New York Mets MLB Trade Rumors: Team Might Move A.J. Ramos for a Second Baseman
A.J. Ramos could be on the move again this offseason.
The Athletic's Ken Rosenthal has reported that the New York Mets might be willing to trade Ramos for an established second baseman and replace him with one of the top relievers still available on the free agent market.
The Mets want to improve their bullpen this offseason and moving Ramos can set them back, but this move actually makes a lot of sense because they need someone to fill the void at second base.
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Right now, Ramos is an attractive trade chip because a lot of teams are looking for relievers.
"Trading for a second baseman appears to be the best path for the Mets since the free-agent class, headlined by ex-Met Neil Walker, is not strong," Matt Ehalt wrote in his column for NorthJersey.com.
"It's possible a team could view a trade for Ramos and the one year on his contract as a better option than signing one of the premier relievers to a multi-year deal," he added.
NJ Advance Media's Joe Giglio has also suggested trading Ramos to the Cleveland Indians for second baseman Jason Kipnis.
"For the Mets, swapping a good, not great relief arm for a starting second baseman makes sense. For the Indians, Ramos can replace the production lost when Bryan Shaw (a Mets target) signed in Colorado," Giglio said in his report.
In any case, the Mets can always bring in someone else to take his place. Quality relievers like Wade Davis, Greg Holland and former Mets pitcher Addison Reed are still available. However, they are expected to seek multi-year deals.
The Mets acquired Ramos from the Miami Marlins in exchange for prospects Merandy González and Ricardo Cespedes before the non-waiver trade deadline last season.
Ramos finished the 2017 season with a 2–4 record, and he had 72 strikeouts in 58.2 innings pitched. He posted a 3.99 earned run average (ERA) and a 1.41 walks plus hits per inning pitched (WHIP).
