The Colorado Rockies want to engage them, and this deal could bring Nolan Arenado to the New York Mets.
The Colorado Rockies may or may not want to trade third baseman Nolan Arenado, and they surely will be hesitant to trade him to the Los Angeles Dodgers within their division. But according to MLB Network’s Jon Morosi, via SNY, the Rockies want to engage the New York Mets in trade talks regarding the eight-time Gold Glover.
There are two major flies in the Arenado trade ointment. The first is the six years and $199 million he has left on the deal he signed with Colorado before the 2019 season. The second is his ability to opt-out after next season. But the Mets are lined up to be one of the more aggressive teams this offseason, with new owner Steve Cohen seemingly ready to spend.
Would the Mets swing a deal for Nolan Arenado?
With Robinson Cano suspended for the season, the Mets have some extra money freed up. They could move Jeff McNeil to second base with Cano gone, creating an opening at third base.
If Arenado will probably have to waive his ability to opt-out after next season to open the door for a trade out of Colorado, which he may willing do with the way things have gone lately. The money he is owed is a thing, and it’s unclear how big a thing it is (or would be) for the Mets.
It makes sense that the Rockies want to “engage” the Mets in talks on Arenado. They aren’t the Dodgers, and they are perceived to have a similar ability to commit or take on significant money this offseason. But it takes two to tango.
In trying to find a deal that would send Arenado to the Mets, Morosi threw something along these lines out there.
Mets Get
3B Nolan Arenado
Rockies Get
2B Robinson Cano
OF Brandon Nimmo
3B Brett Baty
After 2021 Cano has two years at $24 million in base salary per year left on his contract, for what would be his age-39 and age-40 seasons. He also has a full no-trade clause. He would effectively be a salary dump by the Mets, to help offset what Arenado is owed. The Rockies would rightly be hesitant to take on Cano, despite getting a capable outfielder in Nimmo and a potential successor for Arenado in Baty (the Mets’ No. 3 prospect, as ranked by MLB.com).
A different deal to send Arenado to the Mets could look like this.
Mets Get
3B Nolan Arenado
Rockies Get
3B/OF J.D Davis
RHP Jeurys Familia
RHP Josh Wolf
Substituting McNeil for Davis in the above trade would be reasonable. Familia is entering the final year of his contract in 2021, and Wolf has been ranked by MLB.com as the Mets’ No. 9 prospect. Of course, with the credibility of covering the Mets, there is a reporter who’s a naysayer on a possible Arenado deal.
The Mets do seem to have third base covered, by Davis or McNeil, but “well-covered” is a big stretch in a broader sense. So while a deal can be deemed unlikely out of hand, with plenty of logic behind it, the Mets still can’t be ruled out of much of anything this offseason — including getting Arenado.