Mets to sign notable international free agent, and a look at Jordan Montgomery for the rotation
Plus, could the Mets actually deal for Juan Soto?
What’s Up with the Mets? 🍎
The Mets are expected to sign Vladi Miguel Guerrero, the younger brother of Vladimir Guerrero, Jr. (MMO)
Yoshinobu Yamamoto will meet with finalists for his services during the Winter Meetings next week in Nashville (SNY)
Rumor Mill 💭
The Mets are considering Jordan Montgomery for their rotation (Marino)
The Mets and Yankees are among those discussing a trade for Juan Soto (z101digital)
The dream scenario with Juan Soto, and a realistic note on Jordan Montgomery… ✍️
It’s funny - front offices have a baseball calendar just as much as people who write about those front offices have a baseball calendar.
And we all follow that calendar to the same beat of the drum. Year after year, after year after year.
Front offices are at the stage where it’s time to consider the meat of free agency with the Winter Meetings more or less set to start Sunday night in Nashville.
We, as in those who write and talk about these front offices, have a free form of sorts to talk about who these teams might sign, who they might not sign, and most of the time, we are all wrong about it.
But still, its our time to continue to speculate, and in some cases dream even for the most impossible of scenarios.
Take the Juan Soto rumor from Héctor Gómez. First off, he is a highly reputable, very connected reporter. The rumor is probably accurate that the Mets are speaking about a possible trade for one of the game’s best players. They have the prospect currency, they have the financial currency, and he would make their team a lot better.
But realistically, is this going to happen?
Steve Cohen, David Stearns, and pretty much everyone who speaks about the club has insisted for the better part of two years the Mets are trying to build a prospect pipeline, as in get more prospects when they can while preserving that currency in their transactions for major league players. It doesn’t mean they won’t make trades - it just remains unlikely they’d be willing to trade their most valuable prospects in any scenario.
Now, Soto is arguably the exception to any trade scenario because there’s almost no way the Padres would get equal value or even equal output in the long-term in any deal they make for Soto with any club. But it still goes against the grain for the Mets unless they know for sure they can not only acquire Soto but retain him in a contract extension.
And, why would Soto do that right now?
It’s ok to dream, it’s ok to imagine Soto in a Met uniform. Maybe a year from now we are having a different conversation.
I can be wrong too. But I’d be floored and shocked if the Mets swung a deal for him right now. I’m dreaming though, just like everyone else. I have almost nothing better to do right now, anyway.
Now, onto another topic.
I’d like to discuss Jordan Montgomery, who has emerged as one of baseball’s most reliable and consistent starters over the last three seasons. He isn’t going to be the ace-like pitcher the Mets are seeking in Yoshinobu Yamamoto, but he seems to be an ideal candidate for this rotation.
Why?
Forget the ERA. Look at the durability, look at those innings. Those are things the Mets kind of need for their rotation, wouldn’t you say? Especially after a season where it seemed like every single pitcher in their rotation struggled to throw five innings. That would sometimes feel like a great day for their staff when that happened.
Montgomery, who will soon turn 31, has averaged 31 starts and 175 innings in each of the last three seasons. He has spent time with the Yankees, Cardinals and Rangers during that span. He started his career with the Yankees and was really a mainstay in their rotation until the Yankees decided to deal him to St. Louis last year, for whatever reason.
Montgomery isn’t going to be the big swing-and-miss arm in the rotation. He is a strike thrower, a pitch-to-contact guy with a great sinker which helps him keep the ball in the yard, that being another feature the Mets should be considering for their rotation.
He’s also battle tested in New York, has been in the postseason in three of the last four seasons and of course, won a ring with Texas in 2023.
He has a lot of suitors, including the Yankees, Red Sox, Rangers and pretty much anyone else who wants a pitcher who doesn’t usually gets hurt. If the Mets could snag Yamamoto and Montgomery, their rotation all of a sudden looks very strong 1-4, albeit not as formidable on paper as it might have one or two years ago. Yamamoto would pair with Kodai Senga and the top with Montgomery and José Quintana serving as quality 3-4 arms in the middle of the rotation. The Mets could then consider a lesser arm for the fifth spot or have Tylor Megill and the party hash that spot out in spring training.
I did want to talk about the bullpen today, but I can table that conversation for tomorrow.
Hot Stove 🔥
The Blue Jays are downplaying the possibility they might deal Bo Bichette this winter (Sportsnet)
The Tigers are looking for more starting pitching even after signing Kenta Maeda (MLive)
The Reds and Cubs have discussed a trade with the Guardians for Shane Bieber (MLB Network)