Just Mets Digest: January 13 - 19

Here's a roundup of this week's Mets news and stories, and notes from around the league

What’s Up with the Mets This Week? 🍎

January 19

• Former Met Kevin Plawecki has retired from baseball (personal announcement)

January 18

• The Mets signed LHP AJ Minter to a two-year, $22 million contract with a player opt-out (story)

• RHP Matt Allan - the Mets third round pick in the 2019 draft - is expected to be healthy and pitching in spring training after missing most of the last four years with arm injuries (New York Post)

• Mark Vientos has been working out at third base all winter - his transition to first base, if needed, would take place during spring training (New York Post)

January 17

• Pete Alonso rejected a three-year counter-proposal from the Mets in the $68-70 million range, and now the club is pivoting away from him - talks have broken down between the two sides (New York Post)

• Brett Baty, Ronny Mauricio, and Luisangel Acuña could become more crucial to the infield should Alonso sign elsewhere (New York Post)

• The Mets have reportedly re-signed Jesse Winker for one year, $8 million (story)

• The organization is renaming their visiting clubhouse in honor of Tony Carullo who worked for the team for 51 years (Official)

• The Mets released their 2025 promotional schedule (Official)

January 16

• The Mets are “holding the line” with free agent 1B Pete Alonso - a move that owner Steve Cohen fully supports (SNY)

• Having already done their homework on potential alternatives, the Mets have checked in with the Blue Jays on Vladimir Guerrero Jr., although a trade for the star 1B doesn’t seem likely (SNY)

• Progress has been made on the structure of a deal, but the two sides remain far apart on the financials, and the Mets have told Alonso’s camp that they need a decision soon (NY Post)

• The Mets signed 17-year-old SS Elian Peña - considered by many scouts to be the next best prospect outside of RHP Rōki Sasaki - to a $5 million deal on the first day of the international signing period

• The Mets are showing interest in former Yankees LHP Tim Hill - who had a 2.05 ERA in 35 appearances with the Yanks in 2024 - in a bid to bolster the bullpen (Newsday)

• The Mets RHP Austin Warren off waivers from San Francisco. Warren posted a 1.69 ERA in six appearances for the Giants in 2024

• The Mets will be featured on ESPN’s Sunday Night Baseball four times in the early part of the 2025 schedule, including marquee matchups against the Yankees and Dodgers (ESPN)

January 15

• New York is expected to sign 17-year-old SS Elian Peña today, the No. 2 ranked international free agent this offseason (Baseball America)

• Peña is expected to sign in the $5 million range – nearly double the franchise record for an international signing bonus

• The club’s first Spring Training workout dates were officially announced on Tuesday (Mets.com)

• The Mets are still “not close” in the Pete Alonso negotiations (NY Post)

January 14

• The Mets have been informed Rōki Sasaki will be signing elsewhere - the finalists are the Dodgers, Padres and Blue Jays (ESPN)

• Sean Manaea told reporters on Monday he wants the Mets to re-sign Pete Alonso, and is hopeful the two sides can come to terms

January 13

• Sunday marked the 19th anniversary of Gary Cohen, Keith Hernandez, and Ron Darling being named the broadcast trio for SNY (This Date in Mets history)

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Hot Stove Roundup ♨️

January 19

• LHP Tanner Scott signed a four-year, $72 million deal with the Dodgers (MLB.com)

January 18

• The Blue Jays are engaged in talks with OF Anthony Santander (Sportsnet)

• The Twins are still actively exploring trades (Athletic)

• RHP Roki Sasaki has agreed to sign with the Dodgers (personal announcement)

• The A’s continued to add to their payroll, signing RHP José Leclerc to a one-year, $10 million contract (official)

• RHP Shintaro Fujinami and the Mariners are in agreement on a minor league contract (MLB Network)

• Former Met C Tomás Nido is re-signing with the Tigers on a minor league contract (MMO)

January 17

• Beloved Hall of Fame broadcaster and voice of the Brewers Bob Uecker passed away at the age of 90 (Athletic)

• The Cubs and OF Kyle Tucker avoided arbitration and agreed to a $16.5 million contract

• The Blue Jays still prefer to sign Vladimir Guerrero Jr. rather than trade their star (Heyman)

• The Blue Jays are reportedly seeking a package for Vladimir Guerrero Jr. that goes beyond what the Padres got for Juan Soto (SNY)

• Talks on an extension between Guerrero and the Blue Jays are expected to ramp up before his self-imposed deadline of February 17 (Athletic)

• Toronto is one of the teams interested in signing Pete Alonso (SNY)

• Alex Bregman is still seeking a long-term deal in free agency (USA Today)

January 16

• The Nationals and free agent outfielder Franchy Cordero agreed to terms on a minor-league deal with an invite to spring training (Just Baseball)

• ESPN released its first batch of matchups for Sunday Night Baseball for the 2025 season, which begins on March 30 with the Braves at the Padres (ESPN)

• The Yankees acquired RHP Michael Arias from the Chicago Cubs for cash considerations

• The A’s signed Japanese two-way player Shotaro Morii to a minor-league contract on Wednesday

• The Dodgers and Padres have been calling teams to trade for international bonus pool money in order to make better offers to free agent phenom RHP Roki Sasaki(MLB.com)

• The Cubs could enter the Alex Bregman sweepstakes if the free agent third baseman shows interest in a shorter-term deal (670 The Score)

• The Giants have held recent talks with free agent outfielder Randal Grichuk about a potential move to The Bay (FanSided)

January 15

• Former Mets RHP Robert Stock agreed to a minor league contract with the Red Sox (MassLive)

January 14

• The Yankees are bringing in Dominic Smith on a minor league deal with an invite to spring training (YES Network)

• The Braves backed out of a contract they agreed upon with Jeff Hoffman due to concerning medicals, as did the Orioles - he did sign with the Blue Jays for three years, $33 million (MLB.com)

• The Mariners agreed to sign Donovan Solano to a one-year, $3.5 million contract (FanSided)

January 13

• The Nationals are signing former Mets right-handed reliever Jorge López (Rosenthal)

• The Braves inked Garrett Cooper to a minor league pact (FanSided)

• The Red Sox plan to use Masataka Yoshida in the outfield in 2025 after originally shopping him this winter (MassLive)

• Blue Jays righty Alec Manoah is hoping to make his return from Tommy John Surgery in August (Toronto Star)

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Stories ✍️

• What exactly is the “pivot” from Pete Alonso? (Baron)

• Mets signed LHP AJ Minter to a two-year contract (MacLeod)

• The Mets and Pete Alonso are playing a frustrating game of chicken (Surovich)

• Mets re-signed OF Jesse Winker to a one-year contract (Baron)

• A conversation about Vladimir Guerrero Jr. (Steele)

• Under the radar free agents that can help the Mets (MacLeod)

• The next opportunity for the Mets to bolster their pitching staff (Baron)

• Brett Baty’s future is stuck in limbo (Mears)