If the New York Mets really do want to win in 2019, then they have to do what’s necessary to bring Corey Kluber from the Cleveland Indians.
When it was first suggested that the Indians were thinking of shopping Corey Kluber, the odds that the New York Mets would try for him were very low.
However, now that the Mets are playing big and are going after Robinson Cano and Edwin Diaz, maybe that outlook has changed. Kluber would be a fantastic add to the Mets in 2019 and along with Jacob deGrom, Noah Syndergaard, and Zack Wheeler, they could be unstoppable.
But what would it cost to bring Kluber to flushing? Well it shouldn’t be too difficult really. One rumor that’s been suggested is that the Dodgers could be sending Yasiel Puig plus for Kluber. Puig will be making about $11 million in 2019 before he hits free agency.
Who can the Mets offer that’s comparable to Puig? Juan Lagares. He’s pretty similar to Puig, in terms of skill, years left, and salary. Lagares will be making less than Puig in 2019.
More from Call to the Pen
- Philadelphia Phillies, ready for a stretch run, bomb St. Louis Cardinals
- Philadelphia Phillies: The 4 players on the franchise’s Mount Rushmore
- Boston Red Sox fans should be upset over Mookie Betts’ comment
- Analyzing the Boston Red Sox trade for Dave Henderson and Spike Owen
- 2023 MLB postseason likely to have a strange look without Yankees, Red Sox, Cardinals
Now who is the second player that the Dodgers would be sending? My best guess is that it would be Dustin May. Pipeline puts May as the Dodgers third best prospect and 71 overall. Most likely the Indians would not be getting the Dodgers first and second prospects, Alex Verdugo and Keibert Ruiz. Verdugo is practically untouchable and if the Indians really wanted a catching prospect they wouldn’t have traded away Francisco Mejia, who is ranked higher than Ruiz.
Other than Lagares, what else can the Mets offer for Kluber? Logically, the next player would be Dominic Smith. If Peter Alonso really is the future for the Mets at first base, Smith shouldn’t be around for long.
Smith would end up being valuable to the Indians at both first base and in the outfield. The Mets wouldn’t stop there though, as they can also offer a prospect such as Anthony Kay or David Peterson.
Sources say the Mets have spoken with the Indians about Corey Kluber. The two teams had talked about Yan Gomes before he was dealt to the Nationals, but the Mets' interest now appears to also extend to Kluber, who had Mets manager Mickey Callaway as a pitching coach in Cleveland.
— Mark Feinsand (@Feinsand) December 2, 2018
If Jarred Kelenic and Justin Dunn are in fact gone, then Peterson and Kay would be the Mets fourth and fifth best prospects respectively.
If the Indians take on what is owed to Lagares and the Mets take on what’s left on Kluber’s contract, it would be very beneficial to both sides. The Indians would pay Lagares $9 million and save roughly $43 million that they can use right away. This is also while getting two young players in addition to Lagares.
In the Mets case, the Indians taking on Lagares would cover more than half of Kluber’s 2019 salary. Once you take out Lagares’ money, the team would average less than $15 million a year for one of the best pitchers in baseball.
Plus if the Mets and fans are worried about losing so many of their outfielders, they could sign Billy Hamilton, who was recently non-tendered by the Reds.
It should be a no brainer for both teams to do this trade. The Indians get a nice chunk of money to spend right away and young talent while the New York Mets can make their rotation even more incredible than it already is.