Vet additions could be on move again
Two in-season arrivals are among the players the Mets have received recent trade interest in, according to an industry source.
Jose Bautista and Devin Mesoraco, who are both free agents after this season, could be moved by the July 31 non-waiver trade deadline.
The veteran outf ielder Bautista was grabbed from the scrap heap in May for the major league minimum, possibly making him the easier to trade of the two players. Bautista entered Monday with a .781 OPS overall this season.
Mesoraco, who arrived from the Reds in a May t ra de for Matt Harvey, entered play with a .730 OPS while giving the Mets a steady catcher to share time with Kevin Plawecki.
Mesoraco is still owed about $6 million for this season.
Asdrubal Cabrera is the most likely of the Mets’ impending free agents to be traded in the next week.
The Mets’ first move occurred Saturday, when Jeurys Familia was dealt to Oakland for two minor league players and $1 million in international bonus pool money. Sunday’s rainout against the Yankees allowed Mickey Callaway to rearrange his rotation. The scheduled Mets starting pitchers through Friday are Zack Wheeler, Corey Oswalt, Steven Matz and Jason Vargas. The lefty Vargas originally was scheduled to follow Wheeler in the rotation. Brandon Nimmo was shifted to seventh in the lineup with lefty Joey Lucchesi on the mound. Amed Rosa r io batted leadoff.
After a torrid stretch, Nimmo is hitting .183 (11for-60) in July.
“Some of it is trying to get Nimmo in a better spot in the order, take some pressure off him,” Callaway said, noting the Mets were scheduled to face three straight lefty starters. “I’ve seen an adjustment by the league, pitching up and in on him a little bit more. He’s obviously not in the same spot he was a few weeks ago. It’s time for him to make that adjustment back.”
Peter Alonso entered play Monday with three homers in his past four games for Triple-A Las Vegas. Alonso, who appeared in the All-Star Futures Game at first base, led all of minor league baseball with 83 RBIs.