The Rockies “Want to join” the Mets regarding third baseman Nolan Arenado, according to Jon Morosi of MLB Network (via SNY’s Danny Abriano). It’s unclear whether the Mets have any interest in Arenado, but team chairman Sandy Alderson told WFAN on Wednesday that he “Expect to be involved” in the trading market for players with large contracts and players with one year of control, Tim Healey from Newsday tweets. Arenado’s contract certainly counts as “big” as he owes $ 199 million for the next six years. The five-time All-Star will have the chance to leave his deal after next season, but that seems even less likely than before given the economic uncertainty in the entire league.
More from Queens …
- Right-handed Noah Syndergaard is “On track or maybe a little ahead of schedule” During his recovery from late March’s Tommy John surgery, manager Luis Rojas told reporters (per Mike Puma of the New York Post). Meanwhile, Alderson revealed on WFAN that the “reasonable” Expect Syndergaard to return to the majors in June. With Syndergaard on the shelf, the Mets are scheduled to start next year Jacob deGrom, Marcus Stroman and David Peterson as their top three starters, but it wouldn’t be a surprise to see the team add to the rotation before then.
- Before they signed catcher James McCann on a $ 40.6 million four-year deal, the Mets took an interest in fellow backstop Tyler flowers, Healey reports. He would have been a fallback option had the Mets missed McCann. Although 34-year-old Flowers has a longer track record of success than McCann, 30, the latter was the better player of the past few seasons. Flowers, who has spent the past five years with division rival Braves, comes from a year where he hit .217 / .325 / .348 with one home run and a bloated 42.5 percent strikeout percentage in 80 at bats. He supported ex-Met Travis d’Arnaud in 2020.
- Amed Rosario has made 387 of his career 388 appearances at shortstop, although he will start receiving reps at third base, Rojas said (via Anthony DiComo of MLB.com). However, Rosario is not given time in the outfield. “That’s something he’s not doing, and we’re not going to do it with him right now,” Rojas said. Although Rosario is only 25, the former star perspective has not lived up to the hype in the majors so far. He posted an uninspired .252 / .272 / .371 line last season with four homers and a lean 2.7 percent walk, losing game time to Andres Gimenez. Barring an off-season addition, Gimenez appears to be the front runner to start for the club in 2021.