In a move that seems to suggest a big signing is in the cards, the Mets dealt Steven Matz to the Blue Jays for Sean Reid-Foley and two minor leaguers.
Matz was terrible in the shortened 2020 season but was a league-average pitcher in both 2018 and 2019. He’s under contract at a reasonable rate but his $5.2 million salary was probably the easiest salary for the club to move. The Mets started the day with just over $27 million in cap space before hitting the CBT threshold. But they signed free agent reliever Aaron Loup and then dealt Matz, likely giving them over $30 million of space.
Will that be enough to bring in Trevor Bauer?
Along with Reid-Foley, who is 5-8 with a 4.40 ERA and a 5.20 FIP in 71.2 IP in the majors, going to the Mets in the deal are pitchers Yennsy Diaz and Josh Winckowski. Continuing the them of the offseason, Reid-Foley has an option remaining. Diaz won 11 games at Double-A in 2019 while Winckowski was 10-8 with a 2.69 ERA split between two A-league clubs in ’19.
Geez Brian, you are really fast. I just read about the trade and boom, you already have it covered. It sure does feel like something big is going to happen.
It sounds like Bauer will be coming here.
I am thrilled. Matz needed to go, as much as I loved his start with the Mets and grandpa! Hell, I would have non tendered him, but they got three young arms and saved over $5 million.
And, now, I can dream about sending deGrom, Bauer, Syndergaard, and Carrasco against teams in the playoffs and World Series!
I am worried about the Dodgers signing Bauer though.
I’m sad to see him go. Will never forget watching his Mets debut. Wanted him to succeed. Could have written a tremendous story – home town kid plays for his favorite team growing up – wins a championship etc.
Honestly dont know how I feel abt Bauer. I guess he makes our rotation better but doesnt feel like a sure thing. If only we kept Wheeler last season.
It was time for a change of scenery to see if Matz can recapture what he had. Also loved his debut and his grandfather getting all excited. Wish him well but it was time to move on as well.
The trade opens up the 5th spot in the rotation for a veteran pitcher. Now Lucchesi, Reid-Foley are depth starters and the $5M for Matz can be used for this veteran pitcher. This was a good trade because they got a depth starter and two scratch offs ( instead of lottery tickets) for Matz who wasn’t a sure thing going into spring. If Matz failed he would have lost all value and they would have got nothing in return. If he succeeded then he would be free agent next off season and the Mets would get nothing in return. The Mets hedged their bets like Cohen is known to do.
What I see about the trade is one thing: this ownership and FO is placing the name on the front of the jersey above the name on the back.
I’m ok with that.
Two things:
1. The Matz trade is a godsend. I had already lost all confidence that he could ever pitch effectively (that means over time, ongoing effectiveness) at the ML level. Mentally he’s just too unstable. I hope this gives him a shot though.
2. Now that the Dodgers are involved in the Bauer chase, it’s over. In these cases, Dodgers win, Mets lose. They will find a way to get him. While I’d love to send him out there every fifth day, I’m not sure the Mets wouldn’t be better off with somebody almost as good but without the baggage. Let’s let DeGrom rule the roost and get quality-character guys to surround him.
Like all of us, I wish Matz well. He will be a free agent in ten months, let’s see what happens.
He has many pitching problems to fix and for the Mets to expect that he could fix them all was ludicrous. They got three young lottery tickets for a wet cigarette that may not even light, and if it does light, you don’t know how long it will take and how good it will be.