Mets GM Sandy Alderson: No trade for Brewers’ Carlos Gomez
The New York Mets reportedly agreed to acquire centerfielder Carlos Gomez in a trade with the Milwaukee Brewers on Wednesday, but general manager Sandy Alderson later walked back reports indicating the deal was done.
The New York Post’s Joel Sherman first reported the deal, which would send Mets righthander Zack Wheeler and infielder Wilmer Flores to the Brewers. The trade was pending physicals.
After the Mets lost to the San Diego Padres 7–3 at Citi Field, Sandy Alderson said the trade would not be happening.
“There is no trade,” Alderson told reporters. “Unfortunately, social media, etc., got ahead of the facts and it may have had an adverse effect on one of the players rumored to be involved. It was an unfortunate situation; it’s something I’ve addressed personally with a player involved.”
Wheeler underwent Tommy John surgery in March, and Brewers general manager Doug Melvin told the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel’s Tom Haudricourt that the trade was in place but “medicals did nix it,” referring to Wheeler. Fox Sports's Ken Rosenthal indicated that the Mets were the team who nixed the deal, claiming the Mets were concerned with Gomez's ailing hip, which caused him to miss games in June.
Sherman reported Gomez’s camp was told the trade was “done pending physicals.”
Alderson also could have been referring to Flores in his comments, as the shortstop was visibly emotional during Wednesday’s game, remaining on the field while fans in the stands reacted to the reports of the trade.
Gomez, who came up with the Mets and played 58 games for as a rookie in 2007, had been with the Brewers since '10. In 73 games this season entering Wednesday, the 29-year-old Gomez batted .266 with eight home runs, 43 RBIs and a .761 OPS.
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An All-Star in 2013 and '14, Gomez hit .267 with 87 home runs, 288 RBIs and a .778 OPS over his six seasons with the Brewers. He also spent two seasons with the Minnesota Twins in 2008 and '09.
Wednesday’s loss dropped the Mets to 52–49, two games behind the Washington Nationals in the NL East. Their 3.53 runs per game entering Wednesday were the lowest in baseball, and their .236 team batting average and .662 OPS were second-lowest.
When the Mets do score four or more runs in a game, they are 37–7 this season. The pitching staff has allowed the fourth-fewest runs in baseball (3.55 per game).
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Wheeler, 25, underwent Tommy John surgery in March after tearing his ulnar collateral ligament and injuring his flexor pronator tendon. He is expected to be sidelined until next spring.
In his first two-major league seasons in 2013 and 2014, Wheeler went 18–16 over 49 starts and 285 1/3 innings with a 3.50 ERA, 271 strikeouts and 125 walks.
Flores, 23, is in the middle of his third major-league season. In 92 games entering Wednesday, he has batted .249 with 10 home runs, 40 RBIs and a .660 OPS.
- Mike Fiammetta
