They could be just getting started.
As Mets officials worked Friday to finalize a trade that will bring Robinson Cano and Edwin Diaz to the club from the Mariners, sources indicated general manager Brodie Van Wagenen was already looking toward other moves that will put the team in position to compete for the postseason in 2019.
The deal with Seattle may not become official until early next week, as the teams await approval from the commissioner’s office because of the significant amount of money involved. As it stands the Mets are prepared to send Jay Bruce, Anthony Swarzak and top prospects Justin Dunn and Jarred Kelenic to the Mariners, along with minor league reliever Gerson Bautista, for Cano and Diaz. Cano is still owed $120 million over the next five seasons, and the Mariners are expected to assume a significant portion of that tab, but the figure remains unknown.
The 36-year-old Cano will give the Mets an everyday second baseman who can also see action at the corner infield positions if needed. Diaz, who finished last season with 57 saves and a 1.96 ERA, will fill the Mets’ vacancy in the closer’s role.
But sources said Van Wagenen won’t be finished maneuvering big after the trade is complete.
The Mets entered the offseason with $140 million projected in payroll commitments for next season, but that number almost will certainly drop once the trade with Seattle is finalized. The Mets are subtracting $22 million in salary from Bruce and Swarzak and replacing it with — and this is a rough estimate based on educated guesses of what the Mariners will be paying toward the contract — $10 million-to-$12 million for Cano, plus only slightly more than the major league minimum for Diaz. In addition, the Mets shed another $5 million or so Friday by non-tendering Wilmer Flores. The combined outcome leaves the Mets with payroll commitments in the neighborhood of $125 million.
Though the Mets are still shopping Noah Syndergaard, it would take a “grand slam” in terms of major league talent received in return, according to a source, for Van Wagenen to consider such a deal.
A source indicated the Mets will look to continue bolstering the bullpen, likely targeting a high-end setup reliever, such as Andrew Miller or David Robertson. It’s less likely the Mets would pursue a reliever seeking closer’s dollars, such as Craig Kimbrel or Zach Britton. The Mets could also look to add a multiple-inning reliever, such as Adam Warren.
Yan Gomes’ reported trade to the Nationals from the Indians removes a catching option in which the Mets had interest. But the position remains a priority for the club, even following the decision to tender a contract to Travis d’Arnaud. On the free-agent front, the Mets like Martin Maldonado — a defensive specialist whose addition to the lineup could be easier to accept with Cano headed to the team. But the Mets are also monitoring the market for Wilson Ramos, who would bring a bigger bat to the equation, but also a significant injury history.
J.T. Realmuto has been shopped by the Marlins, but do the Mets have the prospects to spare following their blockbuster with the Mariners? And Yasmani Grandal is probably beyond what the Mets have an appetite to spend at the position.
Van Wagenen’s energy and creativity has impressed people in the organization, so it shouldn’t be ruled out that he can find a manner to remove Juan Lagares and the $9 million he is owed for next season from the picture, allowing the club to perhaps pursue free agent A.J. Pollock, who would give the Mets a more dependable presence in center field.