Stuffed with turkey and the pumpkin pie long gone, it’s time to start Black Friday bargain hunting.
While today is the day to get the best deals on TVs, computers, clothes and maybe even a new car, this is also the time that baseball executives start thinking about bargains, too.
With the Winter Meetings just two weeks away, and the test to see if the free agent market is going to meander like last year or pick up steam, there are some deals in spots where the Mets need upgrades out there to be made if new GM Brodie Van Wagenen is looking for them.
The Mets need to bulk up the back end of their bullpen. After trading away Jeurys Familia and allowing A.J. Ramos to walk, they don’t have a closer in waiting except handing the role to Robert Gsellman and seeing how he handles it.
Sometimes, you can even get some high-end luxury items at a discount and the Mets could try to go after Zach Britton. A proven closer isn’t going to come cheap, but after Britton’s injury-shortened year, his market value is slightly down. After Achilles surgery delayed the start of his 2018 season, however, scouts were convinced he had his stuff back at the end of the year.
From 2014-16 he was the best closer in the game. In 2016, his 0.54 ERA with 47 saves were enough to get him into the Cy Young conversation.
Britton could be the chance to sign an elite closer at a reasonable price with the added bonus of signaling to a disenchanted fanbase that the Mets are seriously committing to winning. And with the Yankees having already reached out to Britton’s agent about bringing him back, what would perk up the Flushing Faithful more than beating out the Yankees?
If the Mets are not willing to commit to a luxury item like Britton or an Adam Ottavino, Brad Brach is another possible bargain at the back end of the bullpen. After being traded from the Orioles to the Braves this year, Brach seemed rejuvenated. He pitched to a 1.52 ERA in 27 appearances.
Or the Mets could gamble with Kelvin Herrera. After tearing the Lisfranc ligament in his left foot on a routine fielding play in August, the 28-year-old is expected to be healed and ready to pitch for most of 2019. While he struggled in a short stint with the Nationals (4.34 ERA in 18.2 innings), he had been pretty steady with the Royals for years before that — where his pitching coach was current Mets pitching coach Dave Eiland.
The Mets also really need to upgrade at catcher to complement their core of strong pitching. Signing Yasmani Grandal, who turned down a qualifying offer of $17.9 million with the Dodgers, is going to cost big bucks. Trading for J.T. Realmuto is not only going to be expensive in terms of prospects, but the Mets would have to give up young, controllable, major league players as well.
So, Martin Maldonado could be the best bargain. He is not going to add much to the Mets’ lineup offensively, hitting nine home runs with a .627 OPS last year, but he would help shut down the running game. He threw out 49 percent of baserunners in 2018 — something the staff desperately needs. If the Mets are going to rebound quickly based on their pitching, they need a veteran catcher who can help them. The 32-year-old backstop made $3.9 million last year and would be worth a raise if he can get the most out of the Mets pitchers.
They could also use an infielder. Sure, Jeff McNeil had a hot finish to the season, but as the old baseball saying goes: Don’t believe what you see in September. The Mets need to have some insurance and also a veteran bat who can play all over the infield.
Jed Lowrie would be a huge upgrade. He hit 23 homers and 37 doubles last season with an .801 OPS. The 34-year-old has played second base the last few years and has made it clear he is willing to play anywhere. The A’s also raved about his veteran leadership, something the Mets have lacked in recent seasons.
Another versatile infielder who could come at a discounted price is Josh Harrison, who had his $10.5 million contract option declined by the Pirates after a down season. Harrison, however, had a pretty solid couple of years before that — including 42 stolen bases over the four previous years. The Mets could use some speed and Harrison’s defensive versatility, which includes second and third base as well as the corner outfield positions, is a plus.
Happy shopping!
