Saturday, 1:25 PM: The deal is now official, per Mike Puma of the New York Post.
Friday, 11:48 AM:The Mets have reportedly struck a deal with free agent outfielder Carlos Gomez. The @BigDaveRants account first tweeted the news, which has been confirmed since by several reports. It’s said to be a minor-league pact, pending a physical.
Memorably, Gomez nearly became a member of the Mets in the summer of 2015. At the time, he was a star center fielder and the New York club was readying for a stretch run at the postseason. The deal was all but done before things fell apart.
The undoing of that swap created huge ripples still being felt. Gomez ended up being swapped instead to the Astros in a deal that worked out terribly for Houston but didn’t prevent the club from finding its own successes. That trade helped spur the Brewers’ recent resurgence.
Meanwhile, the Mets hung on to Zack Wheeler, who’ll now be a key member of the rotation after his own 2018 renaissance. The other piece of that trade-that-wasn’t, Wilmer Flores, provided one of the trade deadline’s indelible moments when he shed some tears on the field following the reporting of the deal. (He was non-tendered this fall and landed with the Diamondbacks.)
Looking to the present, the deal makes for a somewhat interesting match. Gomez will obviously need to earn his way onto the roster after a forgettable 2018 season for the Rays, but he had a productive stop with the Rangers before that and only just turned 33 years old.
The Mets already have a host of left-handed-hitting outfielders, but are less certain from the right side. Gomez could push Juan Lagares and Keon Broxton in camp. While those younger options have much better gloves, Gomez is the most accomplished hitter of the bunch — though Broxton has been a similarly productive offensive performer (despite worrying strikeout numbers) over the past three seasons. It could be that Gomez will end up serving mostly as a depth piece while auditioning for other teams, but there’s about a month left in camp and circumstances can always change.
walls17
Take that Phillies!
JayJayXV
As a Mets Fan, I laughed. I hate you lol
sacko
Lol
dionls
I miss the braves fan who kept posting that funny, funny joke about offering Harper 3million.
bravesfan
That’s prob not a joke. How cheap we are, that very well could have been true lol.
braveshomer
3.5 mil and Free hats the entire season!…apparently the Free hats reports wasn’t true, he had to pay for those too. That’s why we missed out
phantomofdb
“Memorably, Gomez once nearly became a member of the Mets.”
Gomez HAS been a member of the mets. He went to the Twins for Johan Santana
petfoodfella
They’re specifically saying 2015. Jeez, a little more reading, will ya?
phantomofdb
When I made that comment it didn’t have the second half of the sentence. Hence, the period after the word “Mets” in the quote. So perhaps, jeez, a little more reading to yourself?
Francys01
He is back home. Welcome back home to the Mets.
nuschler22
He’s come a long way from the DR
cobomets
He sure has…over 1,500 miles and about a 9-hour plane ride alone! That’s not even counting layovers and time to and from the airport!
metnoxious
Yeah Phillie fan. You got Harper? Well right back at you with Gomez. This is embarrassing.
david klein
Metsnoxious indeed
mikeyank55
You should be used to being embarrassed.
mikeyank56
Don’t be embarrassed, it’ll get better
sampsonite168
Wilmer am cry
BrewCrew1302
Phillies need to counter this move. Maybe theyll take on Bobby Bonillas contract as well.
CursedRangers
Haha! Bonilla will still be getting paid several years after Harper’s new contract ends. Crazy…
firstbleed
RIP the ‘dislike’ button.
SargentDownvote
Is MLBTR trying to RUIN ME??? I’m no longer relevant.
Comrade Tipsy McStagger
Better change your name to SargentLike before someone else gets to it.
Comrade Tipsy McStagger
Well, I think SargentNoResponse or SargentSuffer is available.
BrewersMVP08
i’m gonna miss seeing Xabials comments with 1 like and 39 downvotes. that 1 like being him trying to boost his numbers
Comrade Tipsy McStagger
I always upvoted him. Artificial self-esteem boosting is my thing. I don’t think he noticed though.
whynot 2
His self esteem was too low to notice
todd76
Xabial is a she.
rerogers
Don’t give females a bad name please.
jjd002
You assumXabial’s gender?
petfoodfella
Why are you so obsessed w/ him? Might wanna get that disease checked out.
Jeff Todd
Please stop posting these kinds of sidebars on commenters.
Swinging Friars
The new format looks like a blast from the past
petfoodfella
MLBTR making money and not spending it all on new software.
Lefty Grove’s right hand
Going back to the team that originally signed him as a teenager. I forgot he was traded to Minnesota for Johan Santana.
david klein
Obviously this is a tell that Frazier and Lowrie probably will be on the injury list to start the season and McNeil will start at third base to start the season.
stevd417
Gomez was a former Met. he got traded for Johan Santana.
ou812jay8
I don’t care about the Harper signing. I like this signing. The Mets have accumulated a TON of quality depth. The Dodgers have made the WS the last two years with the likes of Max Muncy, Chris Taylor, Kiki Hernandez, etc. Not superstars or even stars, just great quality depth when inevitable injuries take place during the course of the season.
Victoroy
So THAT’s who Drake was singing about in that song…
Boogaloo
Yeah, i was thinking at the start of the off season, sigb carlos gomez over bryce harper, for the depth.
Lol
jwr0223
Yes, when they need someone to hit .208 they have a ton of depth.
Michael Handsman
Cant compare these disasters to muncy
bravesfan
The trade that fell apart was a lifeline for the Mets. Wheeler is definitely worth keeping even then. That was a bad trade
top jimmy
Would have been just one more of an extremely long list of bad decisions by Alderson.
jjd002
I wish that would’ve happened because I’d like to really have Hadar back….
astrosfan
What a train wreck this guy is. Pretty sad last year he was begging the Rangers to take him back and they didn’t. That’s sad when the Rangers don’t won’t you to come back lol.
Swinging Friars
New format today?
Comrade Tipsy McStagger
Thank you MLB Trade Rumors for ending the downvote. And while some will complain that it is just “caving in to the PC crowd” (assuming this isn’t temporary or a trial), it might nudge people to actually talk about their feelings and positions instead of just reacting with quick ego strokes. Maybe they will actually think and write about their position. Maybe? I think it will also help to end the practice of people getting ganged up on (whether they deserve it or not). I like the move.
Jeff Todd
I can assure everyone that it has nothing to do with PC anything — people will still be subject to disagreement through the comments — and everything to do with the fact that it was being abused and not functioning in a manner conducive to the experience most readers want.
Comrade Tipsy McStagger
And if people are really in opposition to a comment and miss the quick ego stroke, they can just say, “I’d downvote your response, if my downvote button was working.” (or just say “downvote”)
SargentDownvote
Let’s try that out!!!
Swinging Friars
Was it really an issue? I saw it as a way to disagree and move on.. Didn’t realize it was ruining anyone’s day
My apologies for any harm my downvotes may have caused ;0)
Begamin
I mean, you would have people complaining that their post/someone elses post got DVs almost every other thread. That said, I dont know why those people dont just get the app.
Comrade Tipsy McStagger
A whole generation’s self-esteem is centered around likes and dislikes. It matters to some, even if they don’t wish to admit it.
Fuck Me Bitch
Why keep the LIKE vote then?
If one is forced only to remark positively that should be eliminated as well.
Any Like votes for this idea?
Comrade Tipsy McStagger
Downvote, downvote, downvote. My button is stuck.
jbigz12
I don’t think down votes was a problem. It was a problem for less than a handful of users who chose to whine about them. And I’ll admit at some point they couldn’t say anything and it’d just be downvoted but there was a reason why that started in the first place. Personally if I write some garbage give me the downvotes they were probably deserved. But hey, just give everyone positive reinforcements. Lets live in a bubble where everything can only be liked.
rerogers
I just use the app. No down or up votes. It’s never been an issue.
bobtillman
Can you downvote the removal of the downvote? Does that make it an upvote? These questions trouble the intuitive……
The rest of us couldn’t give a rat’s behind…..
BobbyDynamite
saw him play with the Astros. The guy’s a basket case. Good luck.
Voice of Reason
The final piece to the World Series
ExileInLA 2
Why is he better than Juan Lagares or Keon Broxton or Rajai Davis or Gregor Blanco?
The Mets need SP depth, not bench OFs…
MarlinsFanBase
That AAA team is gonna be stacked. Might actually win it all this year.
rjtfd
I honestly think they’ve added so much depth cause if they don’t have a shot at this post season July will be a fire sale and they’re going to need someone to field a team. I am happy with some of the moves Brody has made just would like to see another solid lefty starter and one young solid bat.
Vargas isn’t the answer and Matz is a pitch away from DL unfortunately.
Boogaloo
A bunch of scrubs doesnt equal depth.
nymetsking
I agree, they’ve added depth everywhere, going overboard in some cases, but remain paper thin at SP depth.
mikeyank55
their depth signings have holes like Swiss cheese.
callingoutdummies247
Lol Swiss Cheese
MarlinsFanBase
So, is it just me, or does it look like another fecal storm with the Mets, and they may actually challenge the Marlins for the higher draft pick?
Carlos Gomez? I wonder what it says when the Marlins turn your agent away after begging for a chance, but then you get the Mets to sign you?
whynot 2
Can’t hear you… you are too far away down in the cellar!
MarlinsFanBase
A Mets fan will hear me because they will be nearby.
mikeyank55
For Mets fans, it will be LOUD & CLEAR. They will feel the Marlins bringing heat and with everyone else in the NL east above them, the Mets annual patchwork of over the hill players signed for “depth” will help the team tank.
With one or two young Marlins players proving themselves, it will be a race to stay out of the basement.
And the loser is: the Mets.
callingoutdummies247
More hate… smh
Dorothy_Mantooth
Cleveland should have signed CarGo. Even if he makes the Mets MLB roster, he’ll be lucky to get 250 ABs unless the injury bug takes out multiple starters.
MarlinsFanBase
The Indians may still sign CarGo (the one that matters; not this one). Ahem…Carlos Gonzalez.
txastrofan
Cannot stand Gomez. Didn’t like him before he came to Houston and really didn’t like him after. Congrats Met fan.
shaffer300
we need a good starting pitcher talk to Cleveland…..
Roll
Do we have enough to sign Gio? I would think 2 yr 20 deal should be good enough to get him
ghost of dave kingman
Let’s Go Mez
RaeRae
Gomez is a depth signing. Which is not a bad move but Waggy knows he needs another starting pitcher not named Jason Vargas. If the Mets really want to make a move they will sign Dallas Keuchel who would be the best possible move they could make especially since Vargas has never been good for more than 1/2 a season anyway. A rotation of deGrom, Keuchel, Wheeler, Matz, Syndergaard, while using Vargas as starting pitching depth piece to give the main starters rest and depth makes a lot of sense, and possibly as a long man out of the bullpen would make a great deal of sense.. If Keuchel is too expensive then they need to sign Gio Gonzalez. Another commenter posted 2 years for 20 million with Gio might get things done. The Mets need to do this as they are well aware that Vargas can only pitch successfully for half a year before he flounders, and crashes on the shoals of terrible pitching.
jwr0223
I agree they should sign Keuchel. The only thing I see standing in the way is he might want to get paid.
mikeyank55
Hey Rae,
Keuchel isn’t coming to the Mets. time to check out of your fantasy league. Gomez is a typical Met’s depth signing…too old to really contribute and a name for Metsie fans to hang their goofy hat on.
RaeRae
Hey Mikey, I said they should sign Keuchel but he would cost too much dinero so they still have some sort of communication or so they say with pipe smoke up the behind to intimate they are still talking to Gio Gonzalez who is a much better pitcher than Jason Vargas. They might also have a secret pitching weapon in AAA with Mickey Jannis. Mickey is a good knuckleballer who had difficulty in Vegas as the thin air effected his knuckleball from deeply knuckling like it did when he pitched in NY AA.
mikeyank55
Well Rae, the division is now locked and loaded. Even with a secret pitching weapon, The Mets team is light. Expect. to be looking up at 2 or even 3 teams that have more talented, athletic and youthful squads.
PiratesFan1981
Maybe he can slide dirty in AAA for incentives, I think 90k per dirty slide is what he is asking for
rerogers
minor league pact. so they are trying to tank their minor league team? they do know they don’t get extra picks for crappy minor league ball clubs, right?
yes, this is sarcasm. yes, Gomez is a useless sack of meat substance.
Yankeepatriot
The Mets got off to a great start this off season but since that steal of a Ramos signing (best bargain this off season) they haven’t done anything but sign fringe players. Not even any extensions to their important players like degrom. A guy like gio can help them
Nick Stevens
Not a fan of Gomez
Armaday
I was just hoping for Adam Jones and Gio to complete a good off season for the Mets. Man, are they cheap!!!
Yankeepatriot
They could really use gio. All the Mets have done since Ramos is get non impact spare parts and a lot of them lol
mikeyank55
That’s the Mets way. Remember last spring training when the camp was littered with “A-Gon” (he was gone before summer), “Jose-Jose-Jose” (who proved to have not only lost speed, he no longer knew which foot to tag second with), “JayBruce” (who was signed to bring the level play from his Indians’ pennant run to a losing team).
Who else am I forgetting?
callingoutdummies247
You know the team well, you seriously are a disgruntled ex fan
txman22
Mets are stocking AAA Syracuse with former MLB players invited to spring training & not going north. That team should runaway with the AAA championship.
mikeyank55
There’s a strategy here. Front office guru “TC” found subsidized housing for these pre-retirement players and the ballpark is across the street from the social security office.