The Winter Meetings start Sunday in San Diego and it might lastly convey some readability to the Mets’ ongoing roster retool. With Jacob deGrom nonetheless unsigned it may present a chance to lastly get him signed.
The conferences return for the primary time since 2019. They had been canceled as a consequence of COVID-19 in 2020 and the lockout in 2021. It’s honest to query whether or not or not the conferences are even that related anymore contemplating executives are usually simply texting each other from numerous lodge suites, nevertheless it does nonetheless generate pleasure and after a sluggish winter, baseball may use some pleasure.
Without labor strife, there hasn’t been any urgency at no cost brokers to signal with new groups. Aaron Judge and deGrom can take their time and discover the conditions introduced to them by every crew. Now that every one of baseball is convening in a single place once more, the new range may lastly warmth up.
Here are some storylines to look at for because the Mets head into the largest week of the offseason.
WHERE WILL DEGROM GO?
The Mets are nonetheless hopeful that the free-agent ace will return to the membership that drafted and developed him, however deGrom remains to be doing his personal due diligence and exploring different groups in different markets.
The Winter Meetings have typically favored beginning pitchers of deGrom’s caliber. In 2019, Gerritt Cole and Stephen Strasburg every inked offers, with Cole signing his record-setting $324 million contract with the Yankees and Strasburg signing a $245 million extension with the Washington Nationals. In 2014, Jon Lester signed with the Cubs for $155 million.
For what it’s price, all of these offers had been made in San Diego.
General supervisor Billy Eppler spoke with the media Thursday and declined to supply a selected replace about talks with deGrom, however he did say he has been in contact with a lot of gamers to gauge their markets.
“Talks are continuing to advance on a number of fronts and a number of demographics,” Eppler mentioned in a Zoom name. “Whether it’s starting pitching or position players, there’s some more clarity. And as that continues to happen, and as those conversations continue to happen, you get a sense of things that kind of fall into reality.”
DO THE METS NEED TO SIGN DEGROM FIRST?
According to Eppler, the membership doesn’t want to attend on deGrom to proceed with the remainder of the offseason. But it’s not easy. The Mets can’t wait perpetually. They need to put a roster in place and if deGrom continues to take his time along with his choice they might must pivot.
“I wouldn’t say that’s critically important,” Eppler mentioned. “We’ve assessed the market. And again, we’ve had enough dialogue to try to get a sense of what we think is the reality. We are positioned to be able to execute other things if it makes sense and we get close enough. So we don’t need one thing to happen first before other things can become a reality.”
WHERE WILL NIMMO LAND?
Outfielder Brandon Nimmo is in the identical place as deGrom, exploring free company for the primary time after spending his profession with the Mets. He’s the second-best outfielder available on the market after Judge, which implies he may keep available on the market till after Judge is off the board.
Unless, after all, the Mets re-sign him instantly.
WILL METS MAKE ANY TRADES?
The Mets may commerce for an impression bat. If they lose Nimmo, they may want one other outfielder and effectively, they’re not going after Judge, so we would see a commerce for an outfielder. The Mets picked up the choice on designated hitter Daniel Vogelbach however with the best way Darin Ruf carried out after being traded from the San Francisco Giants, it could be silly to enter the season trusting him towards left-handed pitching. The Mets want extra energy of their lineup, as was evidenced by their NL wild card loss, so it wouldn’t be shocking to see them commerce for a bat subsequent week.
The membership may additionally go the commerce path to re-tool the bullpen. Edwin Diaz and Drew Smith are the one true relievers underneath contract via subsequent season. However, David Peterson, Tylor Megill and Joey Lucchesi is also penciled in for lengthy aid roles.
THE RULE 5 DRAFT AND DRAFT LOTTERY
New this yr is the draft lottery, which is able to happen Tuesday at 8:30 p.m. ET. The Mets made the postseason so that they gained’t be a lottery crew, nevertheless it’s nonetheless fascinating to look at how the primary yr of the lottery will play out.
A reputation to look at within the Rule 5 Draft is Jake Mangum. He’s not one of many Mets’ prime prospects however he was a star at Mississippi State and the Mets didn’t shield him by inserting him on the 40-man roster on the deadline final month.
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Source: www.bostonherald.com