Mets are shopping two veterans, one of which should not be traded right now
The Mets are listening to offers for both Carlos Carrasco and James McCann on the trade market
What’s Up with the Mets? 🍎
The Mets are continuing to shop both Carlos Carrasco and James McCann (SNY)
Trevor May is joining the A’s on a one-year, $7 million contract (official release)
Michael Conforto is drawing continued interest from the Marlins along with the Mets, Astros and Rangers (New York Post, Athletic)
The Mets will hold a news conference on Tuesday at 10 AM ET at Citi Field to introduce Justin Verlander
The Mets announced several minor league signings on Friday, all of which received invites to Major League Spring Training:
RHP Jimmy Yacabonis
OF Abraham Almonte
INF José Peraza
RHP Sean Reid-Foley
RHP Tommy Hunter
PSA: Mets Transaction Tracker 📣
We are keeping a running log of all official off-season Mets transactions. Simply click this link and check back regularly for updates!
There’s no reason to trade Carlos Carrasco, right now… ✍🏻
With Kodai Senga reportedly coming on-board for five-years, $75 million, the Mets rotation appears all but set with him in the middle of Max Scherzer, Justin Verlander, José Quintana, Carlos Carrasco.
However, the Mets appear to be shopping Carrasco’s services around along with James McCann, according to SNY’s Andy Martino.
While it certainly makes a ton of sense to shop McCann now that the Mets reportedly signed Omar Narváez to a contract, it doesn’t really make a whole lot of sense to consider moving Carrasco.
Right now, anyway.
First off, the Mets payroll is projected to be around $350 million. Add in the 90 cents to the dollar penalty and the effective payroll is closer to $430-435 million (before they do anything else, which is all but a certainty). With Carrasco set to earn $14 million in 2023 after the Mets picked up his option, that certainly seems like a bargain in this market, doesn’t it?
Now, one could easily argue that at $700,000 for David Peterson or $1.4 million for Peterson and Tylor Megill, they might be able to get equal pitching value on the mound at a lesser cost with younger arms. And certainly, Peterson at a minimum has earned an opportunity to pitch in the rotation as he was unquestionably a savior for the Mets pitching staff from start to finish in 2022.
But with Carrasco, they know what they’re going to get. For $14 million, they get experience, they get a steady, six inning pitcher who certainly isn’t what he was earlier in his career but still a quality, mid-rotation starting pitcher in the big leagues.
He’s also a truly great and inspirational story.
Keeping him around would afford the Mets to use Peterson and/or Megill as depth, swing arms or long relievers. Both will certainly get opportunities to start when injuries inevitably hit the rotation, and/or they need to manage doubleheaders, long stretches without breaks, and so on.
Now, back to the payroll for a second.
For argument’s sake, let’s say it was a dollar-for-dollar luxury tax hit for the Mets above $233 million. If the Mets shed Carrasco’s $14 million salary entirely and we double that to account for the tax hit, that’s $28 million off the books.
Or, not even 10% of the remaining payroll, which would be around $320-$325 million plus tax.
In other words, the juice isn’t worth the squeeze when looking to trade Carrasco from a payroll perspective either.
Maybe at the trade deadline.
The Mets have already come this far with the roster, and are paying out big time to try and fulfill their championship aspirations. When considering the (relatively) small savings, the (relative) bargain that is Carrasco in 2023, cutting into their starting pitching depth and the questions which would arise as a result of moving the experience veteran, I can only ask one final question.
Why bother?
Just keep Carrasco and go for it.
Hot Stove 🔥
The White Sox have agreed to sign Andrew Benintendi to a five-year, $75 million contract (ESPN)
Joey Gallo is going to the Twins on a one-year, $11 million contract (New York Post)
The Giants officially announced their deal with Sean Manaea (official release)
The Red Sox are seriously considering signing Dansby Swanson, who is also drawing interest from the Dodgers, Cubs, Twins and Braves (New York Post)
The Royals are willing to entertain trade offers for Michael A. Taylor (Athletic)
Former Met Anthony Kay was designated for assignment by the Blue Jays to make room for former Met Chris Bassitt on the roster
The Red Sox designated Eric Hosmer for assignment
The Mets need quality RPs more than they need Carrasco at this point. I understand the argument to keep Carrasco as part of the SP depth, but if a trade can get back decent RP, then they have to consider it.