Mets Trade Steven Matz to Toronto Blue Jays

Mets LHP Steven Matz (Credits to MetsMerizedOnline.com) The New York Mets traded LHP Steven Matz to the Toronto Blue Jays for three pitchers RHP Josh Winckowski, RHP Sean Reid-Foley and RHP Yennsy Diaz. Winckowski was the Blue Jays 15th round pick in 2016 and had a 2.69 ERA, 108 strikeouts, 43 walks and 1.20 WHIP in 24 appearances (23 starts) in 127.1 innings between Advanced-A Dunedin and Single-A Lansing in 2019. Reid-Foley had a 1.35 ERA in six Major League appearances last season and a 4.40 ERA since 2018. Diaz had a 3.84 ERA over 96 minor appearances in 481 innings.

Mets Sign LHP Aaron Loup to one-year deal

Mets LHP Aaron Loup (Credits to MetsMerizedOnline.com) The New York Mets signed LHP reliever Aaron Loup to a one-year deal today. Loup had a 2.52 ERA with 22 strikeouts in 25 innings with the Tampa Bay Rays last year. He has done well against left-handed hitters and held them to a .621 OPS in over 600 plate appearances.

Mets Name Zack Scott As Acting GM

Mets Acting GM Zack Scott (Credits to MetsMerizedOnline.com) The New York Mets announced today that they have named assistant General Manager Zack Scott as acting GM after General Manager Jared Porter was fired. Scott was hired as the Mets senior vice president and assistant GM on December 23th. He spent the previous 17 seasons in the Boston Red Sox organization and eventually worked his way up to the job of assistant GM and was in charge of analytics, baseball systems and advance and professional scouting in 2018.

Mets GM Jared Porter Fired

Mets GM Jared Porter (Credits to MetsMerizedOnline.com) New Mets ownwr Steve Cohen announced on Twitter this morning that General Manager Jared Porter has been fired for sending explicit photos to a foreign female journalist in 2016. Porter was hired by the Mets on December 13th and his tentune lasted only 37 days. Last night, Mina Kimes and Jeff Passan from ESPN broke the story and found that he sent more than 60 text messages to the journalist and two inappropriate photos. The reporter is no longer in the industry and chose to remain anonymous and spoke with ESPN sporadically and their first encounter in 2017 and decided to come forward in the last few days because she felt unsafe in her own country. Right now, Porter's replacement has not been named yet, but it seems like assistant GM Zach Scott who worked with Porter and under Theo Epstein who was hired on December 23 would make sense as the new GM.

Mets Acquire LHP Joey Lucchesi from San Diego Padres

Mets LHP Joey Lucchesi (Credits to MetsMerziedOnline.com) The New York Mets acquired LHP Joey Lucchesi from the San Diego Padres today for #14 ranked prospect Endy Rodriguez in a three-team trade that also sent RHP Joe Musgrove to the Padres. Rodriguez is a 20 year prospect from the Dominican Republic who playeed catcher and ceter field in Rookie Ball. Lucchesi struggled in 2020 after he went back and the forth with the Padres alternative training site and main ballclub and pitched in only three games (two starts) with a 7.94 ERA. He pitched better in 2018 and 2019 with eight wins and a 4.08 ERA in 2018 and 10 wins in 2019 with an ERA of 4.18. Lucchesi has shown he can be a durable starter after he made 26 starts in 2018 and 30 starts in 2019. He helps add more depth to the starting rotation and can serve as a fifth starter which could allow LHP Steven Matz and RHP Seth Lugo to move to the bullpen and give manager Luis Rojas more options to use late in games.

Mets Sign 1B/OF Jose Martinez to a split contract

Mets OF/1B Jose Martinez (Credits to MetsMerizedOnline.com) The New York Mets signed OF/1B Jose Martinez to a split contract today. Martinez will earn $1 million with $500,000 in incentives if he is able to make it to the Major Leagues this year and $225,000 in the minors. He has two minor league options left and controllable through the 2022 season. Martinez split time between the Tampa Bays Rays and Chicago Cubs last year. He he had success against left-handed pitching over the course of his career with a .307 average ans a .915 OPS (on base plus slugging) against lefties. Martinez has struggled defensively, so he would benefit if the desiginated hitter (DH) is in the National League this year. His signing helps brings some depth to the Mets roster and he can provide some versatility on the roster if he can play some infield and outfielder as well as serve as a designinated hitter.

Mets Acquire SS Francisco Lindor and RHP Carlos Carasco

Mets SS Francisco Lindor (Credits to MetsMerizededOnline.com) The New York Mets acquired SS Francisco Lindor and RHP Carlos Carasco from the Cleveland Indians today for SS Amed Rosario, SS Andres Gimenez, and prospects OF Isaish Greene and RHP Josh Wolf. Lindor is one of the best players in baseball due to his expectional offense and fantistic defense. He is a four-time all-star from 2016-2019 and also two Gold Glove Awards in 2016 and 2019 and two Silver Slugger Awards in 2017 and 2018. Lindor has .285 over his first six seasons with an average of 40 doubles, 29 homers, 86 homers and 21 steals over the course of 162 games. He has one year left on his contract so hopefully the Mets will be able to resign him long term in the offseason. Carrasco has been named American League Comeback Player of the Year twoce in 2019 after he had been diagnosed with leukemia as well as in 2020. He also lead the American League in wins with 18 in 2017 while also striking out 226 hitters. He won 17 games in 2018 with a career high 231 strikeouts. Carrasco has three more years left of three control with a team option for 2023.