Mets Reportedly Moving On From Pursuit Of Blue Jays Slugger Despite Speculation
The New York Mets will be busy this offseason but it sounds like they won't be adding a new third baseman.
New York has been linked on multiple occasions to Toronto Blue Jays slugger Matt Chapman but the club reportedly "don't seem involved" in the sweepstakes to land his services, according to the New York Post's Jon Heyman.
"Matt Chapman met with the incumbent Jays at the meetings," Heyman said. "The surprise (Arizona Diamondbacks) and (San Francisco Giants) are among other teams eyeing third base. The Jays offered well over $100M in the spring but the sides weren’t close. Chapman is probably shooting for $150M plus.
"The Mets appear ready to give Brett Baty or Ronny Mauricio a chance to win the third base job and don’t seem involved for Chapman."
New York has a decision to make regarding the third base position but it sounds like it will go to either Baty or Mauricio at this point. Baty was drafted by the Mets in the first round of the 2019 Major League Baseball June Amateur Draft and has appeared in 119 games with the club over the last two seasons. He has struggled over that stretch and has a slash line of .210/.272/.325 with 11 home runs and 39 RBIs.
Mauricio currently is the Mets' No. 4 prospect and made his big league debut with the club in 2023. He appeared in 26 games and hit two home runs, drove in nine runs, and slashed .248/.396/.347.
Chapman made sense as a target for the Mets but will be very expensive. If the club opts for an internal candidate instead, it will give them more spending flexibility to improve the starting rotation.
