It's been a brutal stretch in Queens, and the front office is apparently done pretending otherwise. According to Jon Heyman, the Mets have moved into sell mode ahead of the trade deadline, with league sources telling him the team will entertain offers on basically everyone not named Soto, Benge, Ewing, McLean or Scott.
https://t.co/UuxEAsBuGG MLB Insider: Mets have moved into sell mode, via league sources. Word is they’ll consider basically anyone but Soto, Benge, Ewing, McLean and Scott, though Lindor’s still seen as a long shot to move
That's a stunning list of untouchables when you consider who's NOT on it. Francisco Lindor, the face of the franchise and owner of a monster extension, is reportedly a 'long shot' to move but still in the conversation. So is Bo Bichette, the shortstop New York signed to a 3-year, $126 million deal back in January. Heyman noted both Lindor and Bichette trades 'aren't thought especially likely,' but they're being discussed, and he wasn't the only one hearing it, with Jim Duquette and Chelsea Janes also flagging Lindor's name in the mix.
Lindor and Bichette trades aren’t thought especially likely but they’re in discussions, as is any desirable player not among the 5 Mets considered off-limits @JimDuquetteGM and @chelsea_janes also noted Lindor in talks
The Bichette detail is the more interesting wrinkle. His deal carries $42 million player options for each of the next 2 seasons, the kind of number that usually scares off a trade partner. But per Heyman, Bichette already banked more than $41 million of this year's $42 million salary, most of it from a $40 million signing bonus paid out back in the spring. That structure makes his options far less scary for a suitor to absorb, since the cash is already out the door rather than sitting on the books going forward.
One thing to keep in mind regarding Bichette: While he has complicating $42M player options for each of the next two seasons, he was already paid thanks mostly to a $40M signing bonus paid in spring more than $41M of this year’s $42M salary
None of this is happening in a vacuum. The Mets are staring down what Heyman flagged as the toughest remaining schedule in baseball, opening with the Phillies, Dodgers, Brewers and Braves, 4 teams they're currently sitting anywhere from 14 to 21 games behind. That's not a gauntlet you claw back from with the roster mostly intact; it's the kind of stretch that turns a front office's attention toward next year.
Mets have the toughest remaining schedule in MLB, starting with Phillies, Dodgers, Brewers and Braves (Mets are between 14 and 21 games behind these 4 teams)
Steve Cohen has never been shy about spending, and Mets fans have watched this front office chase big names for years now, so seeing Lindor's and Bichette's names even float in trade chatter is jarring. Whether either actually gets moved is a different question than whether they're available, and right now the answer to the second one is apparently yes for almost anybody wearing orange and blue. The next 2 weeks will tell us whether this is a full teardown or just Heyman doing his job and reporting every phone call that happens at the deadline.