The more GM Sandy Alderson talks about it, the more I am inclined to believe he will not acquire a shortstop this winter and the Mets will head into spring training with Wilmer Flores as their shortstop.
This much we know: The Mets aren’t willing to trade any of their young arms and they have few trade chips among their position players on the major league level and virtually none in the minor leagues.
FLORES: Best shortstop option.
As long as Alderson holds that position, it means Starlin Castro will stay with the Cubs and Xander Bogaerts with the Red Sox.
Both are young with a promising upside and Castro is the most proven. Both would cost a lot, and history tells us the Mets will balk.
Asdrubal Cabrera is out there, but I can’t see the Mets giving him the years – and money – he would want.
Arizona’s Didi Gregorius has been linked to the Mets, but do they really want to add somebody who hit .226 with a .290 on-base percentage? No need to trade for those numbers when Ruben Tejada is right here.
Jed Lowrie and Stephen Drew could be had, but if the Mets didn’t want them before there’s no reason to believe their interest would have increased based on their numbers from last season. Both would want multi-year deals and more money than the Mets are willing to spend.
Alexei Ramirez of the White Sox is available and a known commodity. Also known is his declining defensive performance and two years at $10 million each the Mets would pick up. Quite frankly, he’s a player on the downward slide, costly, and a player not worth one of their young arms.
While some are more proven than Flores, they all come with risks attached and definitely not worth a Noah Syndergaard or Zack Wheeler.
Given this, and knowing the Mets’ history, Flores remains the best option. And, if he doesn’t pan out, the Mets can always deal later. The Mets are in position where they should stick with Flores and see what he’s all about.
