With Sunday’s reported one-for-one commerce coming collectively, which might ship Marcus Semien to the New York Mets and Brandon Nimmo to the Texas Rangers, there might be larger hopes for the Mets’ outfield.
On Sunday, after the commerce rumors began flying, Jon Heyman of The New York Put up floated the concept that the Mets’ commerce with the Rangers involving Nimmo “may function an indicator that the Mets plan to pursue Kyle Tucker or Cody Bellinger, each of whom are free brokers, for the outfield.”
How will the Mets handle their outfield after commerce with Rangers?
Tucker is taken into account by most MLB specialists to be the highest place participant obtainable for groups to pursue this offseason. Coming off a season the place he posted a 143 OPS+ (100 is taken into account common for MLB gamers) whereas hitting 22 residence runs and knocking in 73 runs for the Chicago Cubs, ESPN has predicted that Tucker will earn an 11-year, $418 million deal this offseason.
Definitely, that pricing will knock some MLB groups out of the race to signal the All-Star outfielder. Nevertheless, Mets proprietor Steve Cohen has proven in current offseasons that he is not afraid to spend cash, together with final 12 months when Juan Soto landed in Queens with a 15-year, $765 million contract.
Bellinger, in the meantime, is one other high-ranked free agent goal that’s anticipated to attract loads of curiosity and a excessive common annual worth. The 30-year-old Bellinger posted an OPS+ of 125 in his first season with the New York Yankees, blasting 29 residence runs and offering one other strong possibility within the lineup round American League Most Beneficial Participant Aaron Decide.
ESPN predicts that Bellinger will ink a six-year, $165 million deal this offseason.
Nimmo posted an OPS+ of 114 final season and has a profession OPS+ of 124 over his 10 seasons with the Mets. On the age of 32, each Bellinger and Tucker are youthful and have posted OPS+ which might be both near Nimmo’s (Bellinger has a profession OPS+ of 120 in 9 seasons) or higher than Nimmo’s (a profession OPS+ of 140 in eight seasons).
If the Nimmo commerce is step one for the Mets towards boosting their outfield with one of many prime free brokers on this 12 months’s class, it is a daring step because the franchise hopes to refigure its lineup after ending out of the postseason chase in 2025.
