Second baseman Jed Lowrie is only a year removed from leaving the Athletics for the Mets in free agency, but the A’s are now interested in bringing him back via trade, Susan Slusser of the San Francisco Chronicle reports. However, for that to happen, the Mets would have eat the majority of Lowrie’s $10MM salary for 2020, according to Slusser.
Lowrie joined the Mets on a two-year, $20MM contract, but it was one of multiple prominent offseason moves that didn’t go their way in 2019. The oft-injured 35-year-old sat out all but nine games, in which he totaled a mere eight plate appearances, as he dealt with a series of leg problems throughout the season. It’s now unclear where Lowrie fits on the Mets’ roster, as they already have what looks like a set infield with Robinson Cano at second, Pete Alonso at first, Amed Rosario at short and Jeff McNeil and J.D. Davis as third base possibilities.
Conversely, Oakland has a dearth of established options at second, having jettisoned 2019 starter Jurickson Profar in a trade with the Padres. Current choices Chad Pinder, Franklin Barreto, Sheldon Neuse and Jorge Mateo are all right-handed hitters, as Slusser notes, whereas Lowrie bats from both sides of the plate. He’d at least add some variety to the group, then, and it’s worth pointing out that Lowrie had the best seasons of his career in Oakland.
Already a two-time Athletic, Lowrie was one of the game’s most valuable second basemen from 2017-18, a 1,325-plate appearance span in which he slashed .272/.356/.448 with 37 home runs, 8.7 fWAR and an All-Star nod. Lowrie stayed healthy during that time, but injuries have so far wrecked his Mets tenure, which could end as early as this winter.
Oh, my.
Perhaps the Mariners will take back Cano and Reyes if the Mets pay the majority of their salaries.
Reyes who
He means Diáz, but I see how Jose Reyes comes to mind for players that probably stayed too long.
Mets aren’t eating salary so not happening
If it brings back even anyone of marginal use, and as long as they wouldn’t have to eat *all* of his salary, it’s mildly possible. $8m on a payroll is still less than $10m on a payroll. Gives them an extra $2m to spend on, like, Rick Porcello or something stupid like that.
Yes but if they figure he’s hurt most of the year again it’s probably covered by insurance. So why wouldn’t the Mets just let him play rebuild value and get a prospect for him during the season and not cover money or let him get hurt and his salary is covered.
Rebuild value…. who’s going to sit?
Its my understanding that teams only insure large, long-term contracts and even then only for a percentage of the total value. So I doubt insurance proceeds would factor in here.
But it’s not like he’s going into the season hurt, he was healthy at the end of last season; they can’t really just assume he’ll get hurt.
A 2/$20m contract wont be insured.
Not every contract is insured.
Slusser very rarely has anything in the realm of accurate information. All we know is there’s like a 50-50 chance the A’s are interested. No chance this tells us anything accurate regarding the money.
We got ourselves a Slusser hater here
I would like Adam Frazier instead
Can we just take a moment and talk about how horrible of an update the MLB At Bat app made recently?
There are updates?
Again?
Not sure why they’d move him if they have to eat the majority of his contract. Already a bad signing, no need to make a bad deal to top it.
Could spend any saved money on pitching or the outfield…
‘Bad’ has nothing to do with it. He will cost $10M for x# of ABs. Since he is basically backing up Cano, how many ABs will that be? OTOH, there might be some teams that need a 2B. Instead of 150 ABs, maybe a team like the RS would give him 450 ABs. So if he is worth $2M to the NYMs, he might be worth $6M to the RS, saving the NYMs $4M.
This ^
Article stated “majority” of the contract. Saving a couple of million, which would probably be needed to replace him on the bench for a player most likely of lesser value makes no sense. If the Mets only tossed in a couple of million, sure – move him.
Lowry was great in Oakland, no doubt. However, he left and got hurt. Now, he is healthy it could work however the A’s have Franklin Barreto whom they want to give more opportunities to see if Franklin can finally developed plus they also have Chad Pinder who is a tremendous player as well.
Chad Pinder? Tremendous?
This signing never made sense to begin with…
I agree, never made sense from the rip. Even if he was healthy last year you gotta wonder where he would have had even semi-regular playing time. They might as well keep him as insurance for Cano if they’re going to have to “eat a majority of his contract” to move him. I think they should trade Nimmo, JD Davis & Dom Smith for Marte & Keona and give McNeil an opportunity to be the regular 3B.
Marte & Keta*
Kela**
The Mets aren’t trading 3 low paying players for Marte making $11 & $12 mill
why would the mets willingly get fleeced like that
Why not? Nobody truly expected JD and McNeil to perform at this level.
This happens every couple years. Come on down, Jed, the Mighty Double-to-the-gap-King
I’ll bet a’s fans are amp’d up about this … BOTH OF THEM!!!
Since you are a Angels fan all those years of could have been must be eating you up.
You are using all of your brain cells again. Both of them!
I’d love to bring Lowrie back, no need to rush Mateo, and perhaps the squad and move Pinder, Barreto, and Neuse. With Cole out of the AL West, maybe a 100-win season could actually win the division!
Lowrie for Soria salary is close or Lowrie for Fowler plus $5 mill
Im not a fowler fan and i dont think hes in the A’s plans but i would hope to get something more decent than an injured and semi expensive jed lowrie. If you could get a comparable pitching depth prospect or maybe even use him in a package for adam frazier with a top prospect from A’s side
I doubt it, Fowler is pretty bad. 5th OF at best. Typical overrated Yankees prospect, along with Mateo. Both sported absolutely woeful walk rates last year at AAA all year. Always gotta beware when dealing with the Yankees, their media always hypes their prospects up no matter who they are.
I doubt the front office saw media reports about the players and traded for em based off that.
To be fair, back in 2017 A’s were desparately looking for a CF and any talent in the outfield. That was before the piscotty, laureano trades. Also canha who was injured and at a career at age 28 and looking more like AAAA type. Still dont get the loyalty towards grossman going into next season who the A’s like which wouldve been the small chance for fowler to claim a spot
No but the argument does have some validity. Cashman said during the season that he was having a hard time finding trade partners. If I remember correctly (and I could definitely be wrong), some writers were speculating that teams weren’t trading with the Yankees because of a belief that the Yankees’ prospects were being overhyped and/or the Yankees’ were overvaluing their own prospects.
Soria gets a $750k assignment bonus, so the contracts are a virtual wash. Not a bad idea…
I could see the Mets making the Lowrie for Soria deal and paying the $1.5M difference.
Nothing like talking lineups in December!
I’d be happy with a lineup like this vs RHP:
1. Semien, SS
2. Laureano, CF
3. Chapman, 3B
4. Olson, 1B
5. Davis, DH
6. Canha, LF
7. Piscotty, RF
8. Weiters, C
9. Lowrie, 2B
I also wouldn’t mind trading Piscotty and signing a LH outfielder like Dickerson
1. Manaea, LHP
2. Montas, RHP
3. Luzardo, LHP
4. Fiers, RHP
5. Puk, LHP
2020 will be potentially Oakland’s best squad in many years
If Oakland’s young pitchers show good health and meet their expected potential, they are a very scary team. As is, the A’s are underrated.
Underrated team with back to back 97 win seasons? Their only problem is playing in same division as astros and having to play wildcard games
Sorry, should I have said “often forgotten” or “under appreciated” or “underestimate” or any other general synonym for underrated? It was meant as a compliment and also recognizing they play in the same division as the astros. Side note, even if they were in the central or East, they’d have the same “problem” of having to play in the wild card. Next time, save it for the semantics dome, EB White.
In 2020 Montas/Puk/Luzardo > Cole/Paxton/Tanaka do not @ me
Pffftt! And you left out Severino!!!
Can’t go an hour without oozing Yankee hate Not an hour. You’re pathetic.
And just how did the Yankees get Cole when you insisted they wouldn’t? Hmmm? How’s that CROW taste?
Not sold on puk who didnt look ready, luzardo injury history is scary. Montas looked like a beast and and even after tht post suspension start vs angels at end of seasonn the stuff looked great, we’ll see
Murphy is likely going to be our starter, and Wieters would be the backup if they actually signed him. Murphy is better in every way except major league experience
Don’t understand the point of this “rumor”. A’s didn’t want to pay him so Mets foolishly signed him. Now Mets don’t want to go over luxury tax. Oakland wants him but again doesn’t want to pay. The only reason Mets would send him to Oakland is if they pay him. Not sure what A’s don’t understand here. LOL.
Who said Slusser actually knows anything about Beane wanting Jed back?
They probably aren’t banking on that, they probably just contacted one or the other about a potential deal, and let the other know the terms they wanted. Now we’re at that stage and that’s it.
A’s didn’t want to pay him so Mets foolishly signed him.
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Maybe, just maybe, the As didn’t wnat to pay him $20M/2. But if the NYMs ate half, then Lowrie might be much more attractive at $5M/1.
As commented elsewhere in this thread, I think a Soria for Lowrie deal would work for both teams. Mets would pay difference in salary which would be in the neighborhood of $1M.
if the Mets have to eat more than 4 million, I would not make the deal if I was them. you might as well keep a good hitting utility infielder for 4 million. The Mets need to just put McNeil in center field for next year. granted out positive at every position he played. He cannot be worse than Conforto was. that opens up time at third base for Davis and Lowrie.
If they pay only $5mil then they get a hamburger wrapper in return. If they pay $7.5mil they might get a hamburger. They’re trying to spend the money to get some kind of prospect or arm back and save a little cash. Otherwise Jed on the Mets is likely a clean loss of $10mil.
If they have to eat the majority of his salary to facilitate a trade they would be better off putting him on the bench as a utility infielder. It would make no sense to deal him otherwise.
Return of the Jed-i
It’s a contract year for Lowrie. He’ll do great
Giants will take Lowrie, his whole salary and Dom Smith for Dubon.
Almost makes too much sense. If the Mets need more Giants throw in Chris Shaw.
Get it done Farhan!
THANK GOD! The New York Mets can get rid of one of their bad contracts!
Please take him of our hands A’s! He has no place in the 2020 Mets
If they eat the salary can the get someone top 30 in return?
Eat the money. Send him back. He is not needed on this team. Keep the young players with more up side.
Buy high. Sell low.
Sigh
“…for that to happen, the Mets would have eat the majority of Lowrie’s $10MM salary for 2020, according to Slusser.”
Which defeats the purpose, for the Mets. For it to make sense, for them to sell low on Lowrie, it would be to get cash back to sign someone for 2020. Why do this if you’re only freeing up, say, 2m?
As unlikely as it is, for the Mets to contend they’ll need to get lucky, and Lowrie’s one year removed from a pair of 4 win seasons. They might as well hang on to him and hope, unless someone’s willing to eat all of Lowrie’s salary, which might happen if the Mets are willing to part with something like their #17 and 18 prospects.
Athletics are always interested in Jed Lowrie, ALWAYS.
Mets would have to eat a large portion of Lowrie’s salary which defeats the purpose of moving him. Unless OAK is interested in a lower level prospect to eat the entire salary, Mets should explore a trade with a team like COL. Ask for LHP McGee, who’s salary is comparable to Lowrie’s. COL fills their 2B need and Mets get a 2nd LHP for bullpen.