Jim Bowden of ESPN proposed a trio of three-team-trades he’d like to see happen next week at the MLB Winter Meetings. Among them, he proposed the following three-way deal involving the Mets:
Texas Rangers get: OF Justin Upton from Braves
New York Mets get: SS Elvis Andrus and $10 million from Rangers
Atlanta Braves get: RHP Noah Syndergaard from Mets, OF Michael Choice from Rangers
The Rangers desperately need another big right-handed bat to put in the middle of the lineup behind Adrian Beltre and Prince Fielder, and Upton would be the perfect fit. The Rangers could then move Shin-Soo Choo back to right field, where he at least gets some better jumps and angles. The Rangers and Braves really don’t match up well on a deal, but get the Mets involved and the three teams could help each other. The Rangers’ depth in the middle infield with Elvis Andrus, Jurickson Profar, Luis Sardinas and Rougned Odor make this deal possible.
Andrus is one of the better defensive shortstops in baseball, and has above-average range to both sides. His positive attitude and energy would fit in perfectly in the Mets’ clubhouse, and his defense would really help with run prevention for one of the best young rotations in baseball. The Mets would become pretty special defensively with him at shortstop and Golden Glove winner Juan Lagares in center field. Of course, the Mets would have to absorb close to $15 million per year through 2022 and/or have the risk of him opting out after the 2018 and 2019 seasons. However, if the Rangers agree to chip in $2 million a year for the next five years of the contract, the price would probably become close to acceptable for the defense and character they’d be getting back in the deal.
Andrus is 26 and coming off the worst season of his career. His eight-year, $120 million extension does not even begin until next season and runs through at least 2022. I’m not sure that the Rangers kicking in $10 million would be enough to take on that contract while also parting with Syndergaard.
Despite career-lows in batting average (.263), on-base percentage (.314) and Wins Above Replacement (1.3), the two-time All-Star is projected by FanGraphs to bounce back in 2015. They project him to deliver a 2.9 WAR season with 76 runs scored and 27 stolen bases while providing outstanding defense at short.
Given his youth, speed, offensive upside, and superb defense, Andrus would be a nice addition for the Mets at shortstop. However, I’m not sure this works for Sandy. Perhaps if the Mets were unloading Bartolo Colon or Jon Niese plus a lesser prospect like Logan Verrett there would be a better chance of it happening.
