Much earlier in the offseason the New York Mets signed outfielder Alejandro De Aza to a one-year, $5.75 million contract. The veteran was expecting to play a much bigger role before the MLB club signed outfielder Yoenis Cespedes a month later. Is a trade on the way?
Surprisingly, trade rumors have not surrounded the Mets following the Cespedes signing, but the issue could become a big storyline between now and the MLB's non-waiver deadline. New York has De Aza, Cespedes, Curtis Granderson, Michael Conforto and Juan Lagares as outfielders on the 40-man roster.
Despite the logjam, the Mets are seemingly going to take their time before making any moves.
"Alejandro De Aza represents sheer excess for the Mets, but the team is not trying to trade him," writes FOX Sports' Ken Rosenthal.
"At least not yet.
"The Mets, while not ruling out a trade of De Aza, see little reason to push for a deal before the opening of spring training, according to major-league sources.
"Few teams currently are in the market for a reserve outfielder who will earn $5.75 million this season. The Mets also do not want to trade De Aza before knowing that their other outfielders will be healthy for Opening Day."
Considering Granderson had offseason thumb surgery and Lagares' mysterious elbow ailment is still lurking in the shadows, the Mets would be hasty to go ahead and make a trade before seeing how spring training shakes out. Additionally, as Rosenthal said, not many MLB clubs are in the market for a backup outfielder at a $5.75 million rate for 2016, especially with other players such as David Murphy, Will Venable, Matt Joyce, Austin Jackson, Marlon Byrd, Alex Rios, Shane Victorino, Jeff Francoeur and other relatively cheap free agents still on the market.
So while it seems to make sense on paper for the Mets to go ahead and trade from their surplus of outfielders, it'd be imprudent to make a deal right now knowing anything can happen to their current cast of starters between now and Opening Day.
With that being said, if all goes well for the Mets' starting cast, De Aza could be a trade candidate to keep an eye on before the Aug. 1 deadline.
