CENTER FIELDING
Mets listening to offers for Lagares
In their quest to find extra payroll flexibility, the Mets are listening to inquiries on Juan Lagares, but there is skepticism within the industry the oft-injured outfielder will be dealt this winter.
If he stays, Lagares figures prominently into the Mets’ plans in center field for 2018, flanked by Yoenis Cespedes and Michael Conforto, with another corner outfielder who can play first base potentially working into the mix.
Market factors suggest Lagares, who will make $6 million next season, is likely to stay put, as free agents Lorenzo Cain, Jarrod Dyson and Rajai Davis remain at the forefront for teams searching for a centerfield addition. Lagares has two years and $15.5 million left on his contract, which could be too much risk to assume on a player who missed significant action in each of the last two seasons.
And the Mets seldom show a willingness to eat dollars on a contract for the sake of making a deal.
As it stands, indications are general manager Sandy Alderson may have only $10 million left to spend this season. That money must be spread over second base (or third base if Asdrubal Cabrera is shifted to second for another player) and the additional bat the Mets seek as insurance against Dominic Smith at first base and to play in the outfield.
Jason Kipnis, who has been a Mets target at second base in trade discussions, appears likely to remain with the Indians. Already, the Mets have seen Ian Kinsler go from the Tigers to the Angels, after the veteran second baseman declined to waive his limited no-trade clause for a deal to Flushing.
If all other options fizzle — Josh Harrison and Cesar Hernandez among them — the Mets still could turn to a reunion with Jose Reyes.
The 28-year-old Lagares is among the Mets’ few trade chips at the major league level. AJ Ramos is another, but the arbitration-eligible reliever is projected to receive $9.2 million for next season, which could make him tough to deal coming off a lackluster 2017. Even so, the fact Ramos would be only a one-year commitment for a team that acquires him makes him a more likely trade option than Lagares, who posted a .250/.296/ .365 slash line with three homers and 15 RBIs in 94 games last season. The Giants, Rangers and White Sox are among the teams that could use center-field help. But trading Lagares, a former Gold Glove winner, would be a risky proposition given the Mets’ lack of depth in center field. Already, there are questions whether Conforto will be ready for the start of the season as he rehabs from surgery to repair the posterior capsule in his left shoulder. Brandon Nimmo is a part-time option who would likely be overexposed in center if the Mets were to deal Lagares.
Adding to the skepticism Lagares will be traded is the fact the Mets are putting their chances of contending next season firmly on their pitching, so trading a premier defensive center fielder would be contradicting.
The Mets have maintained interest in Jay Bruce, whose candidacy could be tied to whether Alderson can trade Lagares or Ramos.
Of course, subtracting Ramos would leave the Mets looking on the discount rack for a reliever to join Jeurys Familia, Jerry Blevins and newly acquired Anthony Swarzak in the late innings. Swarzak, who recently signed a two-year contract worth $14 million, is the Mets’ only new addition on a major league contract so far this offseason.