Mets Rumors: Juan Lagares Reportedly Drawing Trade Interest
New York Mets rumors: Juan Lagares is reportedly drawing interest on the trade market.
New York Mets rumors on the trade front of quieted in recent weeks. With very little interest being drummed up for Jay Bruce, the Mets seem content with the reality they will have to hold onto him.
But, the Mets may still be able to break up the logjam they have in their outfield. Center fielder Juan Lagares is reportedly drawing some interest on the trade market.
Mike Puma of Newsday relayed the news via his Twitter account.
Sounds like Juan Lagares is drawing some interest. Mets could potentially use that $4.5 million for 2017 toward the bullpen.
— Mike Puma (@NYPost_Mets) February 2, 2017
It should not come as a surprise that the Mets are getting hits on Lagares. He is only 27-years old and will be making a palatable $20 million from 2017-2019. He cannot become a free agent until 2020, and that cap number is one that plenty of teams can add to their payroll.
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At this stage of his career, you know what you are getting from Lagares. He is an excellent defender that would probably work best in a platoon. His career slash line of .259/.298/.366 isn’t great, but his defense alone would make him a usable everyday player.
But, he would maximize his usefulness in a platoon. When hitting against lefties, Lagares’ slash line improves to .276/.322/.412. He has a skill set that many teams would love to have, but it is one the Mets would benefit from as well.
Currently, Lagares is the only true center fielder on the Mets roster. Yoenis Cespedes is capable of playing centerfield but likes to play in left field. Curtis Granderson can play centerfield in a pinch as well, but at his advanced age he cannot cover as much ground in center and is better suited for right field.
Trading Lagares would open up a spot in the outfield, but is it a worthwhile move? He fills a specific role on the Mets that they do not have an option to fill immediately. But, if it guarantees an upgrade in the bullpen, the Mets could consider it.
The bullpen has been an area of discussion for the Mets recently. Despite Spring Training being on the doorstep, the Mets pitching staff does not look to be complete; they could really use another arm in the bullpen.
Luckily for them, it may be late in the offseason, but there are a number of options remaining. Jerry Blevins, who has spent the last two years with the Mets, is still in the conversation. In addition to Blevins, the Mets have also been linked to free agents Sergio Romo and Joe Smith.
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Any of the three would be excellent additions to the Mets bullpen. They have a higher need for a left-handed option, but bringing in anyone to help at the end of games would be nice.