The Post’s Jon Heyman delivers news and notes from around MLB.
Padres GM AJ Preller told Eric Hosmer when the deal fell through to the Mets, “The game plan is to win with you.” Preller offered no guarantees, but manager Bob Melvin is a fan, and Hosmer is playing better, so perhaps he stays.
Padres folks were disappointed the Mets killed the deal, but understood going in Steve Cohen still had the final word, and he made the call.
We may never know the reason, but the deal of Dominic Smith for Chris Paddack, Emilio Pagan, Hosmer and cash wasn’t popular in the boroughs. A Mets person attributed it to “a disagreement amongst the powers that be,” but another denied that.
It isn’t known whether the negative Twitter reaction could have factored into the decision-making. The late pullout was reminiscent of the killed Wilmer Flores deal, when the Mets cited an alleged medical issue with Carlos Gomez after Flores cried following trade reports surfacing. There was a suggestion a medical issue was claimed, too, but Paddack, who had a PRP injection last year, received a clean bill of health from Twins doctors and was dealt to Minnesota instead. So we may never know.
Preller is such a dealmaker he actually makes former Padres GM Trader Jack McKeon look cautious, and he tried for Joey Gallo in spring trade talks with the Yankees. Preller was a longtime Rangers exec and very familiar with the quirks of Gallo’s unusual game (all-or-nothing hitter who can swing from all-world one week to amateurish for a month, great defender and base runner). In any case, lovely San Diego may be a better spot for Gallo based on early Bronx results.
Padres wunderkind Fernando Tatis Jr. (wrist) is expected back in mid-June and the hope is for Blake Snell and Mike Clevinger back in a couple weeks.
The Mets have much better rotation depth than anyone realized. They believed Tylor Megill has a high ceiling, and he has been a savior, nearly replicating Jacob deGrom on the deGrom days.
Michael Conforto’s free agency has been drastically impacted by the shoulder injury he suffered in January. That combined with the qualifying offer (hopefully, he is the last player with the QO as MLB and the union need to enact an international draft, which would be traded for the elimination of qualifying offers) has kept him on market.
Astros players could not have been sadder to see Carlos Correa leave (Houston never came off its $160 million, five-year bid). But so far replacement Jeremy Peña — the son of Geronimo Peña — is outplaying him (1.014 OPS to .595).
Orioles ace John Means is going for a second opinion in hopes of avoiding Tommy John surgery. … Hyun-Jin Ryu (forearm) got better news, and there’s hope to he could be back in two or three starts.
Jose Altuve may be out awhile with a hamstring strain. … Many early injuries are being tied to the shortened spring.
The Rockies have locked up Kris Bryant, Antonio Senzatela, Ryan McMahon and Kyle Freeland for $367 million total, but appear to be done. For the moment.
Mariners tried for Story, Rays for Seiya
Trevor Story was offered more by the Rockies than the $140 million for six-year deal he got with the Red Sox, while the Mariners bid about $125M early.
Story didn’t want to switch to third base, making that offer unappealing. He most wanted to play for a perennial winner.
Madison Bumgarner’s velo is up a tick or two. … Seiya Suzuki was pursued by about a dozen teams, including most on the West Coast (Padres, Giants, Dodgers, Mariners), but the Rays made a spirited under-the-radar try, bidding close to the Cubs’ winning $85 million offer. Aiding the Cubs: Yu Darvish highly recommending them to Suzuki.
The Royals will wait to discuss a multiyear deal with rookie phenom Bobby Witt Jr. Nothing to do with his slow start (.146), they just want him 100 percent focused on baseball. With all the agent switching going on lately, there’s one who’ll stay: his agent is his dad, the ex-Rangers pitcher. Meanwhile, they are unworried about his slow start.
“Every day he’s facing the best pitcher he’s ever faced,” Royals president Dayton Moore said. The comps here stand: Chipper Jones, Cal Ripken Jr.
The Nationals-owning Lerners are exploring a sale, reports Barry Svrluga of the Washington Post. Not surprised, says a longtime Nats watcher who suggests the Lerners (baseball’s second richest owners) are more into real estate.
As if there isn’t enough to do in season, Marlins starter Pablo Lopez, one of the nicest guys in the game and league-leader with a 0.52 ERA, got married Sunday. Just went up to the West Palm courthouse and did it.
It was mentioned here last week that the White Sox are unlikely to land Frankie Montas, who has an extra year of control; one league source said, “If they didn’t have enough to get Sean Manaea, how are they going to get Montas?”
Avila: Miggy great at 16
With the great Miguel Cabrera only one hit shy of 3,000, Tigers GM Al Avila, who happened to sign him for the Florida Marlins to a then-record $1.9M deal (the Dodgers finished second), recalled the start:
“What I saw was a physical maturity,” Avila said. “His arm strength, fielding, hitting and power all graded at average to above for an adult, not a 16-year-old. He had advanced hitting approach and keen hand-eye coordination. His stance and swing have not changed.”
When Cabrera makes it, he’ll be the seventh all time with 500 homers and 3,000 hits (Hank Aaron, Willie Mays, Eddie Murray, Rafael Palmeiro, Albert Pujols, Alex Rodriguez).
Prospect of the Week: Shortstop Kahlil Watson, the Marlins’ No. 1 pick a year ago at No. 16, is slugging .800. Said a scout: “Shame on those fifteen teams that passed on him.”
Player of the Week: Manny Machado. Runners-up: C.J. Cron, Rockies 1B/DH; Shohei Ohtani, Angels, SP/DH; Mets SS Francisco Lindor.
Terrific tribute
Great to see the Mets honor Tom Seaver with that magnificent larger-than-life statue.
Seaver was always very understanding, but he suffered a couple unnecessary slights at the hands of the organization. One was being traded to the Reds for four guys, and the other was being left off a protected list, allowing Jerry Reinsdorf to pluck him off the Mets’ roster.
He won his 300th game and pitched his no-hitter elsewhere. But as Nancy Seaver said, Tom is “back where he belongs.”
Beautiful.