The New York Mets are just sitting outside the door between the New York Yankees and the Los Angeles Dodgers as a super team in the MLB. Year after year of spending with no results, 2024 finally produced the season all Mets fans and ownership was hoping for. The Mets are now a part of the race for a World Series. As the Dodgers and Yankees keep making big moves, it’s time for the Mets to continue as well with improving their roster. The first step is to improve their outfield situation by signing Luis Robert Jr. This is a PREDICTION, not a REPORT!
New York Mets Outfield Situation
The New York Mets starting outfielders combined for a Wins Above Replacement of 3.8 between the 3 of them and they have an average age of 32.3 years old. Starling Marte brings that average up some as a 36 year old vet. It is time to get younger and improve as well. The Mets Outfield was not a bad outfield, just not good enough to get the job done in the long run.
Luis Robert Jr is 27 years old and though had a down year in 2024 still produced a 1.4 WAR, both higher than Starling Marte and Harrison Bader. In 2023 Robert Jr produced a WAR of 5.0 in route to an all star appearance and a silver slugger award. The potential is there for Robert Jr to still be a star, and his bottom line is better than Marte and Bader’s best.
Is Luis Robert Jr Available for a Trade?
The White Sox have reported they would “love to” trade Luis Robert Jr before making any other deals with their current players. Robert Jr has three cost-controlled years remaining on his deal which would mean a big haul in return for the White Sox. The Chicago White Sox had one of the worst seasons ever in 2024 and are in need of a massive rebuild, trading Robert Jr to a contender for several prospects has to be plan A in their minds.
The Mets finished the 2024 season with a 13th ranked farm system, and that should have plenty of talent to trade for Robert Jr without destroying the farm completely. It’s now or never with the Mets so might as well get some proven talent with high upside than to hope their next Big Star comes from the minor leagues. Robert Jr if he replicates a 2023 season and is healthy would instantly give the Mets a spark they need to take on the Dodgers and Philadelphia Phillies.
MLB Winter meetings are coming up in the next couple of weeks, expect some trades and deals to get done early before they meet. The Mets need to make a play to counter the Dodgers signing Blake Snell.
Mets sign veteran Genesis Cabrera to rebuilding bullpen
The Mets have added one more option to a bullpen that will need to be rebuilt.
On Wednesday, David Stearns & Co. signed veteran lefty Genesis Cabrera to a minor league deal that includes an invitation to major league camp.
Cabrera, a 28-year-old from the Dominican Republic, pitched to a 3.59 ERA in 69 games with the Blue Jays last season.
In six major league seasons — his first 4 ¹/₂ with the Cardinals and the past 1 ¹/₂ in Toronto — Cabrera owns a 3.89 ERA with 268 strikeouts in 275 ²/₃ innings.
Cabrera does not have any minor league options remaining.
The Mets — who declined an option on Phil Maton, non-tendered Alex Young and Grant Hartwig, and have watched Ryne Stanek, Drew Smith, Adam Ottavino and Brooks Raley hit free agency — will need to construct their bullpen again and are short particularly on lefties.
The only southpaw reliever currently on the Mets 40-man roster is Danny Young.
Cabrera joins Chris Devenski, Rico Garcia, Hobie Harris and Alex Carrillo as non-roster relievers who hope to impress the Mets in February and March.
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