The Mets announced that they have acquired outfielder Billy McKinney from the Brewers for minor league left-hander Pedro Quintana. New York also transferred righty Jordan Yamamoto to the 60-day injured list.
McKinney will add some much-needed outfield depth to a Mets club dealing with a rash of injuries in that area (and just about everywhere else). Michael Conforto, Brandon Nimmo, Kevin Pillar and Albert Almora Jr. are all on the injured list, and Johneshwy Fargas is about to join them on the shelf. As a result of its injuries, the team went with a starting alignment of Dominic Smith in left, Cameron Maybin in center and Brandon Drury in right during its win over the Rockies on Tuesday.
The 26-year-old McKinney, whom the Brewers designated for assignment on May 22, comes with a fair amount of major league experience at both corner outfield spots. The former first-round pick (No. 24 to the Athletics in 2013) has seen time with the Yankees, Blue Jays and Brewers since he debuted in 2018, and he has hit .226/.285/.422 with 21 home runs in 511 plate appearances. He picked up 100 PA with Milwaukee this year but batted just .207/.260/.359 with three homers. McKinney has no minor league options left, so the Mets won’t be able to send him down without possibly losing him.
Quintana, still just 17 years old, joined the Mets in the winter as a free agent from Venezuela. There’s otherwise little information on Quintana that’s available, but the Brewers think he’s worth taking a chance on in exchange for an outfielder whom they deemed expendable.
Yamamoto went to the 10-day IL on the 23rd with shoulder soreness, and his shift to the 60-day version means he won’t return until at least the end of July. Acquired from the Marlins in the offseason, Yamamoto has made two appearances this year and allowed six runs (five earned) over 6 2/3 innings.
Uncle Stevie winning the bidding war for McKinney!
Next up to acquire is the legend Wilmer Flores. Every team should have a guy who can cry at a moments notice.
Like Wade Boggs at the end of the 1986 World Series? Because his mom was killed in an auto accident that year. Grown men cry. Get over it.
Whyhayzee enjoys a good cry, confirmed.
Sure they do, @Whyhazee.
Just – ya know – not in front of anyone.
So what if they do?
I cried watching “The Escort” this morning.
@studwinfield – what a coincidence – I cried paying the escort when she left this morning
StudWinfield
I cried watching “The Escort” this morning.
========================================================
I cry over most of the comedies on network TV, and weep for the future of our youth who will know no laughter.
It’s more of a light romantic drama. Like an indie Pretty Woman. I get teary-eyed watching that one too.
Fred, quite the mature take. Consider taking whyhayzee’s advice.
Connecting losing the World Series to losing a mother is about as bad a take as you can get. Freddie Mac’s comment wasn’t bad. Whyhayzee is consistently bad. Yours wasn’t necessary.
This inanity is a big reason why I comment less and less here. Foolish takes on foolish takes.
Have fun mocking Flores. I’m going to find something more productive to do.
While Boggs could have been lying, he explicitly said he was crying because of his mother. His explanation makes some sense:
“What few fans knew was that Boggs was crying over the memory of his mother. She’d been killed in June and he’d taken shelter in his game-day cocoon to escape the reality of her loss.
‘The finality of the season tore me up,’ he said. ‘I’d been OK as long as I had the game to preoccupy myself with. Then, when it was over, I was thinking, ‘Now I’ve got to go home and when I walk in the house, she’s not going to be there.’ That’s what’s going on when you see the image of me in the dugout.'”
@gbs, Fred is the only one mocking Flores. I’m empathizing. I really did tear up over a movie.
@Stud, sorry for the misunderstanding. My follow-up comment was directed at WereAll…
Thanks WAJGH. I see Vlad Jr is having quite the breakout. AL MVP?
Boggs drank 60 beers on a cross country flight! The man earned a good cry.
The ghost of Wade Boggs!
Ryan Braun is still a free agent and is hitting 305 at ROS plus he can play RF, LF and 1B, He can replace Conforto who is also out until late June or late July. depending on which ever BS the Mets are propagating. .Ben Gamel is also an unsigned FA who plays CF plus he is a good defender, runs well and hit singles for a 240 ish average, and both Yasiel Puig and Yoenis Cespedes are also unsigned free agents too. The Mets also need a guy who can play SS, 2B and 3B and Edwin Nunez and Jedd Gyrko are FA. who can play several IF positions The Mets need a backup infielder as Lindor is absolutely lost, plus Davis still has injury issues, and McNeil is out until late June which means Late July so sign either Braun, Cespedes plus sign Nunez for the infield. These guys want to play in the Majors, and they are available, plus they are working out so why not take a flier on Braun, and at least sign Gamel for CF, and if not Gamel then their is still Delino De Sheilds or Eddie Rosado, plus Carlos Gonzalez is still playing LF in ROS, and is a FA working on getting back to the Majors Sign Braun for RF, Gonzalez for LF, Gamel for CF, and make sure you sign Nunez as the Mets are only left with Lindor.
You’re basically naming a bunch of guys that USED to be good but won’t really help the team now
no more Yam Time 🙁
Last I heard was shoulder soreness, hopefully he just needs the 10 day rest.
Well now he’ll get 60
Oh dang, my bad. Signing out to make an Optician appointment now.
For all the fans complaining how today’s players are soft and get MRIs and go on the IL for the slightest thing, here’s an example of what happens when a player decides to pitch through some discomfort, as Yamamoto described it after his last game. Hope he recovers.
Won’t have much of a positive impact but at this point, the Mets just need warm bodies.
Amazing that more teams didn’t look for a Danny Santana type to stock in AAA.
Exactly
Mets suck, got it.
That doesn’t portend well for the rest of the division
Maybe the 6th organization is the charm….
Delino DeShields came at too high a price?
A 17 year old u have seen for a few months seems pretty steep
Can’t be worse than maybin right?
Surprised they made a trade when Dee Gordon is a FA.
You get what you pay for. $1 for Maybin’s 0-for-19 (11 K, 1 BB, 1 SB).
So $1 for a stolen base. I see you, Cohen.
It’s a dysfunctional FO that not only gets a guy like Maybin, but then continues to leave him out there even after he’s proved he can no longer play the game.
Maybin’s a great guy, by many accounts, but this reminds of nothing so much as various incarnations of the Alderson-Wilpon Mets, where in one instance they ran Matt Harvey and his 6.70 ERA out there for 18 starts, then did it again in 2018, when they were pretending to contend and it was obvious Harvey had less than nothing.
Replacement level is also called “freely available talent” for a reason. It’s comprised of AAAA guys that competent GMs can find without too much trouble, and when your AAA and AA squads are talent-free, you stock up with these guys to ensure you’re not employing Cameron Maybin in May.
Once again an Alderson Mets team has to give up actual talent to get a guy who can hit .100. Beyond ridiculous.
JackStrawb,
You are preaching to the choir to me about Sandy Alderson who is a huge fraud. Hans Christian Alderson’s The Emperor’s New Clothes, Signing and trading for Lindor, overpaying for a backup catcher in McCann, and his last 2 FO hires were deviants. Some maverick LOL.
I can’t pick on the Mets FO for this. They were devastated by injuries. It’s not like they didn’t have depth, the depth got hurt. It’s not like you have any teams willing to make blockbuster trades in May.
@jackstrawb
Actual talent?! Please tell us about this 17 year old nobody has heard of. Obviously you have more knowledge than the press that gets paid to report on the Mets. Share please!
He’s an idiot. Just ignore. Funny how he forgets that the first half of Anderson’s tenure consisted of rebuilding them from a mess to a World Series team. And trades like 2 months of Beltran for 6 years of Wheeler and RA Dickey for dArnaud and Thor
For all of your bitter hatred, you forget to note that the Mets, who have been decimated by injuries more than any team in the game, are still not only above .500, but in first. Some ‘dysfunctional FO’.
@rct I will say, the Mets are 4-11 against teams with an above .500 record. So I think the Mets winning record is a bit of an illusion due to a weak schedule, but the FO is not at fault. This team hasn’t clicked yet, and then they were decimated with injuries. Mets can easily take the division when the cavalry arrives. Braves are looking good though.
I’m actually a fan of Maybin… he’s better than Gordon or McKinney, I think
That was long ago and far away. He’s toast now
He was good in 2019.
He is like 0-20 lol
Hopefully this Quintana doesn’t come back to haunt us.
Reminds me of when the Brewers traded Adam Lind to the Mariners for 3 17 year old pitchers. One of them turned out to be pretty good….Freddy Peralta. You never know.
McKinney was amazing in spring training and for about two weeks in April for Milwaukee. Just couldn’t keep the bat going. Best of luck in NY.
BarrelMan –
What can you tell Mets fans about him on defense and overall effort?
Thanks in advance.
Eyeball test: Not bad in the outfield, can play center a bit, perhaps. Google “McKinney padres catch” and you’ll see an impressive grab in left field at Petco Park. That was a big play at the time. He has some pop, hit some homers but couldn’t continue to produce at the plate. Capable of putting the ball in play via doubles and singles when he’s right. Appears to be serious about the game and plays hard.
Baseball Savant has some interesting numbers on McKinney. Gets good jumps. Isn’t fast for an OFer, but isn’t prohibitively slow, either. Good exit velocity when he tags one, but he doesn’t hit the ball hard all that often. Weak barreling numbers. Doesn’t walk enough (career OBP’s a dismal .285), but his K rate isn’t bad.
This isn’t the team to get a sudden jump in performance out of McKinney. He’ll probably continue to be about what he has been, maybe a little worse under Rojas and the incoherent Mets’ administration’s tutelage.
baseballsavant.mlb.com/savant-player/billy-mckinne…
As a Jays fan I can tell you to expect nothing. He isn’t very good.
Drury and McKinney, together again! Wonder if that was the talk of the clubhouses during the Jays – Yankees game today …
Greatest trade in BlueJay’s history. Said no one..
This is shopping in the gourmet isle. You Go Sandy!!!!
icantstandyous –
What do you expect to get when the Mets have far more players than 40-man roster spots when these players return from injury? There are only so many journeyman to DFA.
Trust the Alderson-Cohen Mets to give up a live arm for a guy like McKinney who is barely distinguishable from replacement level talent.
McKinney in four seasons of AA ball: .258/.342/.383. On top of that he couldn’t crack a .300 OBP in his last two stints in AAA. He was moved out of CF three years ago. What can possibly be the point of this? This is a Van Wagenen move.
—It’s a good time to deal for an above average MLB OFer, if one can be had, even at the cost of some genuine minor league talent. RF is likely to open up in 2022. Furthermore, Dom looks well on his way to having his 4th subpar season out of five. That leaves the injury-prone Nimmo, who should be a LFer not just because he’s no longer a CFer, but because in stretching him to play out of position the Mets are only leaving him more susceptible to injury.
It’s foolish to keep patching when the Mets don’t even have one starting OFer, never mind three, and that after Smith, Nimmo, and Conforto return to health, if they do, the Mets will still be featuring an injury prone outfield, where one of the starters has rarely hit like a starter since 2017 and is far better suited to a bench role. On top of this, it’s increasingly likely only the division winner from the NL East will make the postseason. This is no time for half measures and vainly hoping to limp into a wild card berth that’s unlikely to be available to the team coming in 2nd in the East.
And this is no time to WASTE money on additions to the team that wont be needed in 3 weeks, The Mets are fine just wait until the big boys come off of the IL.
Please. They’re talking at least another month for Conforto, no timetable at all for Nimmo’s return, and Dom is hitting a woeful .236/.289/.314. And how many times do you think those three are ever going to play in the same game again, if they even do? Never mind that Dom isn’t hitting enough to be even a backup on a contender.
The Mets need a real OFer, Brodie. It’s well past time to pay the required freight in order to get one—or they can plan on flyfishing in October.
Milwaukee would direct your interest to Jackie Bradley Jr., he’s Billy McKinney and a whole lot more.
Should have bought Springer when they had a chance , But wait he’s hurt too. Get real! and BTW the Browns and Rainbows coming up the Madison in October is an awesome Run.
@jackstrawb
Brodie has been gone for a while and what are you willing to give up to get said real of. Its going to take more than a “live arm” of a 17 yr old that probably wont make it out of rookie ball
You going to give up 2 or 3 of the top prospects on the team because most of the top 10 are injured or not playing up to potential right now or they would be on the majors or too far off to be part of the team.
Salary relief? Justin Upton? Jason Heyward? Charlie Blackmon? Is it worth getting those guys to eat another 20+ mil out of the budget for the next few years for someone that is less than an average replacement player?
At this point what “Real OF” is available? Most teams are still playing like they have a chance. Are you trading Mauricio for Haniger? Perhaps Lagares for Alvarez?
If you were GM what would you be doing? This isnt mlb the show where you can force Jake Hager for Mike Trout and Jordan Yamamoto for Gerrit Cole deals all day long. There has to be someone else willing to trade and to somewhat be in the realm of a decent deal or you end up with Cano and his 200 million for Kalenic or it can be another Chris Archer type deal that worked out beautifully for the Pirates. Easy to arm chair it and say go out and get so and so position until you have to actually do something that makes sense.
Milwaukee isn’t going to give up Bradley, that was their big free agent signing this year.
Damn, imagine trying to sound knowledgeable about a team and then “directing” your comment at a GM they fired last year.
JackStrawb,
The Mets could have just traded Hager to the Brewers instead as they DFA’d him this week and the Brewers claimed him instead of a live arm. Mets FO and medical staff are so incompetent LOL.
What tells you he has a live arm? Maybe he is a warm body that cant even hit 50 on the speed gun? Maybe he is a guy they needed to convince his friend to sign and wouldnt go without him so here is a plane ticket and 10 grand to flame out of rookie ball at 18 yrs old. Could he be the next big thing? Maybe but how many To be named players turn out to be Jose Bautista? Probably have a better chance at hitting the lottery than a 17 yr old prospect being a star player especially one with no information available.
He is wasnt to be named?? Brewers have done this before look at Freddy Peralta
The Mets do things you can get on them for, but this is not one. The moves took place on separate days. At the time Hager was released they just needed to open up a spot on the 40 man roster, this trade was necessitated by another injury and took place days later
@jackstrawb
Ok, who do you trade for a real starting outfielder? What capable starting outfielder isn’t already hurt that another team isn’t going to ask the world for? There are even fewer CF capable players available, which really is what we need.
Warm body. Check.
think they can pry Juan Lagares from the Angels? he has 10 more hits than Maybin.
Mets gonna Met.
Why not Puig ?
And on this farm we had a Puig…Eieio
@flyby
I think you can look at the Twins, Pirates, Mariners and Diamondbacks for full time outfielders.
What do you trade for them? Low level minor leaguers, international cash or American cash straight up.
Honestly, if the Mets can get Syndergaard to make 3 or 4 healthy minor league starts, I’d send him and then try to resign him in the off season. I truly don’t think he makes 10 starts for us. But if he does, he’s gone just like Wheeler. I’d trade him as soon as other teams think he’s healthy.
Not a big puig fan but I agree. He only would cost money and if he is good enough when bodies eventually start healing you can trade him for a minor leaguer of some sort or add in a package of other players for a position in need at the deadline or something. This is obviously a depth move as they literally don’t have another position player on their 40 but I feel like they either must really see something with him or the other players mentioned in these comments would have cost more for not much more production than this guy. There will be more moves to come I’m sure. They still don’t have a backup backup backup backup cf on their roster at the moment
I wouldnt mind taking the flyer on Puig but hasnt Cohen flat out said no kind of domestic issues in the past and wouldnt even consider players or front office guys with known issues past or present?
Puig currently playing it on a contract in Mexico. I doubt he would give up a steady paycheck and playing time to come be the Mets fill in for 3 weeks, and then get released.
LOL
If no one wants Puig now why would they trade for him later?
If he has a decent bat and shows he isn’t an idiot he may increase his value. That’s what I meant.
Puig is under contract in the Mexican League.
Two words. Rob Refsnyder. The Twins could actually get something for him right now.
The legend Rob Refsnyder. The same Rob Refsnyder that the BlueJays traded for. The Jays also traded for McKinney too. hmmmmmm.
Maybe the Mets can get the legend Blake Swihart too.
Jays also traded for Drury.
Considering that the Mets made a public claim that they are on the phones 24-7 in their desperate hunt for a multi position OF and they come up with… Wait for it: Billy McKinney. Maybe Al Avila isn’t the worst GM in MLB after all.
Everyone knew they had to be seeking help… are you saying they should have pretended that was not the case and they had every intention to continue with what they had?
I hear a rumor that McKinney will get hurt during his first game as a MET!
I heard he got hurt on the flight.
Mets got Lindor extended him for a decade, got the new super rich mets fan owner and are clinging to first place on May 26th. Thats success for that franchise.
doesnt matter if you’re 1st or last on May 26th, just as long as you’re 1st by the end of September.
The NYMs should ask the RS about Chavis. He’s probably better than anyone they have now, and might be a useful backup once everyone else returns.
Braden Bishop was also DFA’d.
Mets to immediately put McKinley on dl
Well, we don’t need him to be an impact player, just some health and contact. If he can hit at all, it allows Dom to move to 1b. Even though McCann has looked just fine over there. But any kind of injury to him leaves us with Nido as the starter, which he has earned, and Mazeika. I like having Mazeika on the squad as the #3 catcher and he plays 1b, so a little more depth is good.
Maybin is something like 0-24 as a Met. Khalil Lee has one hit with about an 80% K rate. Drury is this year’s on-field version of what Lowrie was supposed to be.
Yes, CF is a concern, but even more of a concern is the starting rotation. We are one disaster away from needing bullpen games 3 days a week! We simply cannot expect anything from Carrasco or Syndergaard until it actually happens. That leaves Stroman, an inconsistent Peterson and a less than 100% deGrom.
Walker is due back Friday, but one just has to look at his track record to know anything over 100 innings is a bonus. Like every other team in baseball, you need 6, maybe even 7, true proven starting pitchers to get into the post season – pitchers that can go more than 5 innings.
Just remembered, two ‘depth’ pieces also on the IL that the Mets are missing in Mallex Smith CF and Jose Martinez LF/RF. Not that he would be up higher than maybe AA at this point as emergency preparation, but you can also add 1st round pick Pete Crow-Armstrong to the list.
We really are on our 7th string centerfielder who actually wasn’t even in the organization a week ago. This is crazy.
Maybe centerfield is just cursed since Mookie was let go?
Current CF capable IL List:
Nimmo
Conforto
Pillar
Almora (1-21)
Fargas
M. Smith (AAA)
Crow-Armstrong (A)
Active:
Villar (starting at 3b)
Lee (1-17)
Maybin (0-21)
McKinney (0-0 w/Mets)
Next man up prediction:
Mason Williams – former Oriole
side note: Rosario has better stats than Lindor so far – in CENTER FIELD!
Whats funny is the Mets asked Rosario to try out centerfield and he flat out refused saying he was a shortstop. I guess centerfield was better than bench when its the same shortstop that replaced you just on another team.
@flyby
Quite possibly, it could also have been the way it was handled as well.
Things change when you are ranked as one of the statistically worst SS in the majors and sent to a new team. I always liked Rosario and hope he does well in Cleveland. I’m sure being out from under the NY spotlight will help.
Based on the comments and what i read (and i agree could all be media as we know how they like to spin things). He was asked to take some reps in CF ala Senzel to see how he felt in the position and if he felt good would he be amenable to a possible position change or atleast increase his versatility. I was truly hoping Rosario does well i wish he would have atleast tried center as I think the mets would have had him out there regularly.splitting time with nimmo smith and rosario between center and left and the odd one out being the bat off the bench. or rotating others out for a day of rest. I do wish hi and Gimenez the best though. .
Similar thing happened with ollie perez. He wasnt cutting it as starter the mets asked him to try the bullpen and he rather sit and pout than be a reliever. Rode in the bullpen until the mets cut him and sat out a year. Came back as a nearly lights out reliever if i remember and is still pitching as one today.. Sometimes coaches and managers do see something that players dont. Maybe give it a chance and it might work.
Sure why not. Time to give up on Maybin though.
This is all the Mets GM could do after “hours and hours” on the phone?
The guy is barely AAA
What about Kyle Segar?
Is this it?
They need OFrs. And what do they give up for Seager? You wanna obliterate the future just to fill a few holes?
money!
McKiney is not good and you need more than ONE man.
@Dan
Remember, it takes two to make a deal. Yes, he would be a nice add for the Mets, but maybe, just maybe, this regime is gun shy making another deal with Seattle.
On top of that, it doesn’t mean a deal isn’t being worked on or scouts flying out to games. Seager, Haniger, Fraley and Mariners currently injured could be in play. Maybe was available to suit up within hours and literally no cost to the Mets. They had to make that deal. McKinney has major league experience and healthy. Had to make that deal too. Both are expendable once our players get healthy. I’m sure any team on the other end of the line at are asking for Mets top prospects and we are countering with lower level guys. The deals that get made first are the easiest ones that bring in major leaguers for tomorrow’s game. Our AAA team is already up here or already on the DL!
Problem solved.
We shall see if the problem is solved