster, the other catching options are Ali Sanchez, who debuted in 2020 with New York, and Patrick Mazeika who spent time with the Mets at the MLB level last year, but didn’t appear in a game.

In the event of an injury to McCann or Nido, or both, the team would find themselves in a hairy position behind the dish.

While the team is certainly not going to strike and sign the top catching option in J.T. Realmuto, there are some decent names available on the open market the team could consider bringing in to fortify their catching corps.

Sep 8, 2020; San Diego, California, USA; San Diego Padres catcher Jason Castro (11) hits a double during the seventh inning against the Colorado Rockies at Petco Park. Mandatory Credit: Orlando Ramirez-USA TODAY Sports

Four names that stick out upon looking at the available catchers are Curt Casali, Jason Castro, Tyler Flowers and Alex Avila.

Casali, 32, has spent his seven year MLB career calling the shots behind the plate for the Tampa Bay Rays and Cincinnati Reds. He has worked mostly in a reserve capacity, but has proven to be effective on a defensive level.

In 2019, Casali was ranked No. 17 with 6.0 CDA and No. 18 with 6.0 FRAA by Baseball Prospectus. In 2020, Casali also ranked in the 78th percentile by Statcast in framing. This was an improvement from the year prior, where he was middle of the pack in that area.

Castro, 33, was seriously linked to the Houston Astros a week and a half ago, and it seemed inevitable he was going to sign there, but talks have gone silent since then.

The 10-year veteran and journeyman type catcher, Castro has been an effective backup catcher in recent years. In 2019, his 3.8 CDA and 3.5 FRA ranked No. 25 and No. 26, respectively.

Castro’s framing in 2020 ranked in the 70th percentile by Statcast, a slight improvement from 2019 where it was in the 63rd percentile. In 2019, he also had 1.6 fWAR, and for his career, has logged at least 2+ fWAR in five times.

Flowers, 35 this month, has spent the last five seasons with the Atlanta Braves after beginning his career with the Chicago White Sox.

Among this bunch, Flowers is probably the most appealing and could likely be had on a one-year pact.

During his last full season of 2019, Flowers ranked No. 9 with 10.7 CDA and 10.3 FRAA, and since 2014 has been good for at least 2+ fWAR each season, including a robust 2017 campaign when he registered 4.5 fWAR.

His framing in 2020 according to Statcast was middle of the pack, as it ranked in the 50th percentile, but in 2019, it was in the upper echelon of the league, ranking in the 93rd percentile.

Lastly, we have Alex Avila, who was a mainstay behind the dish at the beginning of his career with the Detroit Tigers, but has bounced around in recent years.

The soon-to-be 34-year-old had 2.8 CDA and 2.1 FRAA during the full 2019 season while he was a member of the Arizona Diamondbacks, which ranked No. 30 and No. 32, respectively.

In 2020, his framing dropped down to the 31st percentile, but in the two years prior to that, his framing percentile was in the 90s.

Avila is the less sexy of these four options, but might be able to be brought in with less of a commitment.

At the end of the day, the Mets are likely set with McCann holding down the fort and Nido backing him up, but it wouldn’t hurt to have some reinforcements beyond that, especially when there are some low cost but decent options available for the picking.

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The Mets were interested in prized free agent catcher J.T. Realmuto‘s services this winter, but they couldn’t wait around forever, president Sandy Alderson said. So the team pivoted to James McCann, whose new four-year contract with the team became official this week.

However, Realmuto may not be a stranger to the Mets going forward, as MLB Insiders Jon Heyman and Britt Ghiroli report that the Washington Nationals are interested in Realmuto’s services.

Realmuto, 30 in March, is slated to secure a big pay day this winter, so Heyman adds that should Washington pursue the backstop, ownership would have to give the greenlight on a deal.

The Oklahoma native is arguably the best catcher in the game today, with a robust bat combined with a strong defensive prowess behind the dish.

In his seven year big league career between the Marlins and Phillies, Realmuto has been worth 18.9 fWAR, and has been worth 4+ fWAR in his last three full seasons (2017-19).

During the shortened 2020 season, Realmuto clubbed 11 homers, had a triple slash of .266/.349/.491, a .361 wOBA and 125 wRC+. For his career, he owns a slash line of .278/.328/.455, a .333 wOBA and 109 wRC+.

On the other side of the ball in his last full season in 2019, Realmuto was ranked No. 4 by Baseball Prospectus out of 123 qualifying catchers with a 20.4 catcher defensive adjustment (CDA) and 19.5 fielding runs above average (FRAA). Statcast also has Realmuto in the 95th percentile in framing.

The last two seasons, the Nationals have mostly had Yan Gomes and Kurt Suzuki calling the shots behind the plate, but Suzuki is now a free agent and Gomes has just one year left on his contract.

Washington’s current payroll is sitting at just over $142 million plus $21 million in deferred salaries, according to Spotrac.

Should Realmuto decide to take his talents to Washington, it would be his third team played for in the National League East.

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It’s odd how quickly winds can change.

On Wednesday afternoon, the New York Mets were dealt a troubling blow in the year-long suspension handed down to second baseman Robinson Cano following his second positive test for performance-enhancing drugs since 2018.

Shortly thereafter, the brighter-than-expected reality of the situation began to dawn on the blue and orange-clad masses:

Cano’s completely unnecessary gamble (it’s not like he was playing for another contract at 41; who does he think he is, Julio Franco?) and subsequent expulsion into baseball limbo leave the Mets with an extra $20 million to spend this winter and some welcome breathing room for a very much bottlenecked roster.

Oh, the possibilities.

In-house, the logical move would be shifting Jeff McNeil back to second base (+4 outs above average at the keystone position since making his debut in 2018; his strongest defensive position, by far) and filling in the gaps. McNeil was set to appear in mostly left field and at third base, presumably, in 2021. So let’s start there.

Mets could also sign former Yankee DJ LeMahieu to play second or third- depending on where Mets see him and McNeil fitting best – with the extra money they now have to spend.

Whether the Mets add a center fielder (George Springer comes to mind, as does the best defensive option currently on the market, Jackie Bradley Jr.), relegating Brandon Nimmo back into a corner spot is yet to be determined, but could be considered a likely course of action.

Similar unknowns exist at the hot corner. J.D. Davis, for his darling batted-ball profile, is a defensive liability at third. Both Andres Gimenez and Luis Guillorme can play third fine defensively, though neither profile there with the bat.

Exploring the trade market — we’ve discussed Nolan Arenado‘s possible availability, as well as the Cubs’ rumored fire sale set to commence this winter, which would leave former NL MVP Kris Bryant ripe for the picking — for a next-level third baseman is an option.

And the $20.25 million the Mets are saving on Cano could certainly help pay for that upgrade. Or, the new front office could choose to reinvest those funds elsewhere. The Mets’ dire need for starting pitching is no secret. An extra $20 million or so can go a long way in this market.

If the organization feels newly-minted NL Cy Young Award winner Trevor Bauer is worth his weight in gold, those extra funds will surely help push things along.

Or if the front office feels there’s value to be had in second-tier options like Masahiro Tanaka, Charlie Morton, or Jake Odorizzi, or whether a gamble on a reclamation project like Corey Kluber is worth the risk, or if a surprise market addition like [insert name of non-tendered, high-upside pitcher here] pops up, well, now they’ve got a little extra money to burn.

That’s never a bad thing. Neither is the first year of J.T. Realmuto‘s hypothetical five-year deal being paid for by Cano’s earmarked funds, making what’s expected to be a hefty investment seem a bit lighter on the wallet and much more palatable from a bookkeeping perspective.

Again, the possibilities are endless. And it’s all thanks to Robbie Cano and his $20 million worth of shortsightedness.

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On this week’s edition of Mets Hot Stove, Gary Apple asked the panel of Jim Duquette, Todd Zeile, and Andy Martino if the Mets should prioritize George Springer or J.T. Realmuto this offseason.

It’s an interesting question, as both players could fill significant needs on the Mets roster. Of course, with Steve Cohen and his resources now in charge, it’s possible that both players (and why not throw in Trevor Bauer) could be Mets in 2021. However, the luxury tax is a consideration, and both Cohen and Sandy Alderson have expressed that their motivation is to spend, but to do so wisely. So let’s try to answer Apple’s question.

Starting with Realmuto, catcher is a very big gap on the current Mets’ roster. Wilson Ramos will not return. In 2020, he offered little offensively and defensively. Ramos slashed .239/.287/.387 with five home runs. His DRS was -1.0. Contrast that to Realmuto’s slash line of .266/.349/.491 with 11 home runs, and a DRS of 0.0. In terms of fWAR, Ramos was at 0.2 while Realmuto had a 1.7 mark in 2020.

The concern with Realmuto is that he will be 30 years old next season, and likely command a contract length in the neighborhood of five years. Todd Zeile felt Realmuto should be the priority, because of what he can do offensively, and just as importantly, defensively. The Mets’ pitching staff would stand to benefit from having Realmuto as their primary receiver.

Turning to Springer, center field is another need for the Mets. Brandon Nimmo saw the bulk of the action last season, slashing .280/.404/.484 with eight home runs. While his offense was certainly acceptable, Nimmo is not a major league quality center fielder. His DRS in 2020 was -5 in center field. Springer slashed .265/.359/.540 with 14 home runs last season. His DRS in center field was 6. Springer posted a fWAR of 1.9 in 2020, while Nimmo’s mark was 1.5.

Springer will be 31 years old next season. He will likely command a new contract length of 3-5 years. Jim Duquette thought Springer may be the priority, and pointed to Springer’s local roots (CT), and the importance of defense in center field  for his reasoning.

Friday night on Baseball Night in New York, Ron Darling was asked the same question about whether Springer or Realmuto should be the priority. Darling agreed with Duquette, also citing Springer’s CT roots, and his defensive abilities. Darling added that Springer is a right-handed hitter (as is Realmuto), and that would help the Mets, who are left-handed dominant.

If the Mets were to acquire Springer, Nimmo’s future with (or without) the Mets could take several pathways. Nimmo could move the left field, where he is better defensively (DRS of 2 in 2020, in a small sample size, career DRS of 5). Keeping Nimmo’s high OBP in the lineup should intrigue the Mets, but his OBP may intrigue other teams (such as Cleveland), and Nimmo could be used in a trade.

The availability of alternatives will definitely factor into the Mets’ decisions on both Realmuto and Springer. James McCann has been linked to the Mets as a possibility at catcher, while Manuel Margot has been floated as a potential Mets target for center field. As the off season goes on, other names will surface. However, Springer and Realmuto are the headline possibilities in center field and behind the plate.

No matter what happens, Steve Cohen’s ownership is less than 72 hours old, and the conversation around the Mets has already changed dramatically. As Sandy Alderson said on Tuesday, “the discussion is about the acquisition, not the cost of the acquisition.” The Mets are now “in” on top-shelf talent, not allowing other teams to shop in the gourmet aisle and waiting to see what may be on sale as leftovers (thanks for the analogy, Sandy).

It warrants repeating. A new day has dawned in Queens. The conversations are already completely different than in off seasons past, and soon the construct of the roster will reflect a reformed, well-financed approach.

How many days until Spring Training?

The post Prioritizing Springer Or Realmuto This Offseason appeared first on Metsmerized.

Major League Baseball’s offseason has officially begun.

As per Mark Feinsand of MLB.com, once their five-day exclusive extension negotiation windows with their former clubs had closed at Sunday’s 5 PM EST deadline, six players were extended $18.9 million qualifying offers, coinciding with the official start of free agency.

As reported earlier this week (Anthony DiComo, MLB.com), the New York Mets tabbed right-hander Marcus Stroman for a qualifying offer, ensuring a compensatory draft pick for the Mets if the Long Island product signs elsewhere this winter.

MLB.com provides a detailed explanation of compensatory value regarding qualifying offers in their site glossary.

Trevor Bauer, who is widely expected to test the free-agent market after a likely National League Cy Young Award-winning campaign in 2020, received a qualifying offer from the Reds.

Infielder DJ LeMahieu (Yankees), backstop J.T. Realmuto (Phillies), former Astros mainstay (and potential Mets center field target) George Springer, and right-hander Kevin Gausman, who pitched to a 3.62 ERA over 12 outings (10 starts; 79 K, 16 BB, 59.2 IP) for San Francisco this season all did, as well.

According to Andrew Baggarly of The Athletic, Gausman and the Giants have “had talks about a multi-year contract,” but San Francisco chose to secure the draft compensation “as a contingency in case they can’t arrive at an agreement.”

Any player who receives a qualifying offer has 10 days to accept or decline that offer.

We’ll keep you posted with all MLB offseason news as the winter rolls on. Stay tuned.

The post Trevor Bauer, George Springer Among Group to Receive Qualifying Offers appeared first on Metsmerized.

Good morning Mets fans, it has finally happened!

No, still no deals for Bryce Harper or Manny Machado, but the long lasting saga of J.T. Realmuto trade rumors and scenarios have finally come to fruition. The Miami Marlins dealt him to their division rival, Philadelphia Phillies in a deal centered around MLB Pipeline’s 21st ranked prospect in baseball, Sixto Sanchez. The Marlins also acquired young catcher Jorge Alfaro, left-handed pitcher Will Stewart, and an international bonus slot per Jeff Passan of ESPN, as also covered here at MMO by Jack Hendon yesterday.

Now that the Realmuto saga has finally concluded, we can now shift our focus to the remaining names left on the market as previously noted. In other news around the league, here are some minor moves along the Hot Stove that may have been overshadowed by the big splash that occurred yesterday.

Hunter Pence Signs Minor League Deal With Rangers

As Evan Grant of the Dallas Morning News tweeted, outfielder Hunter Pence has signed a minor league deal with his hometown, Texas Rangers that includes an invitation to spring training. This contract gives Pence a $2 million base salary, as well as $1.25 million in incentives as Jon Heyman of Fancred Sports reported.

In his age 35 season, Pence experienced his worst career numbers with a .226/.258/.332 stat line and an astonishingly low wRC+ of 59, to go along with four home runs and 24 RBI in 97 games. Despite this poor season, Pence was a three-time All-Star and two-time World Series champion with the San Francisco Giants, where he spent the last six and a half seasons. In 12 total seasons he has also managed to put up an impressive .280/.334/.458 stat line, 115 wRC+, 224 home runs and 877 RBI.

Josh Tomlin Signs Minor League Deal With Brewers 

According to Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic, the Milwaukee Brewers signed starting pitcher Josh Tomlin to a minor league contract with an invitation to big league camp in spring training. Rosenthal also notes that the deal is worth $1.25 million in the majors, along with the possibility of $2.25 million based on the amount of innings Tomlin pitches. This means he could potentially max out at $3.5 million if he reaches 150 innings this season.

Tomlin is looking to bounce back after a career worst year with the Cleveland Indians in 2018, where he started out as their fourth starter only to struggle and get moved to the bullpen after making only six starts. The 34-year-old ultimately went 2-5 with a 6.14 ERA, 7.16 FIP, and 1.479 WHIP in 70 1/3 innings pitched in his final season with the tribe.

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