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Latest On Jose Iglesias, Mets

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The Mets signed Nick Madrigal to a split contract yesterday, seemingly addressing the team’s desire to add an experienced utility infielder alongside the younger in-house infield options.  The signing led to fresh questions about the status of last year’s veteran infield hand in Jose Iglesias, who remains unsigned in the wake of a magical season on and off the field in Queens.

Jon Heyman of the New York Post wrote yesterday that “the Mets haven’t yet strongly pursued” Iglesias to this point in the offseason.  The Post’s Mike Puma added a bit more context to the situation, noting that the Mets may see Iglesias as slightly redundant within the team’s crowded infield depth chart, even though “Iglesias hasn’t been ruled out” for a return.

Iglesias signed a minor league contract with New York last offseason, and that contract was selected to the active roster on May 31, when the Mets also optioned Brett Baty down to Triple-A amidst a flurry of other roster moves.  Known more for his glove than his bat over his long career, Iglesias improbably delivered the best offensive performance of his 12 MLB seasons, hitting .337/.381/.448 with four homers (for a 137 wRC+) over 291 plate appearances.  His arrival on the roster almost exactly coincided with the Mets’ turnaround, as the team had a 23-33 record before Iglesias’ contract was selected and then a 66-40 record afterwards.  If that wasn’t enough, Iglesias even recorded the pop song “OMG,” which became the Mets’ anthem and unofficial rallying cry for the 2024 season.

Despite all this success and Iglesias’ role as a clubhouse leader and fan favorite, it is understandable why the Mets haven’t been proactive in re-signing the 35-year-old.  Iglesias’ offensive showing was heavily powered by a .382 BABIP, as he didn’t walk much or make hard contact.  To Iglesias’ credit, his sprint speed helped him turn some of those grounders into base hits, and he kept a lot of balls in play by rarely striking out.

Still, it is safe to assume that the Mets might view Iglesias’ 2024 numbers as something of a fluke, so moving to the roster flexibility offered by Madrigal’s split contract could be the team’s preferred tactic.  As Puma noted, New York might ideally prefer that any of its veteran infield options remain purely as depth, lest they block any playing time for Baty, Luisangel Acuna, Ronny Mauricio or others.

Mets Designate Luis De Los Santos For Assignment

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The Mets announced that they’ve designated infielder Luis De Los Santos for assignment. That creates a 40-man roster spot for Nick Madrigal, who officially signed his one-year free agent contract.

New York had claimed De Los Santos off waivers from the Blue Jays within the first few days of the offseason. The 26-year-old had spent his entire career with the Toronto organization until then. De Los Santos signed with the Jays out of the Dominican Republic in 2015. He played eight seasons in the minors and was called up for the first time after the trade deadline. De Los Santos appeared in 13 games late in the year, hitting .172 with a pair of doubles across 31 plate appearances.

The righty hitter appeared in 43 contests with Triple-A Buffalo last season. He hit .268/.376/.486 over 154 trips to the plate. That improved his career Triple-A batting line to .228/.343/.393 in parts of three seasons. De Los Santos has shown a decent eye (12.7% walk rate) with below-average contact rates at that level. Primarily a shortstop, he has a decent amount of experience at all four infield positions.

New York is likely to put De Los Santos back on waivers within the next few days. He has two option years remaining, so a team could keep him in Triple-A if they’re willing to carry him on the 40-man roster. De Los Santos has never been outrighted and would not have the ability to elect free agency if he goes unclaimed on waivers.

Mets Sign Nick Madrigal

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The Mets have a one-year agreement with infielder Nick Madrigal, the club announced. It’s reportedly a split deal that pays the Wasserman client $1.35MM in the majors, with another $500K available via performance bonuses.

Madrigal, 28 in March, has spent the past five seasons in Chicago. Playing for both the White Sox and the Cubs, he has generally served as a light-hitting, part-time depth infielder. He has stepped to the plate 940 times over those five seasons. His 9% strikeout rate is very low but he also doesn’t walk much, taking free passes 4.6% of the time. While he puts the ball in play a lot, he doesn’t do a ton of damage in the process. He currently has just four home runs and sports a career batting line of .274/.323/.344 for an 88 wRC+. Statcast hasn’t given him strong marks for his exit velocity, hard hit rate nor his barrel rate.

He has been able to contribute in other ways. He has 17 stolen bases in 23 attempts. His defense is also well regarded. He has racked up eight Defensive Runs Saved at third base in his career and has been league average at second base. Outs Above Average has given him a +7 score at the hot corner and +2 at the keystone.

The Cubs could have kept Madrigal around for the 2025 season via arbitration, with MLBTR contributor Matt Swartz projecting him for a $1.9MM salary. The Cubs decided to non-tender him instead, sending him to free agency without having to put him on waivers.

The Mets have some uncertainty in their infield. Francisco Lindor has shortstop locked down. Jeff McNeil’s offense hasn’t been great lately but even his diminished production has been better than Madrigal’s. He can also play the outfield but the Mets are fairly crowded out there. Since he’s still making an eight-figure salary, he’ll probably be the regular at second.

The corners are more up in the air. Pete Alonso remains unsigned, giving the club a theoretical hole at first base. However, it’s been suggested that the club might be content to have Alonso move on. In that scenario, the club would move Mark Vientos over from third to first, leaving the hot corner open for a competition between Brett Baty, Ronny Mauricio and Luisangel Acuña.

They have also lost a key depth infielder. They signed Jose Iglesias to a minor league deal last offseason, which turned into a huge win. He got into 85 games and hit .337/.381/.448 while filling in at second, third and short. He became a free agent at season’s end. Recent reporting has suggested that the Mets were interested in bolstering their infield depth.

Madrigal still has an option remaining, so he doesn’t need to be guaranteed a spot on the active roster. The fact that the Mets have given him a split deal suggests that going to the minors is a distinct possibility. If he eventually gets a big league roster spot, he could potentially replace Iglesias in that bench infielder role. If the young third base options struggle, he at least gives them a glove-first option there. If any of the club’s outfielders get injured and McNeil needs to go out there, or McNeil himself gets hurt, Madrigal could step in. An injury to Lindor could lead to Acuña or Mauricio covering short, which would bump Madrigal up the chart at third.

Since Madrigal has that option, there’s nothing really stopping the Mets from bringing back Iglesias or some other veteran infielder, so they’ve added some depth without closing any doors to other possibilities and at a fairly minimal cost. Jon Heyman of The New York Post reported yesterday that the Mets “haven’t yet strongly pursued” a reunion with Iglesias. If Madrigal still has a roster spot at season’s end, he can be retained via arbitration for 2026.

Joel Sherman of The New York Post first reported that the two sides were in agreement. Anthony DiComo of MLB.com first reported that it was a split deal. Will Sammon of The Athletic reported that it was a one-year pact. Sherman then reported the fact that Madrigal passed his physical, as well as the big league salary and bonuses.

Mets Have Shown Interest In Mark Canha

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The Mets offered free agent outfielder Mark Canha a non-guaranteed deal at some point this offseason, reports Jon Heyman of The New York Post. That clearly wasn’t enough to push an agreement over the finish line, but it does indicate some interest from his former club.

Canha, 36 next month, has been a solid regular for many years now, but unsurprisingly, his production has dipped as he has moved into his mid-30s. Last year, between the Tigers and Giants, he stepped to the plate 462 times. His 11% walk rate and 20.8% strikeout rate were both a bit better than average, but he only hit seven home runs, his lowest tally in a full season since 2017. His .242/.344/.346 batting line led to a 102 wRC+, indicating he was 2% better than league average overall. He also stole seven bases without being caught and provided roughly league average defense, both in the outfield corners and in first base.

As recently as 2022, his first with the Mets, he was able to slash .266/.367/.403 for a 126 wRC+ and produce 2.6 wins above replacement. But in 2023, split between the Mets and Brewers, he dropped to a 111 wRC+ and 1.7 fWAR. Last year, he was down to the aforementioned 102 wRC+ and 1.0 fWAR.

It’s perhaps not the most exciting profile, but Canha now stands as one of the better outfielders still available. Juan Soto, Jurickson Profar, Teoscar Hernández, Anthony Santander, Tyler O’Neill, Michael Conforto, Max Kepler and others have all come off the board. What remains is a collection of players with narrower skill sets and notable weaknesses, such as Canha, Alex Verdugo, Randal Grichuk, Jason Heyward, Harrison Bader, Ramón Laureano and others.

At worst, Canha still seems capable of playing a small-side platoon role. He has fairly neutral splits in his career but has hit lefties better more recently. Last year, he slashed .229/.330/.327 against righties but .275/.380/.394 against southpaws, leading to respective wRC+ tallies of 94 and 124. He has enough defensive versatility to play all four corner spots, though he would only be an emergency option at third base, with just 29 career innings there.

The Mets have a somewhat crowded infield mix at the moment but still seem open to possible changes. Soto and Brandon Nimmo will have regular work in the corners. Jose Siri and Tyrone Taylor will likely battle for playing time in center. They also have Starling Marte and Jesse Winker. Those two are likely best suited for the designated hitter slot but they also can play the outfield some. Marte’s name has been in trade rumors and the Mets are reportedly willing to pay down some of  his remaining contract to facilitate a deal. The first base situation is also a bit up in the air with Pete Alonso unsigned, though it seems likely that Mark Vientos would take that spot if Alonso signs elsewhere, leaving third base open for one of Brett Baty, Ronny Mauricio or Luisangel Acuña.

Despite all those in-house outfield options, they reportedly expressed interest in both Hernández and Profar before they signed their respective free agent deals in L.A. and Atlanta. That suggests that adding depth, perhaps in conjunction with a Marte trade, is a path they have considered.

Canha wouldn’t be expected to be as impactful as either of those two this year, which is likely why the Mets only offered a non-guaranteed deal. But given that he was still a useful player in 2024, it’s not surprising that he is still holding out for a better offer elsewhere. The Twins have been seeking a right-handed bat to help in the outfield corners and possibly at first base. The D-backs could use a righty complement to a primarily left-handed outfield group. The Red Sox are also known to be looking for a righty bat. And, of course, spring injuries could create new opportunities for Canha before long.

Mets Have Shown Interest In Dylan Cease

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The Mets are among the teams that have spoken with the Padres regarding Dylan Cease, writes Jon Heyman of The New York Post. Jon Morosi of the MLB Network reported this afternoon that the Cubs were also involved on the star righty.

Cease is one of the biggest names to watch over the next six weeks. San Diego has fielded interest in virtually all of their highly-priced players who could test free agency next offseason (e.g. Cease, Luis Arraez, Michael King, Robert Suarez). Every contender could be involved on Cease, who is coming off a fourth-place finish in NL Cy Young balloting.

If he does move, it’d be the second straight winter in which Cease is dealt late in the offseason. The Padres acquired him from the White Sox midway through Spring Training last year. His first season with the Friars was excellent. He worked to a 3.47 ERA while striking out 224 batters over 189 1/3 innings. Cease has not missed a start since 2019. He has topped 200 strikeouts in four straight seasons and has two top five Cy Young finishes in the past three years.

San Diego has had a quiet winter as they navigate payroll restrictions and squabbling amongst their ownership group. The Padres only have three pitchers who’d be locked into their season-opening rotation: Cease, King and Yu Darvish. Trading either Cease or King would subtract from the rotation’s ceiling, but it stands to reason they’d demand at least one cheaper MLB-ready starting pitcher as part of the return. San Diego also needs to find a new left fielder after letting Jurickson Profar walk in free agency.

Last year’s Corbin Burnes trade serves as a template for what the Friars could demand for Cease. The Brewers netted two MLB-ready players who’d been borderline top 100 prospects (Joey Ortiz and DL Hall), plus the 34th overall pick in the 2024 draft, from the Orioles. Cease is slated for a $13.75MM salary in his final year of arbitration. While the Padres do not expect to work out a long-term deal with the Boras Corporation client, they’re trying to balance their long-term outlook against the goal of returning to the postseason this year.

Heyman suggests that the Padres could subsequently look to sign Jack Flaherty or Nick Pivetta if they deal Cease or King. That’d require an unexpected willingness to stretch the budget. Even if they look to short-term deals, Flaherty and Pivetta should each beat $13.75MM annually. Pivetta would also require draft pick forfeiture after declining a qualifying offer. That series of events would raise payroll and still leave San Diego with a hole in left field unless they address that via the hypothetical Cease trade.

The Mets have been reluctant to make long-term pitching investments under president of baseball operations David Stearns. They’ve addressed the rotation with a series of shorter-term moves. They brought back Sean Manaea for three years and (a partially deferred) $75MM, added reliever conversion pickup Clay Holmes on a three-year deal, and taken a two-year flier on Frankie Montas. That trio joins Kodai Senga and David Peterson in their projected starting five. Paul Blackburn, Tylor Megill and Griffin Canning are depth options. It’s not a bad group but lacks a true ace, especially if Senga’s workload is limited after he barely pitched in 2024.

Mets Designate Dylan Covey For Assignment

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The Mets made their signing of right-hander Ryne Stanek official today. Per Will Sammon of The Athletic, right-hander Dylan Covey has been designated for assignment as the corresponding move.

Covey, 33, has never pitched for the Mets. He was with the Phillies in 2024 but was outrighted off their roster in August. He elected free agency at season’s end and the Mets signed him to a big league deal at the end of October.

The righty has been a starter for most of his career but converted to relief work more recently. He tossed 39 innings out of the Philly bullpen in 2023 with a 3.69 earned run average. His 15.6% strikeout rate wasn’t strong but he did manage to get ground balls on 54% of balls in play.

He wasn’t really able to follow that up in 2024. He started the season on the injured list due to a right shoulder strain, eventually getting transferred to the 60-day IL. He wasn’t able to start a rehab assignment until late July. Once he was healthy, the Phils ran him through waivers instead of adding him back to the roster. Before the offseason came, he managed to toss 15 Triple-A innings with a 1.20 ERA, 27.6% strikeout rate, 12.1% walk rate and 71.4% ground ball rate.

Covey has always been a ground ball guy, so perhaps the Mets were intrigued but that uptick in strikeouts to end the season. Per the Associated Press, his deal pays him an $850K salary while in the majors and $350K while in the minors.

That minor league salary is relatively large, which is probably by design. Per the minor league collective bargaining agreement that was worked out a couple of years ago, the Triple-A minimum salary is just under $36K, so Covey’s is almost ten times that.

If he were to clear waivers, he would have the right to elect free agency since he has more than three years of big league service time. But since he has less than five years of service, heading to the open market would mean forfeiting what’s left of his deal. If he clears waivers, that means no club is willing to give him a big league roster spot, meaning he would likely be limited to minor league offers on the open market. That means he should probably just keep his current minor league deal. It’s possible that all comes to pass in the next few days. If it does, the Mets will get to keep Covey as some bullpen depth but without him taking up a roster spot.

Mets Re-Sign Ryne Stanek

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January 30: The Mets now have made it official. Right-hander Dylan Covey has been designated for assignment as the corresponding move.

January 29: The Mets are bringing back right-handed reliever Ryne Stanek. New York is reportedly in agreement with the MVP Sports Group client on a one-year, $4.5MM guarantee with an additional $500K available in incentives. The Mets will pay a 95% luxury tax on the contract, pushing their investment to $8.775MM. The team has yet to announce the signing, which is still pending a physical.

Stanek, 33, played the 2024 season on a one-year, $4MM deal originally signed with the Mariners. Seattle flipped him to the Mets over the summer in a deal netting them minor league outfielder Rhylan Thomas. Stanek had a pair of very rough outings early in his Mets tenure but finished out the regular season on a hot streak (2.92 ERA, 18-to-4 K/BB ratio in 12 1/3 innings) before playing a key role in the Mets’ postseason run. The big 6’4″ righty held opponents to three runs on five hits and three walks with eight strikeouts in eight frames during the playoffs. He got the final out in three Mets victories during the postseason (all of them non-save situations): Game 1 of the Wild Card Series and Games 1 and 3 of the NLDS.

Since establishing himself as a big leaguer back in 2018, Stanek has been consistently successful in short stints. He’s pitched 382 1/3 innings and logged a 3.53 ERA, fanning a very strong 27.6% of opponents against a less palatable 11.6% walk rate (about three percentage points north of average). Stanek has technically “started” 56 games in his career, though those were all working as an opener in Tampa Bay.

Stanek is typically good for one to two innings of high-octane relief, averaging 97.8 mph on his four-seamer in his career — including 98.1 mph over the past three seasons. His strikeout rate is strong, and his bat-missing ability is elite, evidenced by a hefty 15.1% swinging-strike rate in his career (and a mark of 15% or better in five of his seven seasons). Since Stanek debuted in 2017, only nine of the 214 pitchers with at least 400 innings pitched have a better swinging-strike rate — and that list is a veritable who’s-who of star pitchers (Josh Hader, Edwin Diaz, Jacob deGrom, Max Scherzer, Raisel Iglesias, Ryan Pressly, Craig Kimbrel, Shane McClanahan). Poor command undercuts Stanek’s raw ability to generate whiffs at times, but that ability and his potent raw stuff continue to intrigue clubs.

Stanek joins A.J. Minter — who inked a two-year, $22MM deal — as a late-inning addition for president of baseball operations David Stearns this offseason. That pair will help set up for Edwin Diaz. The Mets have a deep collection of other arms to consider for the bullpen. Free agent pickup Griffin Canning seems ticketed for a long relief/swingman role, while short-relief candidates include Reed Garrett, Jose Butto, Danny Young, Sean Reid-Foley, Dedniel Nunez, Huascar Brazoban, Austin Warren, Max Kranick, Kevin Herget and Tyler Zuber. Each of Butto, Young, Reid-Foley and Dylan Covey are on the 40-man roster but out of minor league options; there’ll be some movement among this collection of depth arms between now and Opening Day.

Stanek is the third free agent addition for the Mets in the past couple weeks. They’ve also added Minter and Jesse Winker in that span — all at a time when they’re reportedly expecting longtime cornerstone Pete Alonso to sign elsewhere after he rejected a three-year offer from the team. The potential for a reunion there will continue to linger, owner Steve Cohen’s recent public comments notwithstanding, but the Mets have now added $23-24MM in 2025 salary and another $25-26MM worth of luxury taxes since Alonso turned down that offer.

Anthony DiComo of MLB.com first reported that the Mets and Stanek were in agreement on a one-year deal. SNY’s Andy Martino indicated the salary would land between $4MM and $5MM. Mark Feinsand of MLB.com reported the $4.5MM guarantee and the $500K in bonuses.

Mets Notes: Alonso, Stanek, Jansen

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Per reporting from earlier this week, the Mets have an agreement in place to re-sign Ryne Stanek to a one-year deal. They almost made a very different bullpen addition, however. Both Andy Martino of SNY and Ken Rosenthal and Will Sammon of The Athletic report that the Mets were talking to Kenley Jansen before agreeing to terms with Stanek.

The report from The Athletic suggests that the Mets couldn’t get the deal done, in part, because Jansen is looking for a chance to close. He currently has 447 saves, which puts him fourth on the all-time list. The 37-year-old doesn’t have much hope of catching Mariano Rivera (652 saves) or Trevor Hoffman (601), but he is just 53 away from getting to the 500-save plateau. He’s also not far from passing Lee Smith, who is in third place with 478, though Craig Kimbrel is also right behind Jansen at 440 and still active.

The Mets can’t really offer Jansen the closing role he’s looking for, however, as they have Edwin Díaz cemented as their ninth-inning guy. Jansen has also received reported interest from clubs such as the Tigers, Blue Jays and Cubs this winter, though likely has talked to several others without it leaking out. Those three clubs have all made bullpen additions this winter, with the Tigers signing Tommy Kahnle, the Jays signing Jeff Hoffman and Yimi García and the Cubs acquiring Ryan Pressly.

In the latter case, Pressly waived his no-trade clause from the Astros because he was unhappy with that club signing Josh Hader to replace him as the closer. It would therefore be quite stunning if the Cubs did the same thing to him by signing Jansen. The Tigers and Jays are better on-paper fits for bringing in a closer, though there are plenty of others. The Nationals, Angels, Diamondbacks and Brewers are some clubs that have competitive aspirations and don’t have a surefire closer.

Turning back to the Mets, Martino suggests that getting Stanek instead of Jansen keeps the door open a crack for a Pete Alonso return, since Jansen will surely sign for more than the $4.5MM guaranteed that Stanek got. The report from The Athletic suggests that, in addition to the lack of a closing opportunity, the Mets didn’t like Jansen’s price tag. No details were provided on what he’s looking for but late-30s relievers like Kirby Yates, Aroldis Chapman and Blake Treinen each got eight-figure salaries this winter.

The staredown between Alonso and the Mets has been going on for quite some time now. It does appear there is some mutual interest in a reunion, though the club’s behavior suggests they’re not too worried about him leaving. A couple of weeks ago, it was reported that they offered him a three-year deal that was valued in the $68-70MM range. When he and his representatives at the Boras Corporation turned that down, they reportedly decided it was time to leave the table and pivot to other options.

In the past few weeks, the Mets have seemingly pivoted to spreading money around to various other players. They have added A.J. Minter and Stanek to the bullpen in recent weeks, as well as bringing Jesse Winker back into the position player mix. None of those moves have explicitly blocked the path to a reunion with Alonso, but it’s possible they signal a willingness to spend their remaining budget on multiple smaller moves.

Both Martino and Will Sammon of The Athletic report that a depth/utility infielder is a remaining item on the to-do list. Jose Iglesias was a revelation for them in 2024, hitting .337/.381/.448 in 85 games, but became a free agent at season’s end. The Mets have a cluster of young infielders in Mark Vientos, Luisangel Acuña, Ronny Mauricio and Brett Baty but likely want all of those guys getting regular playing time, either in the majors or the minors. Therefore, bringing back the still-unsigned Iglesias or some other veteran for a part-time role is a sensible addition.

RosterResource currently projects the club for a $301MM payroll and a $297MM competitive balance tax number. They had those numbers in the $330-360MM range in each of the past two years, so they could certainly still add a big contract if willing to get up there again. But despite the seemingly endless resources of owner Steve Cohen, president of baseball operations David Stearns has taken a disciplined approach to roster building. Rather than go for the top free agent pitchers like Corbin Burnes or Max Fried, he opted for shorter deals for Sean Manaea, Frankie Montas and Clay Holmes, in addition to playing hardball with fan favorite Alonso.

Alonso’s situation is one of the biggest unresolved storylines of the offseason, with pitchers and catchers set to report to spring training in about two weeks. Despite his huge home run power, he hasn’t found a contract offer to his liking yet. That’s likely due to his limited overall profile, as his defense, baserunning and pure hitting skills aren’t considered as strong as the power. His offense was also a bit lower in the past two years compared to his previous seasons. If he doesn’t return to Queens, clubs like the Blue Jays, Angels and Giants have also been in the mix for his services, but the offers from those clubs presumably haven’t been overwhelming, given that he is still unsigned.

Despite the frustrating winter, it doesn’t appear an agency change is upcoming. Per Ben Nicholson-Smith of Sportsnet, agents are being told they can’t contact Alonso, seemingly because the first baseman has no interest in switching representation at this time. The first baseman had switched before, going from Apex Baseball to Boras at the end of the 2023 season. Though his free agency is playing out in frustrating fashion, it’s understandable that he doesn’t view now as a good time to make such a significant change, with the new season so close.

It’s theoretically possible that he decides to switch representation later, as Jordan Montgomery did last spring. After his disappointing trip to free agency led to a two-year deal with the Diamondbacks, the lefty switched to Joel Wolfe and Nick Chanock of Wasserman in April and later said that Boras “kind of butchered” his free agency. On the other hand, Blake Snell defended Boras after he also had to settle for a two-year deal. Snell ended up opting out and securing a five-year, $182MM deal with the Dodgers this winter. Matt Chapman and Cody Bellinger also had disappointing free agencies with Boras last winter and have stuck with him. Chapman ended up getting a six-year, $151MM extension from the Giants. Bellinger didn’t use the first opt-out on his three-year deal but will have another chance after the upcoming season.

Max Scherzer Hosts Workout For Several Teams

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It’s been a relatively quiet offseason with regard to chatter on future Hall of Famer Max Scherzer. The three-time Cy Young winner was limited to nine starts of 3.95 ERA ball for the Rangers in 2024. He missed time early in the year while recovering from offseason back surgery and was also sidelined by a nerve issue in his hand, shoulder fatigue and a strained hamstring. It’s a length list of issues, particularly for a pitcher who turned 40 last summer.

Still, Scherzer has been preparing to pitch in 2025 and recently held a workout for scouts, Mark Feinsand of MLB.com reports. SI.com’s Pat Ragazzo reported recently that the Blue Jays, Dodgers, Yankees, Mets, Phillies, Braves, Red Sox and Cubs were among those who were represented at the showcase. (That’s not necessarily an exhaustive list of teams.)

The Blue Jays have been the team most prominently linked to Scherzer thus far in the offseason, and Feinsand indeed suggests that Toronto has been the most serious suitor for Scherzer. Ragazzo adds that the Mets have “some level of interest” in bringing Scherzer back on a one-year deal. Time will tell whether the right-hander’s recent showcase for scouts drums up any new bidders, but Feinsand quotes one showcase attendee who suggested that Scherzer looked good — not up to his prior Cy Young standards but still “good enough to be an effective starter.”

At least in the 43 1/3 innings Scherzer managed amid all those maladies in 2024, that looked to be the case. In addition to his previously mentioned 3.95 ERA, the right-hander fanned 22.6% of opponents (roughly average) with a terrific 5.6% walk rate. His once-95-mph fastball sat at a career-low average of 92.5 mph in 2024, however, and he dealt with home run troubles for a second straight year (1.65 HR/9 in 2023, 1.45 in 2024). The righty’s swinging-strike rate (14.6%) remained excellent, but most of those whiffs came off the plate. Scherzer’s opponents made contact on 83.1% of swings within the strike zone — his highest level since 2011.

For the Jays, Scherzer wouldn’t need to reprise his status as an ace, however. Kevin Gausman, Chris Bassitt and Jose Berrios have the top three spots in the rotation. Bowden Francis and Yariel Rodriguez follow, but Francis has minor league options remaining and Rodriguez could move back into the bullpen. Toronto’s pitching depth, in general, is somewhat shaky with Alek Manoah on the mend from elbow surgery and top prospect Ricky Tiedemann missing most of the 2024 season due to injury. Rotation candidates beyond the top five include prospects Jake Bloss and Adam Macko as well as non-roster invitees Adam Kloffenstein and Eric Lauer.

The Mets have a more crowded staff, but president of baseball operations David Stearns is known for hoarding depth. Kodai Senga, Sean Manaea, Frankie Montas, David Peterson, Paul Blackburn and reliever-turned-starter Clay Holmes make up the starting staff right now. Swingmen Griffin Canning and Tylor Megill could get looks, too, as could top prospect Brandon Sproat. Fitting Scherzer into the puzzle is a bit of a challenge, particularly given the 110% luxury task the Mets are facing.

MLBTR Podcast: Ryan Pressly To The Cubs, Bregman’s Future, And Jurickson Profar

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The latest episode of the MLB Trade Rumors Podcast is now live on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and wherever you get your podcasts! Make sure you subscribe as well! You can also use the player at this link to listen, if you don’t use Spotify or Apple for podcasts.

This week, host Darragh McDonald is joined by Anthony Franco of MLB Trade Rumors to discuss…

Plus, we answer your questions, including…

  • Will Ben Cherington get the Pirates a right fielder before spring training? (21:10)
  • What is holding up Jack Flaherty’s market? (23:15)
  • Why is the MLB offseason so different from the other sports? (29:00)
  • Is there a common thread with the unsigned free agents? (32:50)
  • Brett Baty to the Padres and Luis Arráez to the Mets, straight up, no money changing hands. Who says no? (38:45)
  • News of the Pirates signing Adam Frazier breaks during recording (39:25)
  • Back to the Baty-Arráez question (39:50)
  • Should the Cubs get Michael King from the Padres and what would the cost be? (42:50)

Check out our past episodes!

The podcast intro and outro song “So Long” is provided courtesy of the band Showoff.  Check out their Facebook page here!

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