The Mets are seeing significant trade interest in 26-year-old RHP Noah Syndergaard, SNY's Andy Martino reported on Friday, adding that a potential Syndergaard trade this offseason is a real possibility.

My understanding, after talking to MLB insiders this past weekend, is that to move Syndergaard, the Mets would need to get back a comparable, elite position player able to help the team win in 2019.

Along those lines, it would mean Brodie Van Wagnen getting back a position player projected to produce around 4.0 WAR and likely fill a current hole, such as third base, center field or catcher...

Andy Martino, SNY.tv | Twitter | As the Mets continue to discuss trading Noah Syndergaard, the team is also exploring potential free agent starting pitchers to replace him, according to major league sources.

Trading Syndergaard -- which is no sure thing to happen, even though the Mets are exploring it -- would only be one piece in a larger strategy. The Mets could obtain a package of prospects and major leaguers for Syndergaard, then replace him with a free agent such as Patrick Corbin, J.A. Happ, Dallas Keuchel, or Nathan Eovaldi.

Those pitchers are all in the mix for the Yankees, too; Happ and Corbin are particular targets in the Bronx. The Yankees, by the way, do not expect to pursue Syndergaard, per sources...

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...

The everyday catcher

With the Arizona Fall League over, Mets first base prospect Peter Alonso has finished the season with 42 homers in a career-high 159 games.

Alonso crushed 36 homers during the minor league season, as he hit .285/.395/.579 in 132 games between Double-A Binghamton and Triple-A Las Vegas. In the AFL, where he started off hot and cooled off late, Alonso cracked six homers while hitting .255/.339/.510 in 27 games.

The 23-year-old Alonso will be with the Mets at big league Spring Training in February, and new GM Brodie Van Wagenen -- who traveled to Arizona to have dinner with Alonso during the AFL -- recently said he is an "impact player offensively" who is going to continue to work hard on his defense.

The Mets are receiving significant trade interest in Noah Syndergaard, SNY's Andy Martino reported on Friday, adding that a potential Syndergaard trade this offseason is "a real possibility."

Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic reported Sunday that the Mets' "end game" in a Syndergaard trade would not necessarily be simply acquiring high-end prospects, of which the interested Padres have many.

Danny Abriano, SNY.tv | Twitter | On its face, the idea that a team trying to contend in 2019 would trade a 26-year-old ace-level pitcher who won't be a free agent until 2021 is crazy. But if the Mets aren't going to be in on the Manny Machado's and Bryce Harper's of the world via free agency, their best shot to get a potential impact bat (and more) right now could be dealing Syndergaard...

Most of the talk around the Mets this offseason has been about adding a high-end catcher and potential runs at high-end relievers. While the Mets should be open to adding big-name players, here are four underrated, undervalued free agents the team should have interest in...

The veteran back-up catcher Nick Hundley

Hundley has been mostly a backup catcher the past two seasons, during which he has played in 197 games while hitting a combined .242 with 19 HR and 66 RBI in 608 at-bats.

Josh Lewin is out as Mets radio broadcaster. 

The veteran announcer confirmed a New York Daily News report that he will no longer be part of the radio team as they shift form WOR-AM to WCBS-AM. 

Lewin, 50, worked alongside Howie Rose for six seasons but announced on Twitter that he will be taking on a new opportunity elsewhere. 

Jeff Wilpon provided music to Mets fans' ears at the Annual Turkey Giveaway on Friday. 

The team owner and COO was asked how aggressive the Mets plan to be this offseason in improving the roster, to which Wilpon responded, "aggressive."

"I mean we have to win more games," he said.

Mets fans had San Diego Union-Tribune writer John Maffei -- the lone writer that cost Mets ace Jacob deGrom a unanimous Cy Young award win -- on their most wanted list. 

And now he has company. 

ESPN personality Michael Wilbon shares Maffei's stance that a pitcher's record should most certainly be taken into account when determining who should win the award. He even went as far as to say it's "absurd" how analytics is "hijacking" the game. 

Andy Martino, SNY.tv | Twitter |

As the Mets prepare for contract extension talks with Cy Young Award winner Jacob deGrom, they are receiving significant trade interest in Noah Syndergaard, according to major league sources. A Syndergaard trade could be their way to add high-end talent, while still trying to contend in 2019.

SNY reported last summer that the San Diego Padres and Mets talked about a Syndergaard trade, and could revisit the subject in the offseason. According to The Athletic's Ken Rosenthal, that has indeed happened. Our sources add that while the Padres weren't aggressive enough in July for talks to become serious, they are expected to go harder after Syndergaard now.

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...

John Maffei chose not to explain to WFAN's Steve Somers why he voted for Nationals ace Max Scherzer over Jacob deGrom for the NL Cy Young award.

Instead, he fleshed out his reasoning in a Thursday column for his employer, the San Diego Union-Tribune.

"DeGrom had a fantastic season and the Mets did a great job sending out his facts and figures," wrote Maffei, who was the only one of the 30 voters not to submit a first-place ballot for the Mets ace. "Obviously, a 1.70 ERA over 217 innings is a fabulous accomplishment. But he had 10 wins and nine losses.

Mets GM Brodie Van Waganen said he believes Noah Syndergaard will be a key player for the Mets going forward, but that hasn't stopped other teams from expressing interest in the power-throwing pitcher.

The San Diego Padres, who last year had MLB.com's top-ranked farm system, have reportedly remained interested in trading for Synderaard, according to The Athletic's Ken Rosenthal.

The Padres in July reached out to the Mets regarding Syndergaard, who went 13-4 with a 3.03 ERA in 25 starts last season, but nothing came about it.

In the midst of gushing over Jacob deGrom's "unheard of" Cy Young season, John Franco echoed something that's on the minds of many Mets fans these days:

"Hopefully," Franco said, "they work something out to keep Jake around a long time."

And Franco, who spoke Thursday evening before attending the 16th annual New York City gala to benefit Joe Torre's Safe at Home Foundation, believes it's only a matter of time before deGrom and the Mets agree on a contract extension that will keep deGrom in Queens.

John Harper, SNY.tv | Twitter |

It turned out all that fretting over whether his lack of run support would cost Jacob deGrom the Cy Young Award was unnecessary stress for Mets fans everywhere.

In fact, in some ways it was fitting that deGrom won so easily, collecting 29 of the 30 first-place votes. For just as his season was historic in many ways, so was the verdict, as delivered by the voting members of the Baseball Writers Association of America.

With that in mind, here are two important takeaways from deGrom's landslide victory:

Christian Yelich has gotten the Jacob deGrom treatment.

A day after the Mets ace won the NL Cy Young award with 29 of 30 first-place votes, Yelich had his unanimous NL MVP vote spoiled by (who else?) but deGrom.

The Brewers outfielder similarly secured all but one of the first-place ballots from voting members of the Baseball Writers Association of America.

Jacob deGrom doesn't like himself when he's angry.

The Mets ace on Thursday credited his Cy Young-winning season -- one of the best in MLB history -- to his ability to stay calm and collected on the mound ion 2018.

"Looking back on previous seasons there were always a couple starts that I let get out of hand," deGrom told WFAN's Mike Francesa on Thursday. "Looking at how that happened, watching film, I noticed how I kind of got angry and let that sneak up on me. I would let the game get out of hnad. [This past season] I was trying to concentrate on when runners got on, slowing the game down a little bit, taking my time, focusing on how I wanted to get that batter out. 

"In 2017 I found myself looking at film watching myself get angry," he added. "Apparently I don't pitch very well when I'm angry."

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 -- with a twist today...

It is common this time of year for experts and columnists to publish predictions about where top free agents will land. There are some that seem obvious, others that are reasonable conclusions, and some that are simply wishful thinking. In the case of the following three free agents, MLB insiders made predictions to me that were a bit of surprise -- specifically former MVP candidate, 3B Josh Donaldson...

Mets ace Jacob deGrom is sticking with the CAA agency, where his new agent will be Jeff Berry, reports SNY's Andy Martino.

DeGrom had been searching for a new agent since former-agent Brodie Van Wagenen became the Mets' GM.

The 30-year-old deGrom reiterated earlier this week that he's open to a long-term extension with the Mets, with Martino predicting the two sides will start talking about a new deal in December...

Brodie Van Wagenen shares his philosophies for building the Mets on the season premiere of SNY's Mets Hot Stove, Thursday at 10:30pm.

There was one voter out of 30 who did not have Jacob deGrom first in the Cy Young voting on Wednesday night -- John Maffei of the San Diego Union Tribune.

Maffei, whose non-vote denied deGrom the chance to be the 18th pitcher in history to win the award in unanimous fashion, had a chance to explain his reasoning during an appearance on WFAN with Steve Somers. Instead, he hung up on him.

Here's how the exchange went, with Somers introducing Maffei:

Mets ace Jacob deGrom won the Cy Young award in nearly unanimous fashion on Wednesday night.

Click below to see how the back pages in New York reacted...

Next season will be the 50-year anniversary of the Mets' first World Series title, and they plan on honoring the team during a three-game series against the Braves in June.

Led by Tom Seaver and Tommie Agee, the 1969 Mets swept the Braves in the NLCS that year then beat the Baltimore Orioles in five games for their first World Series title, in just their eighth season of existence.

Most players who are still alive are expected to reunite from June 28 to June 30 in a ceremony to remember how the "Amazin' Mets" came to be.

Mets ace RHP Jacob deGrom has officially been named the 2018 National League Cy Young Award winner. And though the many saw it as a lock for deGrom after his dominate season, he had to admit the nerves waiting to hear his name called.

"I was nervous," he told SNY's Steve Gelbs after being named the fourth Met in team history to win the award. "I don't know why -- sitting here I've been really nervous about it. But I'm really excited and very thankful to everybody involved who helped me along the way. Family, friends, everybody involved in this. It really is an honor."

When did those nerves set in?

What everyone knew would happen once Jacob deGrom put a bow on his incredible season on Sept. 26 has become official: The Mets ace has won the 2018 National League Cy Young award. 

DeGrom, whose 1.70 ERA was the best in baseball and the fifth-lowest by any pitcher since 1996, finished with 29 of the 30 first-place votes. Max Scherzer was the pitcher that received the lone first-place vote, while Aaron Nola came in third. 

Aside from his league-leading ERA, deGrom allowed three runs or fewer in an MLB-record 29 consecutive starts, was tied for the best WHIP in the NL (0.91), had a career-high 269 strikeouts, had a 0.69 WHIP with runners in scoring position, led the NL with a 1.99 FIP, and had a 216 ERA+ -- the fifth-best since the turn of the century...

Mets prospect Peter Alonso blasted a three-run home run on Wednesday night in an Arizona Fall League game.

Alonso's home run came during a breakout game during which he racked up four hits to break out of a 5-for-42 skid. His home run was his sixth of the season.

Mets ace Jacob deGrom is officially the 2018 National League Cy Young Award winner, and his teammates, coaches, and more sent their congratulations to the 30-year-old for his amazing feat...

With Mets RHP Jacob deGrom winning the 2018 National League Cy Young Award, the baseball world reacted on Twitter. 

Here is who congratulated deGrom on his amazing accomplishment...

To gauge the trade value of potential Mets trade target J.T. Realmuto, I talked with multiple MLB insiders, including two agents, two league executives and three talent evaluators.

Last week, SiriusXM MLB reporter and radio Craig Misch said league sources indicated Realmuto will cost at least high-end, young pitching prospect and a position player.

The consensus I found was that the Marlins do not require a team's top prospect, nor do they require getting back a pitcher. Instead, based on packages being prepared by organizations with interest, it'll clearly cost one or two prospects considered to be among the Top 100 in baseball, as well as a third, mid-level prospect with significant upside...

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...

If a starting pitcher is traded, who is his replacement?

While traveling to his first general managers' meetings in California last month, Mets GM Brodie Van Wagenen made a pit stop in Scottsdale, Arizona, to have dinner with one of his top prospects. 

And apparently it was a meeting Peter Alonso will not soon forget.

Alonso, the 23-year-old first baseman and Arizona Fall League All-Star, said he was impressed by Van Wagenen's effort in seeing him so early in the GM's tenure.

As Mets ace Jacob deGrom waits for the announcement that he's the 2018 Cy Young award winner, here are 10 awesome deGrom stats:

• Led the majors with a 1.70 ERA, which was the fifth-lowest mark since 1996
• His 0.41 HR/9 rate was second in the majors and led the NL. DeGrom allowed 10 homers, while likely Cy Young runner-up Max Scherzer allowed 23...

A look at where Mets ace Jacob deGrom's dominant season ranks in the top 10 of the last 50 years.

Mets ace Jacob deGrom struck out a lot of people in 2018. Will it be enough to win the Cy Young Award on Wednesday?

DeGromination Day -- a celebration of Jacob deGrom -- begins Wednesday at Noon on SNY, followed by live coverage on Baseball Night in New York after the announcement.

You might recall that R.A. Dickey's Cy Young Award in 2012 resulted not in a celebration but a quarrel between player and team that ended in the Mets trading Dickey to the Blue Jays before the end of the year.

You might also recall that, last July, when Jacob deGrom's then-agent Brodie Van Wagenen called on the Mets to either extend or consider trading the ace, a well-placed source predicted to us that it would end in a "trade in the offseason."

DeGrom, it seemed at the time, was going the way of Dickey -- a top pitcher at first willing to stay in New York long-term, but ultimately used as a rebuilding chip.

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 may shake out...

MLB may be swapping headaches again

Jacob deGrom has the chance to become the New York Mets' sixth Cy Young award winner when the results are announced on Wednesday night.

Watch deGromination Day on SNY on Wednesday, starting at noon!

Jacob deGrom said during the All-Star break this past season that he "loved" playing for the Mets and was open to signing a long-term extension.

Those comments came after then-agent and now-Mets GM Brodie Van Wagenen made waves by suggesting the Mets should extend deGrom or trade him. And with his agent now his GM and the season in the rearview mirror, deGrom is still open to discussing an extension.

"I think anybody is open to an extension if it's right for you and your family," deGrom told MLB.com's Anthony DiComo. "Nothing is guaranteed in this game until you sign that deal or hit free agency and sign a deal there. You just have to sit down and, at the end of the day, look at what's right for you and your family and kind of make a decision based upon that."

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 are and may shake out...

The high-leverage relief market is percolating

Re-live the dominating moments of 2018 for Jacob deGrom, as the New York Mets ace looks to win the Cy Young Award on Wednesday.

SNY's celebration of deGrom beings at 12 p.m. on Wednesday, Nov. 14 on SNY!

Mets OF Brandon Nimmo thinks the Mets are "getting the best of both worlds" with agent-turned-GM Brodie Van Wagenen.  

"I think you're gonna get someone who's really in to the analytics -- knows how to read 'em -- but also has that baseball mindset where he's gonna let the analytics kind of help him make baseball decisions and not the other way around," Nimmo said. "So I think we're getting the best of both worlds in that. I'm excited to see what he's gonna do."

Nimmo, who said he has spoken with Van Wagenen, cited his intelligence, but also seemed excited that the new GM had played the game before -- with Nimmo saying Van Wagenen was an injury shy of playing in the pros...

Mets ace Jacob deGrom posted some elite numbers in 2018. In preparation for "DeGromination Day," here's a look of how his ERA stacks up to other Cy Young starting pitchers...

SNY's celebration of deGrom beings at 12 p.m. on Wednesday, Nov. 14 on SNY!

Every Sunday, we'll be taking a look at how notable Mets prospects are faring in the Arizona Fall League. The AFL features some of the best prospects in baseball and its regular season runs through Nov. 15. The Championship Game is Nov. 17. 

Peter Alonso, 1B

The 23-year-old Alonso has cooled off significantly as the AFL winds down, with his line down to .221/.306/.442 in 24 games...

Coming off a down year where he was limited to just 102 games because of a shoulder injury, the Cubs are open to trading 3B Kris Bryant, reports ESPN's Buster Olney.

According to Olney, The Cubs -- who have failed to agree on a long-term extension with Bryant, who is repped by Scott Boras -- could trade Bryant this winter.

With Bryant and Mets RHP Noah Syndergaard both arbitration-eligible through 2021 before being eligible for free agency, a swap of the two could make sense...

Mets RHP Jacob deGrom has watched Brodie Van Wagenen transition from his agent to his general manager, but the Mets' ace is optimistic about the future of the team under new leadership.

"I honestly think he's going to do a good job at this," deGrom said, per MLB.com. "You hear all of this conflict-of-interest stuff. I don't really know how to feel on that part of it. But I truly do believe he is going to be rooting for every player on our team, and try to help them out the best he can."

Van Wagenen, who as deGrom's agent this summer said that the Mets should either extend him or "consider trade opportunities," was happy to hear the right-hander's comments about his new role as general manager.

SNY's Steve Gelbs catches up with Keith Hernandez at his Gold Glove Hall of Fame induction to talk defense, Brodie Van Wagenen, Jacob deGrom, and Hadji.

Chase Utley, who tormented the Mets as a member of the Phillies from 2003 to the middle of 2015 and broke Ruben Tejada's leg with a dirty "slide" in Game 2 of the 2015 NLDS as a Dodger, was released by the Dodgers Friday to facilitate his official retirement.

Utley, 39, announced during the season that it would be his last. 

The season after breaking Tejada's leg in the NLDS, Utley was thrown behind at Citi Field by Mets starting pitcher Noah Syndergaard. That moment led to Syndergaard's ejection and the now-infamous 'ass-in-the-jackpot' argument between crew chief Tom Hallion and then-Mets manager Terry Collins...

SNY's Andy Martino has been reporting that the Mets are not expected to sign free agent Manny Machado, and Jon Heyman of FanCred shed some more light on the Mets/Machado non-situation on Friday. Heyman noted that the Mets are "not seen as a player" for Machado, adding that the "sense is that they don't see him as the right player to spend big on."

The 26-year-old Machado could command a deal of 10 or more years worth $300 million or more. A potential Machado deal could also include one or multiple opt-outs. 

Danny Abriano, SNY.tv | Twitter | If ever there was a "right player to spend big on" for the Mets at this point in time, it can be argued that it's Manny Machado. There could be legitimate reasons why the Mets don't think Machado is a fit -- and it would be interesting to hear those reasons. But on the surface, Machado seems like the perfect player at the perfect time for the Mets. Some reasons why...

The Mets announced Friday that the club and special assistant to the GM J.P. Ricciardi have mutually agreed to part ways, effective immediately.

"The Mets are grateful for all J.P. has brought to the team over the last eight seasons and we wish him all the best going forward," Mets COO Jeff Wilpon said in a statement. "He was and will continue to be a friend. J.P. was instrumental in identifying and bringing talent to the Mets that helped develop our growth throughout the entire system and stepped up to play an even larger role when we needed him over the time Sandy had to step away."

Bob Nightengale of USA Today reported earlier Friday that the Athletics could be a landing spot for Ricciardi...