Wendell Cruz-USA TODAY Sports
Good morning, Mets fans!
Brandon Nimmo has drawn interest from many teams this offseason, including a surprising suitor in the Tampa Bay Rays. Jon Heyman of the New York Post reports that the Rays have interest in the outfielder, as well as the Blue Jays, Giants and Mets. Spotrac has Nimmo’s market value set to 5-years, $106 million, which would be the biggest contract Tampa Bay would offer to a free agent ever. The interest by Tampa Bay is surprising as the organization would give up quite a bit outside monetary value. Nimmo rejected the Mets’ qualifying offer, so Tampa Bay would need give up a draft pick next year as compensation for signing the outfielder.
Now onto the morning briefing!
Latest MLB News
Jon Heyman of the New York Post reports that free agent outfielder Aaron Judge remains the Yankees’ top target but are also looking at other options at shortstop, pitcher and outfield as well. Heyman also reports that the San Francisco Giants were “elated” with their visit with Aaron Judge but face a few obstacles to lure him away from the Yankees.
Right-handed pitcher Shelby Miller is drawing major league interest after rejecting a minor league deal from the San Francisco Giants, as reported by Susan Slusser of the San Francisco Chronicle. Initially a highly touted prospect and a key starter for the St. Louis Cardinals rotation from 2012 to 2014, Miller has since turned into a reliever after his days as a starter went south. In the bullpen, Miller has tallied up huge strikeout numbers in Triple-A for two straight years and many clubs are interested in him being bullpen piece.
According to LaVelle E. Neal III of the Minneapolis Star-Tribune on the Talk North podcast, the Minnesota Twins have made various offers to free agent shortstop Carlos Correa. While noting that Xander Bogearts is a backup option, the Twins organization is heavily interested in a reunion after the shortstop opted out of his contract after last season. Neal notes that the team has proposed deals that range from six to ten years with differing average salaries in each offer. Spotrac has Correa’s market value at 8 years, $254 million, while making close to $32 million a season.
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On This Date in Mets History
2010: Former Met Kazuo Matsui left Major League Baseball and returned to Japan, marking the end of a promising career cut short by injuries. In seven seasons as a major leaguer, he played in630 games, 239 as a Met and only hit 32 home runs total. The one feat Matsui does have the distinction of is that he is the only player in MLB history to hit a home run in the first plate appearance of his first three seasons, all of which were with the Mets.
Birthdays: Octavio Dotel (49), Shingo Takatsu (54), Chico Walker (65)
