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Mets GM: “No Movement” In Any Recent Extension Talks

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Much of the discussion about the Mets in Spring Training revolved around the team’s extension negotiations with Francisco Lindor and Michael Conforto. There was more urgency to work out a deal with Lindor, since the star shortstop had set an Opening Day deadline to conclude talks. Conforto, on the other hand, left open the possibility of in-season discourse.

The Mets and Lindor came to terms on a ten-year, $341MM deal just hours before the regular season began. Those negotiations seemed to keep Conforto’s situation on the back burner, as the Mets and the outfielder’s representatives at the Boras Corporation reportedly did not exchange dollar figures during the spring.

Just over a month later, it doesn’t seem the parties have moved any closer to an agreement. Mets acting general manager Zack Scott told reporters (including Deesha Thosar of the New York Daily News) that “there’s been no movement on anything contract wise for anyone” on the roster recently. That’s most notable regarding Conforto, although Scott’s statement was broad enough to suggest there’s nothing currently developing with other impending free agents Marcus Stroman or Noah Syndergaard either.

That there’s no movement on an extension in early May is not to say the Mets won’t be able to keep one or more of those players long-term. Scott didn’t suggest the Mets or any of the players were averse to future negotiations. There’s obviously still plenty of time in the season to discussion extensions with any or all of that group. Even if the players do reach the open market, nothing prevents the Mets from winning the free agent sweepstakes, just as the division-rival Phillies brought back J.T. Realmuto in January.

Conforto remains the most prominent of the Mets’ impending free agents. The 28-year-old outfielder placed seventh on MLBTR’s most recent free agent power rankings. Conforto got off to a slow start but has turned things around over the past few weeks, resulting in an overall .226/.368/.355 line over his first 114 plate appearances. That’s a step back from the cumulative .261/.365/.478 (128 wRC+) mark he compiled from 2018-20, but there’s reason to believe his bottom line numbers will improve as the season progresses.

Despite the low batting average, Conforto’s putting the bat on the ball more than ever. His 79.9% contact rate would be a career-best mark and is nearly five points higher than the league average. Meanwhile, Conforto’s swinging strike rate is at a career-low 8.5% and his plate discipline has remained strong, as evidenced by a 14.9% walk rate. His power production is down from recent seasons, but Statcast metrics suggest he’s still barreling balls at an above-average clip and making hard contact at a rate similar to past seasons. Leaguewide power production tends to improve as the year progresses and the weather gets warmer, so it wouldn’t be surprising to see Conforto find some more extra-base authority in the coming weeks and months.

Stroman and Syndergaard, meanwhile, have the potential to be among the top free agent starters available. The former is again scheduled to reach the market after accepting the Mets’ $18.9MM qualifying offer last winter. He’s off to a very strong start, working to a 2.10 ERA/3,57 SIERA over his first 34 1/3 innings. Stroman has never gotten huge strikeout totals, but he’s again finding plenty of success by throwing strikes (5.1% walk rate) and keeping the ball on the ground (55.1% grounder rate). Syndergaard is still on track to return from his March 2020 Tommy John surgery in June, giving him a couple months down the stretch to demonstrate he’s back to peak form.

East Notes: Mets, Orioles, Nationals

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Mets President Sandy Alderson said that he expects extension talks with Francisco Lindor and Michael Conforto to begin soon, per Bob Nightengale of USA Today (via Twitter). Both players are scheduled for free agency after the 2021 season. Lindor, for his part, has made clear that he will not negotiate an extension beyond opening day, so the window is now for Alderson and the Mets. Alderson also put forth Noah Syndergaard’s name as a potential extension candidate as well, notes Tim Healey of Newsday (via Twitter). Syndergaard, of course, is on the way back from Tommy John surgery and won’t likely appear until mid-season, but he will also be a free agent at year’s end. Extending those three would certainly cost a chunk of change, but the Mets do have roughly $100MM coming off their payroll next offseason. Interestingly, Marcus Stroman was not mentioned as an extension candidate. His $18.9MM salary could help provide the necessary raises next season for Lindor, Conforto, and Syndergaard. While we’re here, let’s check in with some other clubs in the East…

  • Orioles outfielder Cedric Mullins is giving up switch-hitting to bat lefty full-time, writes Rich Dubroff of Baltimorebaseball.com. After a horrendous 2019, Mullins bounced back somewhat in 2020, doing enough to stay on the Major League roster to appear in 48 games and 153 plate appearances with a palatable .271/.315/.407 slash line. Mullins is trying to make the Orioles roster as a fourth outfielder, though there are certainly more at-bats available if he proves capable. Giving up his right-handed swing could force him into a more straight platoon, but he hasn’t been helped by his work on the short side of that split anyhow. For his career, Mullins has hit just .146 as a right-hander with a 26 wRC+ (versus 90 wRC+ as a lefty). The split was even more pronounced last season when he earned a 118 wRC+ as a left-handed hitter versus 34 wRC+ from the right side. If nothing else, Mullins should be able to simplify his routine by focusing on one swing.
  • Erick Fedde may have stumbled upon a solution to his wandering fastball command, writes Jesse Dougherty of the Washington Post. In his first start of the spring, Fedde turned to his cutter, a pitch that has long eluded him as he has tried to establish himself as a Major League pitcher. Fedde’s cutter did not help his cause in either 2018 or 2020, per Fangraphs pitch values, though in 2019 it was his best offering. Fedde is competing for the Nats fifth starter job, though he’s not likely to win the job out of camp. With one option remaining, the Nationals have more roster flexibility with Fedde than with his competitors Joe Ross and Austin Voth. For Fedde to stick long-term, he probably needs both his sinking fastball and his cutter to work with more consistency.

Marcus Stroman Accepts Qualifying Offer

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Marcus Stroman has announced on Twitter that he will accept the Mets’ qualifying offer. Metsmerized first reported that he planned to do so (Twitter link). By accepting, Stroman will return to Queens on a one-year deal worth $18.9MM.

Marcus Stroman | Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports

Stroman indicated that new owner Steve Cohen’s passion and commitment to winning played a role in his decision, writing: “After watching the presser, I’m beyond excited to play for you sir. I could feel the excitement and passion you’re going to bring daily. Let’s go be great!”

Stroman’s decision to accept the qualifying offer removes arguably the No. 2 free-agent starting pitcher from the market this winter. It’s of note that he’ll accept his QO as well, given that he and fellow QO recipient Kevin Gausman are both represented by agent Brodie Scoffield of Klutch Sports. Every pitcher is different, of course, and Scoffield has had the past 10 days to explore the different markets for both pitchers, but it still could offer a portent of what lies ahead for Gausman.

For the Mets, Stroman’s decision takes an immediate bite out of their 2021 payroll, but Stroman at one year and $18.9MM nonetheless represents a solid value for a club expecting to increase spending under its new owner. With Noah Syndergaard on the mend from Tommy John surgery and Steven Matz looking like a non-tender candidate, the Mets were thin on options beyond ace Jacob deGrom and impressive rookie David Peterson.

Stroman now gives the Mets a solid mid-rotation option with a strong track record to slot into the second or third spot in that rotation. He didn’t pitch in 2020 due to both a calf injury and an eventual season opt-out, but the longtime Blue Jays hurler has fared well in a hitter-friendly home park and division for the majority of his career.

From 2014-19, Stroman put together a 3.76 ERA and 3.64 FIP with averages of 7.4 strikeouts, 2.6 walks and 0.83 home runs per nine innings pitched. He’s one of the game’s foremost ground-ball pitchers, inducing grounders on 56.6 percent of balls put in play against him, which helps him to limit the long ball but is also cause for some concern given the Mets’ poor infield defense. Of course, returning president Sandy Alderson and whoever he hires to fill out his front office will have ample opportunity to put together a stronger defensive unit this winter should they choose.

Stroman joins deGrom ($33.5MM), Robinson Cano ($24MM), Jeurys Familia ($11MM), Dellin Betances ($6.8MM) and Brad Brach ($2.075MM) as the sixth player on a guaranteed contract currently on the books for the Mets. (The Mariners are paying $3.75MM of that Cano money, and $13.5MM of deGrom’s salary is deferred — although he’s also owed $10MM of a deferred signing bonus this coming January.)

Add in a notable arbitration class headlined by Syndergaard, Michael Conforto, Edwin Diaz, Brandon Nimmo, Dominic Smith and J.D. Davis among many others, and the Mets’ commitments could quickly jump north of $140MM. Still, that’s a pretty tepid number for a club whose owner just proclaimed: “…this is a major market team and it should have a budget commensurate with that.”

Cohen naturally added some caution, noting that his Mets will not spend “like drunken sailors,” but it’s clear that even with Stroman on board at a relatively premium rate, the Mets have plenty of room in the budget to continue adding pieces. That becomes all the more if Matz and other borderline arbitration candidates are cut loose, as is widely expected. Most in the industry expect the Mets to be in the mix for the market’s top free agent, with Citi Field being an oft-speculated landing spot for J.T. Realmuto and George Springer alike.

DJ LeMahieu To Reject Qualifying Offer

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As expected, DJ LeMahieu plans on rejecting the $18.9MM qualifying offer and testing the open market, per MLB.com’s Mark Feinsand (via Twitter). The deadline to make a decision is tomorrow at 5 ET.

Given that LeMahieu posted and MVP-type season in 2020, it’s no surprise that he’ll head to the open market seeking a multi-year deal. The two-time batting champ has now won a batting title in each league, and he’s primed to cash in for more than the two-years, $24MM that he made last time he was a free agent. The Yankees certainly got their money’s worth over the past two seasons, as LeMahieu slashed .336/.386/.536 with 36 home runs over 871 plate appearances.

Despite the expected for a depressed free agent market, LeMahieu figures to be one of the rare players who will be able to transcend the coronavirus-driven downturn. The 32-year-old not only brings a top-of-the-line bat, but he’s a versatile defensive player who would fit on most any roster. That he happens to get rave reviews for his character and clubhouse presence is only icing on the cake.

As for the rest of this year’s qualifying offer crop, MLB Insider Jon Heyman suggested on his Big Time Baseball podcast that Kevin Gausman is the only relative sure thing to accept his offer from the Giants. Heyman couldn’t quite decide on Marcus Stroman, though he at least thinks there’s a possibility that Stroman would accept. That seems unlikely, given his position as perhaps the top starting pitcher on the market, but a decision will be made by tomorrow evening.

Stroman: “No Amount Of Money” Would Convince Him To Play For La Russa

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The White Sox’ decision to hire Tony La Russa as their new skipper was widely panned from the get-go, and last night’s revelation that the team knew he’d been charged with a second DUI prior to making the hire has only enhanced criticism. The La Russa hire, however, is now generating a negative reaction beyond fans and pundits.

After The Athletic’s Keith Law further criticized the White Sox last night on Twitter in light of the newest details, free-agent righty Marcus Stroman replied to call the decision “baffling on all measures.” Asked by a follower what type of contract it would take for Stroman to sign to play under La Russa, the pitcher replied: “No amount of money honestly. Peace of mind is always priority.”

Much has been made of whether La Russa will be able to connect with a younger generation of players, particularly in light of his vocal 2016 stance against Colin Kaepernick’s protests in the National Football League. La Russa seemed to double down on those comments earlier this year, fueling questions about how he’d be received by current White Sox players. Tim Anderson, who sits on the board of the Players Alliance, spoke of keeping an open mind but noted that although more than a week had elapsed since the hiring was announced, La Russa had yet to contact him.

The White Sox surely knew there’d be pushback against the initial La Russa decision — particularly considering they knew about the latest DUI that had yet to become public — but it’s unlikely they’d have anticipated such public rejection from a prominent free agent like Stroman. Still, Stroman didn’t mince his words, and it stands to reason that there are other free agents and other players who hold similar opinions (even if they don’t vocalize them).

A White Sox official told USA Today’s Bob Nightengale last night that La Russa would not lose his job and in fact wasn’t even in line to face any discipline from the organization, although Stroman’s comments only figure to place further pressure for some kind of action on owner Jerry Reinsdorf.

It’s become increasingly clear, after all, that the decision to hire La Russa came solely from Reinsdorf and was not well-received elsewhere in the organization. Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic wrote this morning that Reinsdorf turned the “La Russa Express into a runaway train,” adding that White Sox executives were “unable to stop their owner from bringing his longtime friend back into the organization.”

Latest On Marcus Stroman

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Mets right-hander Marcus Stroman opted out of pitching in 2020 because of concerns over COVID-19, but that shouldn’t stop the free agent from securing a big payday during the offseason. The Mets have already issued him a qualifying offer worth $18.9MM for next season, though Stroman could turn that down and test the open market. Indeed, he’s “more likely” than not to reject the QO, Mike Puma of the New York Post reports.

[RELATED: MLBTR’s Top 50 Free Agents With Predictions]

This isn’t necessarily a surprise for Stroman, who may be the top starter on the free-agent market after Trevor Bauer. The 29-year-old Stroman has been a quality No. 2/3 type throughout his career, which began in 2014 and has included 849 1/3 innings of 3.76 ERA/3.64 FIP pitching with 7.36 K/9, 2.59 BB/9 and a 58.6 percent groundball rate.

Stroman has posted 200-inning seasons on two occasions, and when he last pitched, he racked up 184 1/3 frames. That type of durability would  be welcome for the Mets or any other team looking for a starter capable of racking up a lot of frames and performing well. Just about every club is looking for a hurler like Stroman for its rotation, meaning he should rake in quite a bit of money in free agency.

Six Players Extended Qualifying Offers

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Six players will be extended qualifying offers this winter, reports Mark Feinsand of MLB.com (Twitter link). Those players are:

None of the players issued the QO comes as a particular surprise. Bauer, LeMahieu, Realmuto and Springer were all easy calls for their respective teams. Each of that group will certainly reject the offer. Stroman and Gausman might’ve been tougher calls but had been reported previously.

More notable are the series of players who were not issued a QO. Astros outfielder Michael Brantley will hit the market unencumbered, as he did when he became a free agent two years ago. Oakland didn’t issue a QO to either of Marcus Semien or Liam Hendriks, while the Phillies and Angels decided against an offer for Didi Gregorius and Andrelton Simmons, respectively. The six players issued a qualifying offer is down from last offseason’s ten, which isn’t much of a surprise since this winter is expected to be particularly tough for players in the wake of teams’ pandemic-driven revenue losses.

The players issued the qualifying offer will now have ten days to weigh their options. Players who reject the offer and become free agents will cost their signing teams draft compensation (or the right to recoup draft compensation if they sign with their current team). Here is a full run-down of the qualifying offer rules this offseason.

Mets Extend Qualifying Offer To Marcus Stroman

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TODAY: The Mets officially announced that Stroman was issued a qualifying offer.

OCTOBER 31: The Mets plan on extending a qualifying offer to starting pitcher Marcus Stroman before tomorrow’s deadline, per MLB.com’s Anthony DiComo (via Twitter). The move does not come as a particular surprise, despite Stroman opting out of 2020. Some mystery remained, however, as the revenue losses around the game already made for some surprising cost-cutting decisions.

With that in mind, Stroman could consider accepting the $18.9MM offer, play one more year in New York, and return unencumbered to what should be at least a marginally more favorable free agent ecosystem after 2021. Under traditional circumstances, Stroman should have no problem finding a multi-year deal on the open market, but there’s more uncertainty than ever. Still, Stroman is among the very best free agent starters available, should he decline the qualifying offer and test the open waters. He is represented by Klutch Sports.

The Mets would likely welcome him back, especially with Noah Syndergaard to miss the beginning of the season while recovering from Tommy John surgery. Stroman made 11 starts down the stretch after GM Brodie Van Wagenen traded for him on July 28, 2019. Stroman was a long-rumored trade candidate with the Blue Jays, but the Mets emerged somewhat surprisingly as his ultimate destination despite being at the very fringes of contention at the time. Stroman was unable to move the needle even while going 4-2 with a 3.77 ERA/4.15 FIP in 59 2/3 innings with 9.1 K/8 to 3.5 BB/9. The Mets gave up two pretty good pitching prospects in Anthony Kay and Simeon Woods Richardson for those 11 starts from Stroman, though at the time, of course, the Mets expected to get a full 2020 from Stroman as well. He ultimately opted out of the 2020 season.

Throughout his career with the Mets and Blue Jays, the 5’7″ right-hander has a 51-47 record across 146 appearances (140 starts) totaling 849 1/3 innings with a 3.76 ERA/3.64 FIP and 7.36 K/9, 2.59 BB/9, and 59.6 GB%. He went 1-1 with a 4.40 ERA/4.15 FIP in 5 playoff starts with the Jays between 2015 and 2016, including a 6-inning, 2 earned run no-decision in a deciding game 5 ALDS win over the Rangers in 2015.

Free Agent Faceoff: Gausman v. Stroman

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The upcoming offseason’s free-agent pitching market is not flush with ace-caliber talent. There’s Trevor Bauer, who should sign the richest deal in free agency (at least on an annual basis), and then a slew of hurlers with their share of warts. For those who can’t afford Bauer or the many bidders who lose out on him, there will be a shortage of high-caliber talent. Kevin Gausman and Marcus Stroman are likely the two best pending free-agent starters beyond Bauer, which doesn’t seem all that encouraging.

While both Gausman and Stroman have logged at least OK numbers for most of their careers, neither has been a top-level starter. For instance, the soon-to-be 30-year-old Gausman is only a year removed from the Braves placing him on waivers, but he was a capable starter with the Orioles before then and a good reliever with the Reds after that.

Gausman settled for a one-year, $9MM contract with the Giants last offseason, though that proved to be a great investment for the club. He wound up making 10 starts in 12 appearances as a Giant and pitching to a 3.62 ERA/3.09 FIP with 11.92 K/9 and 2.41 BB/9 across 59 2/3 innings. Among 81 pitchers who accumulated 50-plus frames, Gausman finished seventh in swinging-strike rate, 14th in K/BB ratio and 15th in FIP. There’s a lot to like about that combination, especially for someone who averages around 95 mph on his fastball.

Stroman, who will also turn 30 before next season, is the more accomplished hurler than Gausman. The former Blue Jay and current Met has recorded a 3.76 ERA/3.64 FIP through 146 games (140 starts) and 849 1/3 frames since he debuted in 2014. Stroman continued that sort of production last year between the teams, and though he doesn’t throw as hard as Gausman, he has overcome a relative lack of velocity with a high amount of grounders and a low number of walks. The problem for Stroman as he nears free agency is that he didn’t pitch at all in 2020 because of coronavirus-related concerns. You can’t blame Stroman for exercising caution, but it remains to be seen whether taking the season off will affect him on the market.

Now, considering the lack of quality starters going into the offseason, Gausman and/or Stroman could be in line for qualifying offers and fairly expensive multiyear pacts. Which player do you think should earn more? (Poll link for app users)

Marcus Stroman Opts Out Of 2020 Season

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The Mets announced Monday that right-hander Marcus Stroman has opted out of the remainder of the 2020 season. The right-hander, who is a free agent at season’s end, called the move a family decision and cited the many “uncertainties” and “unknowns” of playing in the current health-and-safety atmosphere.

This obviously represents a major blow to the Mets’ hopes in 2020. While Stroman will forgo the remainder of his $12MM salary, it isn’t as if there’s an obvious way for the team to reinvest it for a player of similar quality — at least, not without giving up substantial prospect value via trade.

The decision puts a bow on the Mets’ end of last summer’s trade that brought Stroman to Queens. Adding him cost two promising young starters: Anthony Kay and Simeon Woods Richardson. The club remained competitive late in 2019 but was already in too deep a hole to make a postseason run. And now Stroman won’t throw a pitch in the 2020 campaign.

It all sets up several intriguing contract situations in the future. Stroman, who had been on the injured list, did not opt out until after he had reached six full years of MLB service. That means he’ll still qualify for free agency. Whether the Mets will extend Stroman a qualifying offer, as once seemed sure, remains to be seen. And it’ll be interesting to see how the open market treats the high-quality 29-year-old.

Stroman is now listed among the players around the game that have opted out of the 2020 season.

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