The Winter Meetings-Yankees/Mets 2018

Baseball’s winter meetings begin next month and both the Mets and Yankees are expected to make a splash come free agency. The meetings are scheduled for December 10-14 in Las Vegas in which Major League Baseball organizations convene to discuss potential trades and transactions (free agents).

For the New York Mets, it was yet another long and disappointing season, as they wrapped up 2018 season with a win-loss record of 77-85, fourth in the National League East Division. The team was decimated with injuries, especially as far as their offense goes. The team will look to add another key bat or two with slugger Yoenis Cespedes’ playing status up in the air following surgery on both heels. The Mets have been linked to rumors involving the possibility of bringing back second baseman Daniel Murphy. He was a major contributor during the team’s 2015 World Series run. Following that particular season, Murphy decided to leave the team and join the rival Washington Nationals on a 3-year deal where he put up some impressive numbers despite dealing and missing time with nagging injuries here and there.

Another option could be Robinson Cano, who as we all know, is quite familiar with New York having spent his first nine seasons playing for the Yankees. If this were to happen, it would be via a trade that would seem beneficial to the Mets. At 36, Cano will be entering the fifth year of a 10-year/$240 million deal he signed with the Seattle Mariners in the beginning of the 2014 season. The team now has a new general manager in place and he has gone on record saying that he, by “any means,” will look to be in the mix to any blockbuster trades or free agent signings.

As for the New York Yankees, it is kind of weird to say that a team who won a hundred games this year actually took a step back. After coming just one game short of a World Series appearance in 2017, the Yankees won their Wild Card game this past year (second straight victory), but lost in the divisional series to their rival and eventual World Series Champion Boston Red Sox. Going into the meetings, one thing the Yankees would look to address is starting pitching. The team did trade for power-arm lefty James Paxton. General Manager Brian Cashman said the team will indeed look to add another pitcher. Of course, you can’t talk about this year’s free-agent class without mentioning Manny Machado or Bryce Harper. The Yankees would be more eager to sign the 26-year-old All-Star Machado considering he plays the same position as current Yankees shortstop Didi Gregorious. Gregorious will miss a chunk of the 2019 season after undergoing Tommy John surgery.

The meetings should be beneficial for both teams as far as which direction they would like to go in hopes of improving their ball club for the upcoming 2019 season.