Monday morning and we’re another week closer to the start of Spring Training with only one starting quality outfielder (well, hitting side anyway), the same failed starting pitching rotation, no clarity on first base/DH and nothing happening to finish up the bullpen. Where have we seen this summary before? Oh yeah, every Monday pretty much since the World Series ended.
This week’s interesting rumors include the on-again/off-again bromance to bring Tarik Skubal to New York. Yes, he’s indeed a formidable top-of-the-rotation starter with two consecutive Cy Young awards. The Tigers have truly benefited from his awesome abilities since debuting as a challenged rookie in 2020. In the past three years his ERA went from a high water mark for the entire season in 2023 of just 2.80, then in 2024 it dropped to 2.39 and last year dropped again to 2.21. He is clearly demonstrating the best southpaw pitching talent in the game.
Where it gets interesting is the Tiger decision over what to do with the young man. He’s going to play the upcoming season at age 29 and they have to decide whether they want to lock him up as a long term solution to lead their rotation or lose him in free agency in 2027. Right now according to several reports the team and Skubal are a whopping $13 million apart in salary for the 2026 season. He earned $10.125 million last year so he’s looking for just over $23 million in his final pre free agency year in Detroit. For a frame of reference, stellar Sean Manaea will earn $25 million again in 2026 and again in 2027.
Apparently the initial ask on a trade included Nolan McLean and the Mets were not engaged with that player in the package heading to Detroit. Now with McLean off the table the names being considered include combinations that could include Christian Scott, Brandon Sproat and/or Jonah Tong. These players have not delivered at the major league level yet but certainly are not chicken feed. You’d expect one or two of these pitchers plus some high level offensive players as well to be part of the package.
Whether or not this move is smart depends on what you feel is your long term goal. Do you give up the farm for essentially one hell of a single year rental who could indeed turn free agent when the 2026 season ends? Do you use all of 2026 trying to set him up for a long term deal much like years ago when the Mets brought in a ready-to-depart Johan Santana? Do you celebrate bringing the best of the best and let the chips fall where they may? At this point no one knows.
On the offensive side there are apparently rumors circulating that Cody Bellinger is likely returning to the Yankees while Kyle Tucker and late entrant Alex Bregman are players now nearing the top of the Mets wish list. While free agents only require capital to bring them on board, Tucker is not a standout defensive player and normally mans right field where the $51 million per year Juan Soto currently resides.
Bregman has great clubhouse presence, terrific defense and a solid bat, but he 's now off the table after agreeing to five years with the Cubbies this weekend. Is anyone hearing refrains of Queen's "Another One Bites the Dust" as the free agent inventory dwindles more and more each day while continuing to wait for anything to happen?
Am I clear? CRYSTAL!
ReplyDeleteI am leaving it all in the capable hands of one David Stearns. Pete, Branton, Jeff, Edwin gone. Tell me there’s a plan. There’s gotta be a plan.
Sterns did wait out JD Martinez and got his price way down, but JD still did not provide full contract value that year, in my opinion. I’m guessing he’s waiting for prices to drop a little bit and for someone else to blink.
ReplyDeleteHey!
ReplyDeleteThe Mets have clarity on first... he just ain't played there before.
And the Mets have clarity on second. He just can't hit anymore.
As for the immediate future, I believe Kyle Tucker will agree to play left until Sir Juan picks a new position to play and will join the Mets within the next week. Will it be costly? Not to you or me. Will it be lengthy? Probably with at least one opt-out. Will it stymie prospect graduation? You bet it will.
But will it reduce the negative noise out there from both the old core loving fan base as well as the hate baiting press? You bet it will.
But this is just me.
Now I'm really confused. One minute we are going with what seems like a sound plan, not succumbing to the crazy long term contracts and preparing for a youth movement. Then we are signing Tucker long term with opt outs. If he regresses do you see him opting out...I don't.
ReplyDeleteIf Stearns signs him long term, to me he now becomes wishy washy. He spouts all the shite about his way of building a team his way, then have the cajónes and stick to the plan.
Tuckers stats last year were very similar to Nimmo's. And we drove him out of NY like the peasants storming the castle with pitchforks. Pick a freaking direction and stick with it.
Then again, if they sign him to a 3 year high AAV contract then nevermind...lol LGM
BTW, if you sign Tucker, you might as well trade Benge, you can't have 3 lefties in the OF all year.
,
Joe
DeleteI didn't say signing Tucker fits my plan.
I said I predict this us what I think Stearns & Co. will do
Here’s the thing about signing Tucker. If i signed him, and i would if it was up to me lol, i would have him play RF 50 percent of the time and Soto 50 percent of the time with one of them being at DH every day. keeps both fresh and an option to play in the other corner if there’s in injury
ReplyDeleteThat's a great idea
DeleteOne problem
Soto would not currently sign off on this
Also a very expensive idea.
DeleteMack, I wasn't saying it was your plan, sorry if it came out that way. It was from all the articles I was reading saying they met with him and are interested in him.
ReplyDeleteAgain, I'm all for a short term high AAV deal.
I love Tucker for 2026.
DeleteNothing more
Mack, it was amazing on Sunday the salary chart that you showed with the Mets already a 320, million projected. Players are just so expensive these days even the four bullpen arms, Williams, Weaver, Minter, and Raley, will cost $40 million plus benefits. Spend without end, amen.
ReplyDeleteI don’t think the fans want to see Soto as a DH. A lot of money was spent on this guy he needs to be on the field most of the time. If Superman only comes out of the dugout four times a game and then disappears, the fan connection will weaken. If Soto sticks around and doesn’t opt out, as he gets older, and he’s been a met for quite a while, a move to at least part-time DH would then make sense.
ReplyDeleteDid anyone see this huge story? Former (huge) slugger Daniel Vogelbach is coming back to the Brewers as one of two new hitting coaches, part of a major reorganization of manager Pat Murphy’s staff for 2026.
I do like Tucker - at the “right” deal structure. Can hit both righties & lefties so doesn’t matter if he is a lefty.
ReplyDeleteI suspect Soto gets 2026 to make meaningful improvement in RF defense or he moves position.
Re-watched Moneyball last night. Love that movie. Was interesting: so much improvement in metrics since then & “Hattebberg over Peña” even though Peña was gold glove 1B & Hatty couldn’t throw & never played 1B. Team won 21 straight that year! Hatty replaced Jason Giambi (prime). At least Polanco can throw!
I mean. here’s another thing. Tucker came up in 2019 and played some 1B. Has some experience with it in the minors as well. As long as one of DH and 1B are open we’ll have the flexibility of moving one of soto / tucker off the OF corner pretty much whenever we need to. Im not convinced Clifford is our guy for 1B (not rooting against him!).
ReplyDeleteWhatever happened to days the Mets had a real first baseman?
ReplyDeleteOh.
That was last season
I’m so sick of hearing (from everywhere) what Soto will or won’t go along with in terms of position or DH’ing. We’re paying the guy $45m per, and he’s here for at least 3, and more likely 11 more years. What is he going to do if you pencil him in at DH half the time? Sulk? For years? And ruin any chance (slim) he might have of opting out for a better offer, or else hamstring his career because his feelings were hurt? Will he refuse to play? I don’t get it. Is it just that he’s now so rich that his own bosses are afraid of him? This is ridiculous. We pay the guy outrageous money, - and I’m not against players getting paid what the market will bear - but he’ll play where he’s put. He doesn’t really have much of a choice. If he wants to act like a baby about it, that’s on him.
ReplyDeleteGuy was the worst defensive RF by metrics in the league. He should be out there as little as possible.
ReplyDeleteSomething is going to happen. The Mets just outrighted Ji Hwan Bae to Syracuse. Roster opening available. Stay tuned.
ReplyDelete