New York Mets to deal with seven free agents, Jose Reyes unlikely to return – MLB Update
The New York Mets are all-set to enter the next season with an altered Citi Field and a new-look roster. Seven current players on the roster are now free-agents and the ballclub does not have much time and resources to keep all players onboard.
The Players’ Association named 148 players who reached free agency after this season and the Mets have the highest representation in this list. All teams have time till Thursday, 12:01 am to exclusively negotiate with the players, after which the players
will be able to test waters themselves.
Currently, the Mets have a payroll of around 140-million-dollars and the management is seriously considering slashing this down to 115-million-dollars. This would mean investing more in the bull-pen and allowing the market to decide prices of its free agents.
One key attraction for all teams is All-Star slugger Jose Reyes, who is in free agency for the first time in his playing career. The 28-year-old has enough arm strength and is capable of hitting hard, but his leg problem continues to haunt his career. Nevertheless,
he is a rare talent at Shortstop who can be equally dangerous from the plate.
The Mets have clarified that they might make a lowly offer to Reyes before other teams get a chance to bid for Jose. Furthermore, a long-term contract might not be in the offing, but if Reyes wants to stay with the only ballclub that he has ever known, a
compromise will have to be made.
Either Reyes can go for a team who have the bucks and are in need of him, or he can simply stay with the Mets for the rest of his life on year-to-year contracts. Given the scenario, it seems unlikely that Reyes will stay at New York and the management, in
accordance, have already named Ruben Tejada as a possible replacement if Jose leaves.
Willie Harris, Scott Hairston, Chris Young, Chris Capuano, Jason Isringhausen and Miguel Batista are the other players who have been declared as free agents.
Young and Capuano are likely to re-sign with the Mets while Batista might strike a deal with a minor league affiliate. However, no resolute decision has been reached and it remains to be seen how things unfold.
Tags: