New York Mets, Detroit Tigers MLB Trade Rumors: Michael Conforto for J. D. Martinez Trade Almost Happened Over the Winter
When two-time All-Star outfielder Yoenis Céspedes opted out of his contract last November and became a free agent, the New York Mets had to come up with a backup plan in case he doesn't re-sign with them. Well, the Mets ended up re-signing Céspedes to a four-year, $110 million deal, but they might have pushed the panic button if he didn't return.
According to FanRag Sports Jon Heyman, the New York Mets actually considered trading Michael Conforto to the Detroit Tigers in exchange for veteran outfielder J. D. Martinez, but they decided not to push through with a trade when they got Céspedes back.
"The Mets seriously discussed a straight-up swap of Michael Conforto for J. D. Martinez before re-signing Céspedes but ultimately decided that one year of Martinez for Conforto wasn't enough. For a while, though, it was a real consideration," Heyman said in his report.
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That would have been an interesting trade. Martinez is undoubtedly a fantastic player. He's an excellent hitter, but the price was just too steep. It should be noted that Conforto is under team control through the 2021 season, while Martinez has a year remaining on his contract.
A number of observers have noted that the deal would have been somewhat lopsided if they decided to pull the trigger. Why trade a long-term asset for a player who's going to become a free agent after the 2017 season?
"For as good as Martinez is (145 OPS+ since 2014), we're talking about a player that's a free agent after the 2017 season. Meanwhile the Mets control Conforto's rights through the 2021 season. The 23-year-old isn't even arbitration eligible until 2019," Joe Giglio of NJ Advance Media said.
It's a good thing Céspedes re-signed with them then. Conforto struggled last season, but he has shown a lot of promise early on. The smart thing to do is to hold on to him and see what he can do.
