The Mets have been aggressive in their efforts to trade for Marlins catcher J.T. Realmuto, who the Marlins could deal before the Winter Meetings end on Thursday. Here's the latest...

Dec. 12, 3:14 PM:

The Mets believe Realmuto is still a possibility for them, notes Joel Sherman of the New York Post, who says his "sense" is that the Mets are "perhaps willing to mull" parting with Amed Rosario, Brandon Nimmo, and David Peterson. Sherman, who did not clarify whether he meant one of Rosario or Nimmo plus Peterson (or another iteration), believes Noah Syndergaard is off the table...

The Mets are "shopping around" Juan Lagares for a potential trade, according to Anthony DiComo of MLB.com.

The 29-year-old Lagares, who is currently playing in the Dominican Winter League, had his 2018 season end in mid-May after toe surgery.

He has one year and $9 million left on his deal, along with a $9.5 million option for 2020 that can be bought out for $500,000. 

It's the third day of the Winter Meetings and it feels like something could happen at any minute. Doug Williams, Andy Martino and John Harper talk J.T. Realmuto and trade scenarios...

The Mets had a meeting with free agent OF Adam Jones at the Winter Meetings, reports Mike Puma of the New York Post.

The 33-year-old Jones hit .281/.313/.419 with 15 homers in 145 games for the Orioles in 2018 as his slugging percentage dropped to the lowest it has been since 2008, during what was his first full year in the majors. Meanwhile, Jones' defense in center field continued to decline in 2018, with him worth -18 DRS in 906.2 innings in center field and -6 DRS in 272.2 innings in right field.

Danny Abriano, SNY.tv | Twitter | With Jones in decline on both sides of the ball, and the Mets preferring to keep Michael Conforto and Brandon Nimmo in corner outfield spots, it's hard to see Jones as a good fit...

A Mets trade involving Amed Rosario is far from certain, but names of his potential replacement at shortstop have begun to emerge during this week's Winter Meetings.

Mets GM Brodie Van Wagenen has been in touch with the representatives for free agents Alcides Escobar, Adeiny Hechavarria and Freddy Galvis, with Galvis being the team's top choice among the trio, according to Joel Sherman of the New York Post.

The Yankees have also been in touch with Galvis' camp, reported Sherman.

Andy Martino, SNY.tv | Twitter |

LAS VEGAS - In their search for rotation help, the Yankees continue to pursue both J.A. Happ and Mets pitchers, according to major league sources.

The team has what they consider a strong offer out to Happ, and hope he accepts it. So far, Happ has held strong on his desire for three guaranteed years. The Yankees have been reluctant to go there for a 36-year-old pitcher. Still, there is strong mutual interest.

The MLB Winter Meetings are underway in Las Vegas and conclude Thursday morning after the Rule 5 Draft.

The Mets are in the market for an everyday catcher and center fielder and possibly one or two more additions to the bullpen.

Here are the latest rumors from each of the above markets, followed by my own insight and analysis...

After conflicting reports earlier this week, it appears Dodgers outfielder Yasiel Puig is for sale. 

The Dodgers are actively trying to trade Puig and Matt Kemp, per MLB.com's Mark Feinsand.

SNY's Andy Martino reports the Mets are not in on Puig, though. 

Mets manager Mickey Callaway said on SNY Tuesday night that he wants as many relief pitchers as possible, so it should come as no surprise that they are also in on Adam Ottavino. 

Per Jon Morosi of Fox Sports, the Mets and Red Sox have shown continued interest in the hard-throwing free agent right-hander.

Ottavino is also high on the Yankees' wish list, according to Joel Sherman of the New York Post. 

Mets GM Brodie Van Wagenen touched on a bunch of topics during his talk with reporters on Tuesday at the Winter Meetings in Las Vegas. Here are the takeaways...

The Mets had meeting Tuesday afternoon about adding a right-handed hitting outfielder

Van Wagenen would not say who the meeting was with, but the Mets -- as he noted last week -- have interest in free agent center fielder A.J. Pollock. A potential outfield target came off the board earlier Tuesday when the Phillies signed Andrew McCutchen to a three-year deal. 

Amed Rosario's name has come up as a player the Mets could potentially trade to the Marlins for J.T. Realmuto, and Rosario -- who beileves he won't be traded -- wants to stay.

"I'm very happy about the comments that have come out about me not being traded," Rosario said through an interpreter at an event on Tuesday, according to Newsday. "I definitely feel like I'm part of the Mets family and that I'm staying here.

As the Mets remain engaged with the Marlins on a potential deal for Realmuto, they are reluctant to trade Rosario, but not as reluctant as they say publicly, according to SNY's Andy Martino.

The Mets had a preliminary meeting with the representatives for Jacob deGrom on Tuesday at the Winter Meetings in Las Vegas, per SNY's Andy Martino.

Mets GM Brodie Van Wagenen later told SNY's Steve Gelbs that the meeting with deGrom's reps on Tuesday was preliminary and that he views deGrom as a big part of the Mets "now and in the future."

Mets COO Jeff Wilpon, who arrived in Las Vegas on Monday, said last week that the Mets would be offering deGrom a long-term extension -- the first definitive comments anyone with the Mets has made about the plan for deGrom's future with the team. 

Las Vegas - The Mets remain interested in Marlins catcher J.T. Realmuto, but are prepared to pivot to a strong pursuit of free agent Yasmani Grandal, according to major league sources.

As trade talks continue for Realmuto -- some with a third team involved, including the Yankees, the Mets still like Grandal as an alternative.

The Mets also remain very interested in fee agent reliever Andrew Miller.

Mickey Callaway was asked Tuesday at the Winter Meetings in Las Vegas if Jeff McNeil could potentially push Todd Frazier to become the starter at third base entering the season, His answer was succinct. 

"Frazier is our starter at third base right now," Callaway told reporters. "As we stand here today, Todd Frazier is going to be standing at third base."

Danny Abriano, SNY.tv | Twitter | Callaway could be echoing the sentiments of Brodie Van Wagenen and the front office when it comes to the plan for McNeil in 2019 or he could be saying the above on his own. But if McNeil proves himself to be a better option than Frazier to start at third base, the conventional wisdom has to be that he'll supplant him....

The Mets are reluctant to trade Amed Rosario, but not as reluctant as they say publicly, according to SNY's Andy Martino, who says the Mets remain aggressive in their pursuit of Marlins catcher J.T. Realmuto. 

According to FanCred's Jon Heyman, the Mets are debating whether to include Rosario or Noah Syndergaard in a potential deal for Realmuto.

Martino reported Monday night that a three-team deal that would send Syndergaard to the Yankees was a "real possibility." Such a deal could include Realmuto landing with the Mets, but Martino noted that the three-way trade with the Mets and Yankees was one of many scenarios. As of Monday afternoon, the three-team trade talks involving Syndergaard and the Yankees were not progressing, according to Jon Morosi of MLB.com...

The good news is that, based on the number of hot stove rumors surrounding the Mets, it's clear GM Brodie Van Wagenen is interested in making big moves.

The bad news is that, based on the number of hot stove rumors surrounding the Mets, if he doesn't make a big move, fans, reporters, other teams and players will see him as all talk and no action...

"I'll admit, I was one of the many people who were skeptical about him going from agent to GM," a rival assistant GM told me Tuesday. However, he continued, "I've never seen anyone change perception and increase his profile so much and as so fast as Brodie has done during the past few weeks."

It's the second day of the Winter Meetings and there's a lot of speculation out there. Doug Williams, Andy Martino and John Harper separate fact from fiction. Highlights include Mets-Yankees trade talks and the latest on Noah Syndergaard.

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Free agent OF Andrew McCutchen has agreed to a three-year deal with the Phillies, according to multiple reports.

The deal will be worth $50 million.

While the Phillies have added an outfielder, it is not expected to take them out of the running for free agent Bryce Harper, who is visiting with teams this week along with agent Scott Boras near the Winter Meetings in Las Vegas. 

Mets GM Brodie Van Wagenen has invited David Wright to the Winter Meetings, where he is participating in things such as roster discussions, reports SNY's Andy Martino. 

Martino, who reported in September that Wright could be a prominent member of the Mets' front office in 2019, noted that Wright does not have an official front office title at this time.

Mets COO Jeff Wilpon said last week that the team was currently working on a potential injury settlement with Wright.

Andy Martino, SNY.tv | Twitter |

LAS VEGAS - Monday night at the winter meetings brought a frenzied rush for information, and the reader at home was left to sift through multiple reports, adrenaline pumping, trying to piece it all together.

So we thought it would be useful to gather everything we know so far in one place. The major story, as of this moment, is that the Mets and Yankees have been in serious trade talk about Noah Syndergaard and other pitchers. Late Monday we reported that the Yanks were "pushing hard" to get a deal done with the Mets.

From the Mets perspective, they considered a trade with the Yankees a real possibility, but one of several options.

John Harper, SNY.tv | Twitter |

Mets fans don't want to trade Noah Syndergaard -- I get it. 

But are you telling me you wouldn't deal him for J.T. Realmuto and Miguel Andujar, with the understanding that Brodie Van Wagenen would then sign another starting pitcher?

Come on, you can't love the long blond hair that much.

Danny Abriano, SNY.tv | Twitter | The Mets badly want J.T. Realmuto, so much so that they have had three-way talks with the Yankees and Marlins on a potential deal that would land Realmuto with the Mets and Noah Syndergaard with the Yankees.

SNY's Andy Martino reported late Monday from the Winter Meetings that Syndergaard to the Yankees is one of many scenarios in play for the Mets, and added that the Yankees' interest in the Mets' pitching is not limited to Syndergaard.

While adding Realmuto would be huge for the Mets, they should absolutely not do it at the expense of Syndergaard -- unless another major piece is coming back to them in return. And by major, we mean an impact piece...

The MLB Winter Meetings officially are underway through Thursday in Las Vegas.

Here are the latest headlines and rumblings from each of the above markets, followed by my own insight and anaylsis.

Van Wagenen's pursuit of J.T. Realmuto...

The Mets are considered one of only three teams still in the mix to trade for Marlins C J.T. Realmuto, according to MLB.com's veteran Miami reporter Joe Frisaro.

The Mets, Yankees and Marlins are discussing a potential three-team deal that could involve RHP Noah Syndergaard going to the Yankees and catcher J.T. Realmuto going to the Mets, according to multiple reports.

There is a "real possibility," SNY.tv's Andy Martino reports, that Syndergaard joins the Yankees in a blockbuster trade, however the Mets are also considering "10 other scenarios," according to Martino.

Mets GM Brodie Van Wagenen said earlier this offseason it would take "very special circumstances" to "even consider" trading Syndergaard, the dominant Mets starter who went 13-4 with a 3.03 ERA in 25 starts last season.

If Mets GM Brodie Van Wagenen is serious about signing former Yankees reliever David Robertson, he may find himself in a bidding war with the World Series champs.

With closer Craig Kimbrel seeking a mega-deal and reliever Joe Kelly also a free agent, the Red Sox are strongly considering adding Robertson to their bullpen, according to the New York Post.

"They are heavy on him," a source with knowledge of Boston's free-agent plans said of Robertson, the Post reported.

The Marlins want two major league pieces (at least) in exchange for catcher J.T. Realmuto. And while the Mets remain engaged with the Marlins on a potential trade, GM Brodie Van Wagenen doesn't seem like he's willing to budge on Amed Rosario. 

Asked specifically about how willing he is to deal Rosario, Van Wagenen was blunt:

"I think the way I look at any trade is that we want the trade to make us better," Van Wagenen said Monday at the Winter Meetings. "We don't want to create a hole that we didn't have by filling a hole that we did have, right? So we want to make sure that if we do make moves that we're adding to our strengths and filling the gaps where we needed the help. But we're not gonna create a hole by filling another."

The Mets had a meeting with free agent C Wilson Ramos on Monday, reports Mike Puma of the New York Post.

Ramos, 31, could be a fallback option at catcher -- along with Yasmani Grandal or Martin Maldonado -- if the Mets aren't able to trade for Marlins C J.T. Realmuto, SNY's Andy Martino reported earlier Monday. 

Ramos is one of the better offensive catchers in baseball, but his defense leaves a bit to be desired.

Mets first base prospect Peter Alonso, who will be with the team during spring training and could get the nod at first base on Opening Day, says he has improved his defense "tremendously." And he's out to "prove people wrong." 

"Every time I see something online, every time someone knocks me, it's like 'oh, he's not good at defense.' I've really shown that -- since July, I don't think I've made an error since last June," Alonso told SNY's Steve Gelbs on Monday at the Winter Meetings in Las Vegas. "That's July, August, September, and throughout the (Arizona) Fall League. I've gotten tremendously better. I'm really proud of myself. I'm just trying to keep it snowballing so I can prove people wrong and so I can be happy and play the game I love."

Alonso agreed that when people question his defense it becomes a motivating factor.

The Mets are serious about trading for Marlins catcher J.T. Realmuto, according to SNY's Andy Martino. If they miss out on him, though, the team has a few Plan B's.

That pivot would be to free agents such as Yasmani Grandal, Wilson Ramos, and Martin Maldonado, Martino noted on Monday. 

With the Marlins' asking price for Realmuto being astronomical, though it has reportedly come down a bit, the Mets going after one of the free agent catchers might make more sense.

It's the first day of the Winter Meetings and there hasn't been much noise from Las Vegas. Doug Williams, Andy Martino and John Harper break down early reports and questions from fans. Highlights include J.T. Realmuto, Brodie Van Wagenen, and Andrew Miller talk.

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We're LIVE from the Winter Meetings in Las Vegas, taking your questions on the next moves for the Mets.

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By end of the Winter Meetings on Thursday, I expect the Mets will...

1. Sign a high-end free-agent reliever

The Mets have discussed contract terms with free-agent relievers Andrew Miller and David Robertson, I've heard from team insiders. I'm sure they've gone this far down the road with the prominent relievers such as Adam Ottavino as well. 

Andy Martino, SNY.tv | Twitter |

LAS VEGAS - True to his style, Mets GM Brodie Van Wagenen arrived at the winter meetings on Sunday with many ideas and pursuits in mind, and ready for the week to take any number of turns.

But talk around the Mets as the meetings begin points us toward lefty reliever Andrew Miller in particular as a free agent to watch this week.

Miller has also drawn interest from the Phillies, Cardinals and Red Sox, among other teams. The Mets, whose manager Mickey Callaway coached Miller in Cleveland, continue to see him as a fit.

John Harper, SNY.tv | Twitter |

Harold Baines, really? 

A very good player, obviously, yet upon hearing that Baines was elected to the Hall of Fame on Sunday by a 16-person committee, I couldn't help but think immediately of a couple of dozen former star players who are more deserving. 

One of them being Keith Hernandez. 

The MLB Winter Meetings officially begin Monday through Thursday in Las Vegas.

The Mets should be looking to improve their bullpen, as well as add an everyday catcher, at least one impact hitter and depth beneath the entire roster.

Here are the latest headlines and rumblings from each of the above markets, followed by my own insight and anaylsis.

The Mets' outfield already consists of Michael Conforto, Brandon Nimmo and Juan Lagares, and they have Yoenis Cespedes waiting once he returns from surgery.

But should the Mets make a run at free-agent outfielder A.J. Pollock?

Pollock, 31, recorded a .257/.316/.484 batting line with 21 home runs and 65 RBIs in 113 games with Arizona last season. He hasn't played a full season since 2015, when he was an All-Star and hit .315 with 20 home runs and 76 RBIs. 

The Mets are reportedly among several teams who are interested in signing free-agent reliever David Robertson, according to MLB.com's Mark Feinsand.

The former Yankees reliever, who recorded a 3.23 ERA and 91 strikeouts in 69 2/3 innings last season, is also garnering interest from the Red Sox and Dodgers, according to Feinsand.

The Mets are looking to add to their bullpen after they acquired All-Star closer Edwin Diaz from the Mariners in the blockbuster Robinson Cano trade earlier this offseason.

Andy Martino, SNY.tv | Twitter | LAS VEGAS - As the industry trickles into the Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino in advance of Monday's winter meetings, the Mets' highest-profile pursuits have lost a degree of momentum, at least temporarily.

The team is highly motivated to acquire Miami catcher J.T. Realmuto, but the Marlins' steep asking price has left some Mets people feeling less optimistic about a deal getting done. Because nearly half the league wants Realmuto, the Marlins feel justified in asking for two controllable major league pieces, like Amed Rosario and Brandon Nimmo (Michael Conforto has only three years of control remaining before free agency, so he is less of a fit for the rebuilding Marlins).

Despite the tricky fit, expect GM Brodie Van Wagenen to continue to explore every possible way to make a Realmuto deal work.

Chili Davis is officially the Mets' new hitting coach, as SNYtv's Andy Martino reported. The Mets also named Chuck Hernandez as the new bullpen coach and Luis Rojas to the newly-created role of quality control coach.

"Brodie [Van Wagenen] and I spent a lot of time finding the right mix of coaches," Mets manager Mickey Callaway said. "We're especially glad to add an additional coach to the staff keeping pace with the industry standard."

Davis, 58, joins the Mets from Chicago after serving as the Cubs hitting coach in 2018. He was Oakland's hitting coach from 2012-14 and Boston's hitting coach from 2015-17. The Cubs led the NL with a .258 batting average and ranked second with a .333 OBP under Davis.

Danny Abriano, SNY.tv | Twitter | The Mets are looking for an outfielder to pair with Michael Conforto and Brandon Nimmo. As they search, Yasiel Puig is reportedly "disgruntled" in Los Angeles and could get traded during the Winter Meetings that kick off Sunday in Las Vegas. 

Should the Mets deal for the enigmatic Puig, who they are expected to at least inquire about? Here are the pros and cons...

Pros

Brodie Van Wagenen promised the first move wouldn't be the Mets' last one this off-season. 

So what's the new GM's next move? 

Maybe we'll find out during baseball's Winter Meetings, which begin Monday in Las Vegas, also known as Bryce Harper's hometown. The game's annual gathering is a prime opportunity for futher roster reshaping, beyond the Mets acquisitions of Robinson Cano and Edwin Diaz.

John Harper, SNY.tv | Twitter |

The Yankees passed on Patrick Corbin, smartly so at the price the Nationals paid, and now Nathan Eovaldi is heading back to the Red Sox. So where does Brian Cashman turn for starting pitching?

The obvious move is J.A. Happ, but if Cashman wants to gamble a bit on the potential for greater October dominance, as he did in trading for James Paxton, Trevor Bauer can be had at a bargain price.

Mets minor league outfielder Tim Tebow is one step away from being a big-league player, Mets GM and former Tebow agent Brodie Van Wagenen said Wednesday on WFAN.

"If we somehow suffered an injury and we needed somebody to replace Brandon Nimmo or Michael Conforto in the starting lineup, and if Tim Tebow is the best offensive player in Triple-A at that point in time, he's going to be in [Mickey Callaway's] lineup," Van Wagenen said.

Van Wagenen, who made similar comments in early November, also said he expects Tebow to open 2019 playing for the organization's new Triple-A affiliate in Syracuse...

The Mets are having a busy offseason, and their shift in structure moved beyond the diamond on Friday.

Head of Mets player development Ian Levin is the new senior director of baseball operations, the Mets announced. Levin will take on a larger role including analytics, player development, health and performance. Levin's broadened front-office scope is a promotion for a Sandy Alderson era holdover who is widely respected. Martino also reports that Omar Minaya, Mets special assistant to the general manager, will remain an influential advisor. 

"I'm excited to continue to invest in the front office with personnel that have a championship pedigree," Mets General Manager Brodie Van Wagenen said. "We are looking to build the organization to achieve consistent success by incorporating new members and promoting from within." 

It appears we can officially chalk the Nationals off free agent Bryce Harper's list. 

Nationals owner Mark Lerner already made an "aggressive" offer to their former star outfielder before he hit the free-agent market. But Lerner thinks, at this point in time, Harper is content leaving his old home behind to find a new one. 

"Well, when we met with them and we gave them the offer, we told them, 'This is the best we can do,' Lerner told 106.7 The Fan FM in Washington. "We went right to the finish line very quickly. And we said, 'If this is of interest to you, please come back to us and we'll see whether we can finish it up.' But we just couldn't afford to put more than that in and still be able to put a team together that had a chance to win the NL East or go farther than that.

With the Winter Meetings right around the corner, the Mets have already been active, and they certainly are not done with their offseason agenda yet.

In fact, GM Brodie Van Wagenen and the Mets have been aggressively pursuing a potential trade with the Marlins for C J.T. Realmuto. The big question is what would Van Wagenen have to give up to fix his catching problem in Queens?

While throwing out trade scenarios for both the Mets and Yankees during "Baseball Night in New York," SNY's trade analyst Adam Fisher -- a former Senior Director of Baseball Operations for the Mets -- gave his stance on the proposed Realmuto trade...

The Mets' busy offseason continued on Friday. 

Per Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic, the Mets will hire Jared Banner to become their new farm director. 

Banner, 32, is a Brooklyn native who grew up as a Mets fans and was most recently the VP of player personnel for the Red Sox where he oversaw the scouting of professional players in international leagues. 

The Mets should be looking to improve their bullpen, as well as add an everyday catcher, at least one impact hitter and depth beneath the entire roster.

Here are the latest headlines and rumblings from each of the above markets, followed by my take on how things currently stand and may shake out...

Adding an outfielder...

The Mets, and now the Reds, are among teams recently linked to free-agent center fielder A.J. Pollock, according to Fancred.com's Jon Heyman.

The Mets are reportedly considering signing free agent utility player Marwin Gonzalez.

According to Fancred Sports' Jon Heyman, the team has "talked about" the 29-year-old Gonzalez, as GM Brodie Van Wagenen considers infielders who can play multiple positions.

Gonzalez has played the majority of his seven-year career with the Astros at shortstop, but has seen a fair bit of the outfield lately. This past season he started 65 games in left field while adding appearances at each infield position.