Mets' GM transition played role in Aaron Loup leaving for Angels?

Outside of a handful of frustrating injury woes and setbacks, fans of the New York Mets have little to complain about as of the second afternoon in June. The red-hot Mets recently went a perfect 6-0 against National League East opponents to improve to 35-17 overall, and New York will head into Thursday's series-opener at the Los Angeles Dodgers holding a 10.5-game lead over the second-place Atlanta Braves in the division standings. 

It was only back in November when the Mets needed a new general manager who ultimately became Billy Eppler. Before that hire, left-handed reliever Aaron Loup found himself looking for a new contract after he gave the 2021 Mets 56.2 innings of work and 57 strikeouts with an incredible 0.95 ERA.

Loup put pen to paper on a two-year agreement with the Los Angeles Angels that reportedly includes $17 million guaranteed and a $7.5 million club option for 2024 that carries a $2 million buyout. The 34-year-old spoke with SNY's Andy Martino ahead of Thursday's afternoon matchup at the New York Yankees and admitted the Mets did offer him a deal last fall. 

"They had a lot going on front office-wise and all that, that they had to get figured out," Loup explained. "And I signed pretty early." 

Loup added, though, that the Mets "weren’t going to match" the Angels' offer last November and before the lockout. 

"Can’t pass up that money," he remarked while smiling. 

Before Thursday's outing, Loup had posted a 4.82 ERA across 18.2 innings with the Angels this spring.