Dillon Gee was the subject of trade rumors earlier in the offseason, but when Zack Wheeler was forced to undergo Tommy John surgery it seemed as if Gee would remain with the Mets and take over the No. 5 spot in the starting rotation. Things have apparently changed.
According to Adam Rubin of ESPNNewYork.com, sources within the Mets' organization say Gee may be traded within the month because the team prefers prospect Rafael Montero. Rubin also noted there are "no active discussions with other clubs, so Gee is expected to open the regular season with the Mets." Manager Terry Collins has yet to name a fifth starter.
The 24-year-old Montero appeared in 10 games (eight starts) with New York last season and finished 1-3 with a 4.06 ERA, 1.511 WHIP and 42 strikeouts (44 1/3 innings). In spring training thus far, he's 1-0 with a 4.00 ERA, 1.222 WHIP and eight strikeouts in three games (one start) compared to Gee, who is 2-0 with a 2.49 ERA, 1.292 WHIP and eight strikeouts in seven games (four starts).
Gee was last year's Opening Day starter and finished 7-8 with a 4.00 ERA and 1.245 WHIP in 22 starts with the Mets, but has seemingly become expendable after his breakout campaign in 2013. That year he finished 12-11 with a 3.62 ERA and 1.28 WHIP in 32 starts (199 innings) and looked as if he was on his way to remaining a contributing player with New York. However, that is no longer the case.
"The Mets feel comfortable trading Gee even with Wheeler being lost for the season. Montero, 24, is viewed as having more upside than Gee, and the Mets have a talented stable of Triple-A pitchers who arguably are major league-ready, including Noah Syndergaard, Steven Matz and Matt Bowman," adds Rubin.
Perhaps the Mets find their prospects both more cost-effective and talented. Gee is owed $5.3 million in 2015 before his final year of arbitration eligibility, which likely plays a factor in their willingness to trade him. Their young options also proved they can put up similar or better numbers than Gee.
Syndergaard is expected to hit the majors this upcoming season after spending all of 2014 in Triple-A Las Vegas (9-7 with a 4.60 ERA and 1.481 WHIP in 26 starts) despite having a questionable spring (4.91 ERA and 1.227 WHIP in three games). Prior to hitting Triple-A, the 22-year-old was 9-4 with a 3.06 ERA and 1.147 WHIP in 23 starts in 2013 between High Class-A St. Lucie and Double-A Binghamton.
Matz, who could very well hit the majors before Syndergaard, owned a 2.25 ERA and 1.19 WHIP in 24 starts last season between St. Lucie and Binghamton. The 23-year-old has yet to reach Las Vegas, but he proved this spring he can hang with the big leaguers thanks to his 2.08 ERA and 0.923 WHIP in 8 2/3 innings of work.
And lastly, Bowman, 23, impressed in 24 games (23 starts) between Binghamton and Las Vegas in 2014, during which he finished 10-8 with a 3.22 ERA and 1.31 WHIP in 134 1/3 innings. Thus far in spring training he owns a 1.80 ERA and 0.90 WHIP in 10 innings with the Mets.
The Mets have a plethora of options, so we'll have to wait and see what they decide to do.
