Bitter crosstown rivals always have a tough time working together at the trade deadline, but legendary New York radio host Mike Francesa has a proposal for Mets president David Stearns and Yankees GM Brian Cashman.
“To me, a perfect, perfect addition for the Yankees is [Jeff] McNeil.” Francesa said on the “Mike Francesa Podcast” on Monday. “Number one, he is miserable with the Mets. The Mets can’t stand the look of him anymore, and he can’t stand the Mets anymore. He hasn’t been happy there in a long time. Let’s be honest, he doesn’t fit in, let’s be honest. They like [Jose] Iglesias more than they like him, we know that.”
In said scenario, the Yankees would send the Mets a minor-league pitcher.
McNeil has seen his playing time slipping amid a prolonged slump, coinciding with Mark Vientos taking the third base starting gig by the horns and Iglesias providing stellar play off the bench.
Top prospect Luisangel Acuna is breathing down his neck in Triple-A.
McNeil played right and left field for the Mets over the weekend while going 1-for-7 in the four-game split against the Pirates, and is now slashing .214/.271/.307 with a career-worst .578 OPS.
Francesa adds that while McNeil is enduring a career-worst season, he may just need a change of scenery in order to reclaim his former glory.
The short porch in Yankee Stadium’s right field is a nice added bonus for the lefty hitter.
McNeil would presumably enter a platoon with Gleyber Torres at second base.
Torres has struggled himself this season and is currently dealing with a hamstring injury.
“[McNeil] is a platoon player at best right now and a lifetime .290 hitter,” Francesa said. “The guy’s hitting .214 with a .590 OPS. This is a guy who, an .800 OPS is not an unreasonable OPS. It’s a guy who, on a good year, can get 15 homers and 40 doubles.
“The Yankees have a million guys in the high minors who could go into the Mets bullpen, they got them in droves. The Mets would probably take any one of [them].”
Francesa notes that the chances of this deal happening is long to say the least, considering the blowback the Yankees have already received for their Luis Torrens trade.
Torrens has thrived as the Mets backup catcher after the Yankees send him to Queens for $100,000.
“It’s very hard for them to make a deal, because it’s it’s just human nature when you play in the same town,” Francesa said.
The Yankees and Mets have made 17 trades in the two teams’ history, with the most notable arguably being when Robin Ventura was traded to the Yankees in exchange for David Justice in 2001.
