While Wednesday did not present a lot of news from the baseball world, we did get some updates on interest the remaining free agents are garnering. One of the bigger pieces of news came from Jon Heyman, who said on a Bleacher Report live stream that the Los Angeles Angels are one of the team showing increased interest in Joey Votto. The long-time Reds first baseman is now a free agent for the first time in his 17-year career and the 40-year-old seems to be trending towards a change of scenery for the first time in his illustrious career. 

Votto’s numbers have declined drastically over the past couple of seasons, which saw him put up a .747 OPS in just 65 games in 2023. However, the former MVP can provide a veteran presence to a very young Angels club and whatever numbers he accrues at the dish will be a welcomed extra. 

Latest Mets News

Brandon Nimmo was named the second best left fielder in Major League Baseball by MLB Network. Read up on Nimmo’s ranking here!

Two of the Mets’ international free agent signees found themselves in Baseball America‘s top 30 list of this year’s international free agents. For more on the Mets signings, click here!

Mets pitchers and catchers will report to spring training on February 12. Learn about more important Mets spring training dates here!

The Baseball Hall of Fame released a list of players who will be eligible for election next season. That list includes former Mets Curtis Granderson and Carlos Gómez. They also noted that Daniel Murphy and Neil Walker will be eligible come 2026. 

Latest MLB News

Nathanael Pérez Nero of Diario Libre released a report that many prospects, who were supposed to sign with clubs during the internal free agency period, were altering documents. Millions of dollars worth of pre-agreements were annulled due to these prospects altering their identity, some changing their age by up to six years. 

Trey Mancini signed a minor league deal with the Miami Marlins which includes an invite to major league spring training, per Jon Heyman of the New York Post.

The New York Yankees announced that they have outrighted infielder Jeter Downs and outfielder Oscar González to Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre. Along with that, the Minnesota Twins have claimed outfielder Bubba Thompson off waivers from the Yankees. 

The Detroit Tigers signed RHP Drew Anderson to a minor league deal, per Evan Woodbery of MLive. Anderson spent the past two seasons in Japan, but has previously pitched in the big leagues for the Phillies, White Sox, and Rangers. 

MLB Network will be airing a countdown of the top 100 prospects in MLB on Friday at 7 p.m. ET. 

Latest on MMO

The Mets have shown interest in relief pitcher Ryne Stanek. Read more about the potential Met here!

Could David Stearns use his Milwaukee ties to swing another trade? Learn more about potential trade target Brandon Woodruff!

Read up on some of the Mets top international free-agent signings from this years cycle. 

On This Date in Mets History

2016: The Mets announce that they will be retiring Mike Piazza‘s 31 jersey number, less than twenty days after he was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame. Piazza became the fourth Met to have his number retired, joining Casey Stengel, Gil Hodges, and Tom Seaver.

2007: Mets manager Willie Randolph agrees to a three-year extension with the club after leading the Mets to a National League East title in 2006.

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Good morning, Mets fans!

Jesse Rogers of ESPN reports that Trey Mancini and the Chicago Cubs have come to an agreement on a two-year contract with an opt-out. Mancini had previously been a target for the Mets at the trade deadline and the offseason before the Cubs came and took him off the market. Last season, Mancini was dealt by the Baltimore Orioles to the Houston Astros in a three-team trade involving the Orioles, Astros and the Tampa Bay Rays. For the Astros, Mancini slashed .176/.258/.364 and was part of the World Series winning Houston Astros club.

Now onto the morning briefing!

Latest Mets News

Mets first baseman Pete Alonso hosted a charity home run derby at his alma mater, Plant High School, in Tampa, Florida. Named the “Battle of the Bay,” Alonso hosted top local baseball and softball players to raise money for his foundation, which in turn will give back to the community to ensure fields are safe for all to play on.

Latest MLB News

Chris Kirschner of The Athletic reports that New York Yankees starter Frankie Montas is expected to miss at least the first month of the 2023 season with shoulder inflammation. Montas was acquired by the team from the Oakland Athletics last season and while struggling with injuries, posted a 1-3 W-L record along with a 6.35 ERA in eight starts for New York.

Latest on MMO

MMO Free Agent Profile: Brian Anderson, 3B

MLB Pipeline: Brett Baty Should Be Mets’ 2023 Third Baseman

Let’s Not Rewrite The 2022 Mets’ Offense

MMO Trade Profile: Fernando Tatis Jr., SS

On This Date In Mets History

1963: The New York City Council voted by a 20-2 count to name the Mets’ new stadium after attorney William A. Shea. In 1964, William A. Shea Municipal Stadium or Shea Stadium, would serve as the home of the Mets for 44 years before being demolished in early 2009.

The post Morning Briefing: Trey Mancini Signs With Cubs appeared first on Metsmerized.

Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports

Good morning, Mets fans!

The Mets’ priority at this stage of free agency continues to be a fourth outfielder and on Friday, Jon Heyman of the New York Post reported that the Mets are considering signing Tommy Pham for that role. Heyman also mentioned the possibility of Trey Mancini, Adam Duvall, Jurickson Profar, or Tyler Naquin. It was previously reported on Thursday that the Mets had been in contact with Andrew McCutchen, but he wound up signing with the Pirates on a one-year, $5 million deal.

Pham and Duvall especially have had success against lefties, an area in which the Mets struggled last year, so it’s no surprise to hear that the Mets are potentially interested in adding one of their bats to the bench. Even at this stage of free agency, the Mets have plenty of options to choose from for their fourth outfielder next year.

Latest Mets News

Pete Alonso and the Mets agreed to a one-year, $14.5 million contract to avoid arbitration. According to ESPN’s Jeff Passan, it is the largest deal ever for a first baseman in arbitration. In total, the Mets settled with six of their seven arbitration-eligible players.

In an article on MLB.com, Jim Callis noted about Brett Baty: “New York should give him its third-base job at some point in 2023 because he’d offer more offense and at least as much defense as 34-year-old incumbent Eduardo Escobar.”

The Mets announced that they are receiving Luis De La Cruz from the Orioles as the PTBNL in the James McCann trade.

The Mets’ organizational managers for 2023 have become official with Dick Scott managing Triple-A Syracuse, Reid Brignac managing Double-A Binghamton, Chris Newell managing High-A Brooklyn, and Gilbert Gómez managing Low-A St. Lucie.

The Mets re-signed Connor Grey to a minor league deal.

Latest MLB News

Juan Soto and the Padres agreed to a one-year, $23 million contract to avoid arbitration.

Lucas Giolito and the White Sox agreed to a one-year, $10.4 million contract to avoid arbitration.

Brandon Woodruff and the Brewers agreed to a one-year, $10.8 million contract to avoid arbitration.

Other notable players who signed contracts to avoid arbitration with their teams include Vladimir Guerrero Jr., Rhys Hoskins, Josh Hader, and Tyler O’Neill.

The Twins signed pitcher Chris Paddack to a three-year, $12.5 million contract extension.

Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic interviewed Carlos Correa, asking him about his unprecedented free agency experience.

Latest on MMO

Michael Mayer wrote about the Andrew McCutchen signing, including some other players who make sense for the Mets now that he is off the board.

Michael Mayer also wrote about the Mets’ interest in Tommy Pham.

Michael Famulari analyzed the importance of Brett Baty and Eduardo Escobar to the 2023 Mets in the aftermath of the Carlos Correa deal falling through.

On This Date in Mets History

1998: The Mets signed Japanese pitcher Masato Yoshii to a one-year deal. He would go on to pitch to a 6-8 record with a 3.93 ERA during his debut season, earning a contract extension from the team.

Birthdays: Aaron Altherr (32), Mike Pelfrey (39), Ross Jones (63)

The post Morning Briefing: Mets’ Focus Stays on Fourth Outfielder appeared first on Metsmerized.

Credit: Wendell Cruz-USA TODAY Sports

It’s been a historic 2022-2023 Mets and we still haven’t reached the New Year. They have re-signed and added numerous MLB stars and could potentially add Carlos Correa as their third baseman.

With all of these signings, including Correa, the Mets are estimated to have a $384 million payroll, and close to $500 million after competitive balance taxes are included.  While a normal owner wouldn’t spend another dime, Steve Cohen is a different animal, and will most likely spend more.

Down below, wee highlighted the top remaining free agents available ahead of the 2023 season and how they fit on the current Mets roster.

AJ Pollock

AJ Pollock had a down year for the Chicago White Sox in 2022. He recorded a 91 OPS+ and .389 slugging percentage in 138 games. However, Pollock slashed .286/.316/.619/.935 against lefties in 2022 and clubbed 11 home runs in 126 at-bats against south-paws.

Adam Duvall

Adam Duvall had a forgettable 2022 season after only playing in 86 games due to injury. He is a perfect bounce-back candidate for the Mets, due to his home run prowess and ability to play all three outfield positions. Duvall was also fantastic in the 2021 season, where he clubbed 38 home runs and led the NL with 113 RBI.

Andrew McCutchen

Andrew McCutchen had an average season with the Brewers in 2022. He recorded a 99 OPS+ and hit 17 home runs. However, McCutchen recorded a respectable .316 OBP and 4 DRS in left field last season. He could provide the Mets with veteran leadership in the clubhouse and would be the cheapest option out of the remaining outfielders.

Michael Fulmer

Michael Fulmer has come a long way since winning the rookie of the year in 2016. He made the switch to the bullpen in 2020 and put up respectable numbers between the Tigers and Twins in 2022. Fulmer recorded a 3.39 ERA and 113 ERA+ in 63 2/3 innings in 2022 and would be a solid add for the Mets, who originally drafted him in 2011.

Zack Britton

Zack Britton has missed significant time the past two seasons due to a bone chip in his elbow and Tommy John surgery. According to Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic, Britton is looking for a one-year deal before the 2023 season. Britton could reunite with his old manager Buck Showalter in Queens and rebuild his numbers in low-leverage situations.

Trey Mancini

Trey Mancini had an eventful season in 2022. He was traded mid-season by a Baltimore team in the playoff race and then won a World Series with the Astros after slashing a miserable .176/.258/.364/.622 in Houston. While he is projected to make the most money out of the noted free agents, Mancini fits the profile that the Mets have been looking for out of the DH position. He clubbed 114 home runs during his tenure in Baltimore and has played for Buck Showalter in the past.

The post Top Free Agents Left for the Mets appeared first on Metsmerized.

Brad Mills-USA TODAY Sports

Note, this is part one in a short two part series. Article two will be released later today.

The New York Mets have been incredibly active so far this off-season, but they still need to add some real power to the middle of their lineup.

There was no doubt that the Mets had a few big needs to address heading into this off-season, including pitching, and they made a good start by signing elite closer Edwin Díaz to a record five-year, $102 million deal. Then, after losing Jacob deGrom to the Texas Rangers, the front office moved quickly to replace him with another elite top of the rotation arm in Justin Verlander. The nine-time All-Star signed a two-year, $86-million contract. Veteran starter José Quintana also came on board after agreeing to a two-year, $26-million deal.

General manager Billy Eppler made it clear on Monday that the Mets are far from done, and this turned out to be very true as late Saturday night the Mets added Japanese star Kodai Senga to a five-year, $75-million deal. Among other moves this off-season, the front office also re-signed outfielder Brandon Nimmo to an eight-year, $162-million deal, as well as handed out a one-year, $10-million contract to veteran reliever David Robertson.

However, one other need that can’t be forgotten is addressing the lack of power that hurt this team both down the stretch and in the postseason last year. While the offense as a whole tied for fifth in the majors in runs scored, they tied for 15th in home runs with just 171. That lowly total also placed them with the fourth-least among teams who made the postseason. The Mets also ranked 16th in isolated power percentage, which measures raw power, with a mark of .153.

Furthermore, per Fangraphs, the lineup finished with the fifth-worst hard-hit rate in MLB at 28.6%. That further underlines the fact that you need a lineup at least partially built with power in mind in order to succeed in the postseason. If you take a closer look at the playoffs in 2022, the Guardians were just one example of a team that mashed their way to success in the Wild Card before forcing a Game 5 with the New York Yankees in the ALDS.

While the Mets did find some success with their contact-first approach and old school style of baseball under the vastly experienced Buck Showalter, today’s MLB is built on power and the longball. Adding further credence to their struggles due to a lack of power, New York ranked just outside of the bottom ten in average exit velocity and barrel percentage.

Furthermore, the team got little to no production from the designated-hitter (DH) spot, which didn’t help matters at all. The DH is meant to provide pop and a big bat from the middle of the lineup but, instead, the Mets saw their designated hitters combine for a total of 183 strikeouts. They also hit just 18 home runs and finished with 83 RBI. Collectively, the DH slashed .218/.314/.371 in 2022 which just isn’t going to get the job done.

Looking ahead to 2023, Pete Alonso will be relied upon to provide raw power once again while the hope will be that Daniel Vogelbach can hit more consistently as a DH. Darin Ruf, who was an unmitigated disaster after being acquired from the Giants at the trade deadline, could be traded and he surely will not be the answer to the Mets’ power struggles in any case. There is the possibility that highly-rated prospects Francisco Álvarez, Mark Vientos and Brett Baty could also provide some pop in full-time roles in 2023, but it would be unfair to rely just on their bats so early on in their major league careers.

Instead, there are plenty of options out there for the Mets when it comes to picking up a big bat. As we’ve explored here at MMO in depth, the free agent market is still awash with big-time mashers including the likes of J.D. Martinez, who would solve a lot of problems at the DH spot. Other cheaper alternatives include veteran slugger Nelson Cruz, as well as Matt Carpenter who enjoyed somewhat of a resurgence with the Yankees in 2022. Other names still available are Trey Mancini, Michael Brantley, and Adam Duvall.

Any of the aforementioned names wouldn’t cause the already bloated 2023 payroll to skyrocket too much. Even if it did, owner Steve Cohen would be willing to pay the price if it gave his team a better chance of winning next year. Note, specific options the Mets can potential target will be in a follow-up piece later today.

While the additions of Verlander and Senga has made the rotation better and the re-signings of Díaz and Nimmo helped keep this team intact, the Mets will likely live or die by their ability to hit for power in 2023. Therefore, the front office can’t afford to just roll last year’s team back out or rely on prospects who aren’t yet tested at the major-league level. It has been proven time and time again that power wins the day in modern-day baseball. As such, the New York Mets would be harming their chances of winning a World Series in 2023 if they don’t address their very real need for power in the coming weeks and months.

Part two of this short two article series will be dropped later today. It will specifically analyze certain power options the Mets should target.

The post Why The Mets Should Add Power To Their Lineup appeared first on Metsmerized.

Trey Mancini

Position: First Base/Designated Hitter

Bats/Throws: R/R

Age: 30 (3/18/1992)

2022 Traditional Stats: 143 G, 587 PA, .239/.319/.391/.710, 18 HR, 63 RBI, 124 H

2022 Advanced Stats: 101 OPS+, 1.3 bWAR, 9.0 BB%, 23.0 K%, 40.5 HardH%, .286 BABIP, .152 ISO

Rundown

Trey Mancini was never a highly-touted prospect despite the success he has had at the Major League level. In 2013, he was selected in the eighth round of the MLB Draft by the Baltimore Orioles, where he signed and eventually made his MLB debut in 2016. In only 15 plate appearances on the season he recorded three home runs and there was optimism about the type of player Mancini could become, as he was one of Baltimore’s top prospects heading into 2017.

Mancini proved the hype was real in his first full season in Baltimore. He hit .293 with 24 home runs and finished third in the American League Rookie of the Year vote behind Aaron Judge, who also finished as the MVP runner-up, and Andrew Benintendi. Because of his impactful first season, Mancini firmly established himself as one of the key contributors in Baltimore’s lineup.

Despite the fact that the Orioles were one of MLB’s worst teams in both 2018 and 2019, Mancini was a force to be reckoned with at the plate. His 2018 home run total of 24 matched that of his previous season, and 2019 was even more of a breakout for the power-hitting first baseman, as he recorded 35 home runs and 97 RBIs along with an .899 OPS.

2020 was where things took a scary turn for Mancini. On April 28, he announced he had stage 3 colon cancer and would undergo chemotherapy. This, in conjunction with the postponement of the season due to COVID-19, caused Mancini to miss the entirety of the 2020 season.

The following offseason, Mancini declared that he was cancer free and would join the Orioles for the 2021 season. His comeback story was an inspiration to many, as no one knew if he would ever be able to play baseball again. Yet, Mancini defied all the odds and put up respectable numbers in 2021, recording 21 home runs and a .758 OPS. Mancini was easily one of the best stories in sports in 2021, and was deservedly given the American League Comeback Player of the Year Award.

2022 was an up-and-down year for Mancini. For nearly the entire season, his name was included in trade rumors but with the Orioles greatly overachieving, many thought he would contribute in a surprise playoff race. However, the rumors proved to be true as he was traded at the trade deadline to the Houston Astros. Mancini’s stats at the time of his trade were deflated due to the modified and pushed-back left field wall in Oriole Park, and the Astros believed his stats could spike at Minute Maid Field.

While playing in Houston allowed Mancini to hit home runs at a higher rate than he had in Baltimore, he severely struggled with his new team, posting a slash line of .176/.258/.364/.622 and an OPS+ of 60 in the second half of the regular season. His struggles continued into the postseason, as he recorded just one hit in 21 at-bats during the Astros’ run that culminated in becoming world champions.

Contract

Prior to the 2022 season, Mancini signed a one-year, $7.75 million deal with the Orioles to avoid arbitration. Part of this deal was a $10 million mutual option for the 2023 season, an option that Mancini and now the Astros will have to decide on. If Houston and Mancini both opt in, he will remain with the Astros for 2023. However, if Mancini or the Astros opt out, he will hit the free agent market.

Spotrac.com estimates Mancini’s market value to be $18.1 million in average annual salary, and predicts he will sign a five-year, $90.6 million deal if he becomes a free agent. If Mancini believes he really is worth that much, it would make sense for him to opt out of his mutual option and test free agency.

Recommendation

Trey Mancini was one of the Mets’ top targets this past trade deadline, and is clearly a player the team has interest in. This makes sense considering his connection to Buck Showalter, who was his manager in Baltimore for the first two years of his career. One of the reasons Mancini did not land as a Met at the deadline was due to the team’s philosophy not to trade top-tier prospects, especially for a player with an expiring contract. Now that Mancini could be on the free agent market, the Mets could go after him without giving up prospects. And as we know, Steve Cohen isn’t afraid to spend money.

Mancini doesn’t exactly fit the identity that the Mets created in 2022. He doesn’t grind out at bats or boast a high OBP. What he provides is power and the ability to get extra-base hits, which is exactly what the Mets didn’t have and they suffered at the end of the season because of it.

Another one of Mancini’s qualities is the ability to hit righties and lefties equally as well. The 2022 Mets relied heavily on platoon bats, but Mancini is the type of hitter who can play everyday, especially if he can rebound from his poor performance in the latter half of this season.

The Mets should definitely consider signing Mancini if he becomes a free agent. He has the flexibility to play first base, left field, right field, or be a designated hitter.

The post MMO Free Agent Profile: Trey Mancini, 1B/DH appeared first on Metsmerized.

Oct 20, 2022; Houston, Texas, USA; New York Yankees right fielder Aaron Judge (99) flies out during the eighth inning against the Houston Astros in game two of the ALCS for the 2022 MLB Playoffs at Minute Maid Park. Mandatory Credit: Thomas Shea-USA TODAY Sports

The Mets are “slightly” moving in the right field fence for the 2023 season and beyond, according to the NY Post’s Mike Puma.

Owner Steve Cohen says they plan on adding a speakeasy club in the new space, featuring living-room-style accommodations with personal TVs, a private bar, and an elevated dining experience among other amenities.

But is it purely a fan experience move? Possibly. But likely there’s something going on in the backend the Mets see that they can take advantage of.

Teams adjust their fences to help their teams. The Mets have adjusted the fences multiple times since Citi Field has been opened. Recently, the Orioles made the dramatic choice to move their left field wall back as much as 30 feet and made it 13 feet tall. They turned a home run hotspot into a barren wasteland.

The Mets aren’t making as dramatic a move but it could help them maximize the talents of their own players and attract some players on the market this winter.

The main one is Aaron Judge.

Judge doesn’t really need the fences moved in. The outfielder just broke the record for single-season home runs for an American Leaguer and hits the majority of his homers to left field. But where the Mets are making adjustments can maximize Judge’s opposite field power.

The #Mets are "slightly" moving in the right field wall. Could it be a play to attract Aaron Judge? pic.twitter.com/5VdmWtsu31

— Nate Mendelson (@mendelson_nate_) October 31, 2022

If Judge played every game at Citi Field, he would’ve fallen short of the record and hit 62 home runs. Judge’s home run total each of the last four seasons would have been lower as well. With these new dimensions, it’s likely Judge would have hit the same amount or more.

The Mets haven’t said how much “slightly” is. So it presently makes it impossible to calculate what the home run total would be. We are solely relying on initial imaging and batted ball data. All graphics are 2022 data.

But Judge is just a dream. Focusing on players under contract, Starling Marte is someone who’d benefit from a shorter right field fence.

Another reason, maximize Starling Marte's power and allow him to play shallower. He was worse coming in on balls in right field than he was retreating back. pic.twitter.com/8QuNZA0OCg

— Nate Mendelson (@mendelson_nate_) October 31, 2022

Marte would reach the fence more often, plus he’d be able to play shallower. He was a negative outs above average defender in right field on plays coming in. It’s clear the Mets don’t see him as a center fielder anymore and he’s likely staying in right whether Brandon Nimmo returns or not.

Just for fun let’s look at some free agents and possible DH options for the Mets next season.

Now just a couple FA DH options plus Brandon Nimmo. Didn't realize how much Nimmo hit the RCF gap last season for home runs. Mets need him to come back pic.twitter.com/VyhTzkt1Om

— Nate Mendelson (@mendelson_nate_) October 31, 2022

Trey Mancini and Josh Bell are the primary couple. The Mets had an interest in both of these players at the deadline and they still don’t have a set plan for the designated hitter spot next season. The right-handed Mancini would be able to go opposite field while Bell can continue smashing balls around and out of the field.

The move might even make Joey Gallo useful as a batter.

Brandon Nimmo doesn’t need to change his approach at the plate but with the shift rules adjusting he may need to. He loves to go oppo but his power stroke is to right center. It’s possible Nimmo could unlock another level with a larger focus on driving to his pull side.

One final Met that could use the change is Tomas Nido. Nido, while better than James McCann at the plate, is still nothing special. But when he hits fly balls, he tends to go to right field. Maybe this is a move to turn him into your everyday catcher while Francisco Alvarez waits in the wings.

Nido becomes an all-around catcher? pic.twitter.com/mbKncmPQh3

— Nate Mendelson (@mendelson_nate_) October 31, 2022

The Mets are making the fan experience better for the select few that can afford it but don’t think this isn’t a baseball move. The Mets have expanded their analytics department to one of the largest in baseball. I’m not qualified for that by any means but even I can see how it helps the team in the short term.

The post Could Mets Right Field Adjustment Be a Play for Aaron Judge? appeared first on Metsmerized.

Three-team trade! Full deal, according to sources.

Houston gets: 1B/OF Trey Manicini and RHP Jayden Murray

Baltimore gets: RHP Seth Johnson and Chayce McDermott

Tampa Bay gets: CF Jose Siri

— Jeff Passan (@JeffPassan) August 1, 2022

Mancini, a target the Mets were looking at for the designated hitter spot, will go to Houston sporting a slash line of .268/.347/.404 with a .751 OPS and an OPS+ of 114. He’ll add depth to an Astros lineup boasting the likes of Yordan Alvarez, Jose Altuve, and Alex Bregman. In our trade piece profiling Mancini hit 20+ home runs in every season he’s been in the league except for one.

In 2019, he hit .291/.364/.535 with 35 home runs, and 97 RBIs. Mancini returned to the majors in 2021 after missing the entire 2020 season,  by hitting 21 home runs, 71 RBIs, with a 106 OPS+. According to Baseball Savant, Mancini’s expected home runs at Minute Maid Park jumps from eleven to twenty-two, which could have been a big reason why the Astros went and pulled the trigger on the deal.

Mancini currently is on the final year of his original deal and includes a $10 million option for next season along with a $250K buyout option. In return, the Orioles will receive multiple players from Houston in the deal.

The post Orioles’ Trey Mancini Traded To Astros appeared first on Metsmerized.

David Kohl-USA TODAY Sports

The trade deadline is a little over a week away. Let’s round up the latest Mets trade front news.

Juan Soto

On Sunday, the New York Post polled a plethora of league executives and asked where Juan Soto could land. The heavy favorite answer was the St. Louis Cardinals.

C.J. Cron

The Mets looked into Colorado’s C.J. Cron, a right-handed batting first baseman, says SNY. Cron does not have the righty/lefty splits that Daniel Vogelbach has but he runs a risk of playing poorly outside of Coors Field.

At home Cron is batting .352/.393/.674 with 16 home runs and 53 RBI.

On the road he’s batting .229/.296/.399 with 5 home runs and 16 RBI.

Josh Bell

The Mets are one of several teams that have made a trade offer for Josh Bell of the Washington Nationals. Reportedly the offer was the Mets sending an upper-level minor league starting pitcher and outfielder in exchange for Bell and a big-league reliever.

Trey Mancini

New York continues to scout Trey Mancini of the Baltimore Orioles says SNY. One of the top rental power bats on the market, Mancini owns a slash line of .268/.345/.404 this season.

J.D. Martinez

The Mets are monitoring the availability of J.D. Martinez at the deadline. Due to their recent play, the Red Sox could be sellers by next week. Martinez is hitting .302/.368/.481 with nine home runs and 38 RBI. He’s a rental bat with his contract expiring at the end of the season.

David Robertson

Cubs reliever David Robertson hasn’t been officially sourced as a target for the Mets but the addition makes sense. Now 37, Robertson has pitched in New York with success in the past and has the drive to win.

Robertson called Mets general manager Billy Eppler “a friend of mine.” Eppler was an executive with the Yankees during his first stint in the Bronx.

“I’m just going to come in there and do the best I can,” he told Newsday. “You’re going to win some, you’re going to lose some, you’re going to go out there and absolutely suck. And when that happens you just gotta own up to it. It happens. It’s not for a lack of effort, that’s for sure. No matter where I’m at, I’m always giving it everything I’ve got trying to get the job done.”

Dominic Smith

The Red Sox have checked in on the Mets first baseman. Smith is currently on the 10-day injured list and will not improve his trade value before next weeks deadline. Smith has not hit a home run in a full calendar year and the Mets have been looking to move on from him since the Spring.

The post Rumor Roundup: Mets Eyeing Big Bats appeared first on Metsmerized.

Jasen Vinlove-USA TODAY Sports

The trade deadline is only nine days away. With August 2nd rapidly approaching, the rumor mill is in full force. Earlier today, two different reports surrounding the Mets and possible additions came to the forefront. Specifically regarding Josh Bell, Trey Mancini, and J.D. Martinez.

Per Pat Ragazzo and Michael Marino of FanNation, the Mets are one of several teams that have made a trade offer for Josh Bell to the Washington Nationals. The report then explains that, “The deal would see the Mets send an upper level minor league starting pitcher and outfielder to Washington in exchange for Bell and a big-league relief pitcher.”

Bell owns a slash line of .305/.386/496, which is good for a .882 OPS. He has 13 home runs and 51 RBI on the season. The switch-hitting first baseman is arguably having the second-best season of his seven year career. The addition of Bell would give the Mets the big, middle-of-the-order everyday bat the team is still pursuing.

As for the rumored big-league pitcher, it is hard to predict who exactly that can be. Steve Cishek is a 36-year-old veteran owns a 3.95 ERA and 4.09 FIP this season. Meanwhile, Carl Edwards Jr. is another veteran reliever who has a 3.03 ERA across 35 2/3 innings pitched this season. Again, that is just pure speculation on who it may be.

USA TODAY Sports

The other rumors from this afternoon was per Andy Martino of SNY and it explained that the New York Mets continue to scout Trey Mancini. Specifically, during the Yankees and Orioles series that concluded today.

Mancini is set to be one of the top rental power bats on the market. Despite the recent surge from the Orioles, Mancini appears that he can be had given his pending free agent status. He owns a slash line of .268/.345/.404 this season, which is good for a slightly above-average .749 OPS. He has nine home runs and 37 RBI on the season. Like Bell, Mancini would give the Mets an everyday middle-of-the-order bat they are looking for.

The last tidbit that was made available today was once again per Pat Ragazzo and Michael Marino of Fan Nation. They reported that the Mets are among teams monitoring J.D. Martinez’s availability.

After losing their first three games out of the All-Star break, which extended their losing streak to five, the Red Sox are back under .500. With this, people are wondering if Boston will soon be sellers. If they are, pending free agent J.D. Martinez may be on the block.

The All-Star is slashing .302/.368/.481 this season. He has nine home runs and 38 RBI. The designated hitter has been a top hitter in the league for years. Adding him would be a huge boost to the Mets’ lineup. Though, despite being a pending free agent, the right-handed hitter may be one of the more pricey options.

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