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Smart moves Mets can make for 2020
Zach
Gewelb
The Mets have their manager
in Carlos Beltran and free
agency has officially started.
Now, it’s time for General
Manager Brodie Van Wagenen
to get down to business.
While Van Wagenen was active
in his first offseason with
the club last year, several of
his moves didn’t pan out.
Free agent signee Wilson
Ramos provided a solid bat,
but his poor defense behind
the plate became a key issue
when it was part of a feud between
Noah Syndergaard and
the club. Jed Lowrie only had
seven at-bats in an injuryplagued
season, Jeurys Familia
was abysmal, and big trade
acquisitions Robinson Cano
and Edwin Diaz proved to be
utter failures in their first season
with the Mets.
It’s time for BVW to prove
last year’s offseason was a
fluke, and get the Mets on track
for a playoff run in 2020. Here
are some moves Van Wagenen
can make to help the Mets
reach the playoffs and compete
for a World Series in 2020.
Keep Noah Syndergaard:
For much of the last calendar
year, the Mets have contemplated
trading their No. 2
starter. And with every day
they keep him, his value goes
down.
One of Syndergaard’s most
attractive assets — aside from
his talent on the mound — was
his affordability and controllable
years. Syndergaard has
two more years of team control
before he can become a
free agent. And while he would
fetch a nice return, the Mets
should look to build around
him and their rotation.
They already need to replace
Zack Wheeler, who they
are likely going to lose in free
agency and, after acquiring
Marcus Stroman ahead of
the 2019 trade deadline, the
Mets must keep Syndergaard
around to lead what should be
a vaunted rotation in 2020.
Add a fifth starter: Speaking
of their 2020 rotation, the
Mets need to add more depth
to their pitching staff. Jacob
deGrom will once again head
the rotation, followed by Syndergaard,
Stroman, and Steven
Matz. But they need to add
a steady fifth starter, as well as
some depth to provide insurance
in case of injury.
Forget about Gerrit Cole or
Steven Strasburg — they are
not coming to Queens. Same
could be said for Madison Bumgarner
and Hyun-jin Ryu, and
likely Jake Odorizzi, who may
command more than what the
Mets are willing to pay.
That leaves solid, but unspectacular
options in Tanner
The Mets would be wise to hold on to Noah Syndergaard if they want to make the postseason in 2020.
AP file photo
Roark, Kyle Gibson, and Rick
Porcello.
Porcello makes sense as a
sinker ball pitcher with local
ties — he is from Morristown,
NJ, and in college he pitched
for nearby Seton Hall. He had
an up-and-down tenure in Boston
that included a Cy Young
Award in 2016, but pitched to
an ERA over 4.28 every other
year with the Red Sox. But a
move to the National League
should make him a prime target
to rebound, and it’s a gamble
the Mets could be willing
to take.
Roark is another option and
he has experience pitching in
the National League East, but
he may ask for a guaranteed
spot in the rotation, something
the Mets shouldn’t offer. Nevertheless,
he’d be a good depth
piece.
Gibson, on the other hand,
has pitched as both a starter,
an opener, and a multi-inning
reliever. His versatility makes
him an attractive option and
someone the Mets should look
to ink to a short-term deal.
Making these moves alone
are not enough to make the
Mets contenders.
Van Wagenen still needs
to find versatile and reliable
bench and bullpen pieces to fill
out the roster.
But keeping Syndergaard
while adding Porcello
makes the club a much more
dangerous threat in 2020.
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