The Seattle Mariners already swung a huge trade with the New York Yankees. Now, the M’s could be shifting their focus from the Bronx to Queens.
Yahoo! Sports’ Jeff Passan reported Thursday, citing league sources, that there is “significant momentum” toward a deal that would send Mariners closer Edwin Diaz and second baseman Robinson Cano to the New York Mets.
There is significant momentum toward a deal that would send Robinson Cano and Edwin Díaz from the Seattle Mariners to the New York Mets, league sources tell Yahoo Sports. While they characterize a deal as not done yet, there is an increasing expectation a trade will get finished.
— Jeff Passan (@JeffPassan) November 29, 2018
The deal isn’t done yet, as Passan outlined some of the hurdles that remain in completing the blockbuster, including Cano’s no-trade clause and potential physicals. But it would be a massive move by the Mets, even without knowing the prospects they’ll need to relinquish to complete such a deal.
Also, medicals have scuttled many a deal. So those are far from inconsequential. All in all, though, the Mariners are extremely motivated to move Canó, and they have made significant progress on a deal that would land Robinson Canó and All-Star closer Edwin Díaz with the Mets.
— Jeff Passan (@JeffPassan) November 29, 2018
The New York Post’s Joel Sherman also chimed in Thursday, reporting the Mets don’t feel like they’re close to a trade for Diaz and/or Cano. But the Mets and Mariners are “definitely in discussion,” per Sherman, so perhaps it’s just a matter of time before Diaz and Cano head to the Big Apple.
#Mets do not currently feel like they are close to a deal for Cano/Diaz. Of course, things can change quickly, but as of this moment there is no agreement on financials or personnel that would be exchanged.
— Joel Sherman (@Joelsherman1) November 29, 2018
#Mets believe #Mariners continue to go thru the exercise of deciding whether to trade Diaz for a haul by himself or if they feel like must attach Cano because it is the last best chance to move as much of the 5-$120M left as possible
— Joel Sherman (@Joelsherman1) November 29, 2018
#Mets are definitely in discussion with #Mariners and have held plenty of internal conversations about what they would be willing to do to get Diaz, including take a piece of Cano deal by offloading a few of their contracts such as Bruce and have Sea eat $.
— Joel Sherman (@Joelsherman1) November 29, 2018
Here is what everyone I talk to says in some form on this issue: #Mariners badly want to move Cano, Dipoto is a deal maker and he is going to figure a way to do that, even if it means tying Diaz to him and making best of a bad situation. And #Mets are very interested.
— Joel Sherman (@Joelsherman1) November 29, 2018
Remember that trade talks often come down to leverage. #Mariners’ leverage is they have a desirable/controllable/inexpensive piece in Diaz. Suitors’ leverage: Sense that Sea is desperate to move Cano $, so why overpay for Diaz? Who blinks first? #Mets
— Joel Sherman (@Joelsherman1) November 29, 2018
MLB Network’s Jon Morosi confirmed Passan’s report, with a source telling him talks are “intensifying” between the Mets and Mariners.
Source: #Mariners trade talks intensifying, as @JeffPassan indicated this morning. Robinson Cano and Edwin Diaz to the #Mets is a viable possibility, but Seattle remains in trade talks with multiple teams, especially on Diaz. @MLBNetwork @MLB
— Jon Morosi (@jonmorosi) November 29, 2018
A trade of Robinson Cano and Edwin Diaz to the #Mets is not imminent, sources say, but is one possible outcome of the talks Jerry Dipoto and Brodie Van Wagenen are pursuing on multiple fronts with uncommon ardor.
Stay tuned, Baseball Twitter. @MLBNetwork @MLB
— Jon Morosi (@jonmorosi) November 29, 2018
The deal could be centered around how much of Cano’s contract the Mets are willing to absorb, but they’ll likely need to include prospects in the trade, too. And The Athletic’s Ken Rosenthal reported that outfielder Jarred Kelenic and right-handed pitcher Justin Dunn are two names being tossed around.
Source: Two former first-round picks are among the #Mets prospects under discussion in talks with #Mariners for Cano-Diaz: OF Jarred Kelenic, 6th overall in 2018, and RHP Justin Dunn, 19th overall in ‘16. ”Significant momentum” in talks, per @JeffPassan.
— Ken Rosenthal (@Ken_Rosenthal) November 29, 2018
Fancred’s Jon Heyman has gathered similar information, adding even more fuel to the rumors that Diaz and Cano could play for the Mets in 2019.
Mets and mariners are having many talks on Cano. Word is, no deal is imminent. However, deal makes too much sense. M’s want to unload Cano. Mets want 2B, they like Cano and would love Diaz. Plus, Cano has full no trade and surely prefers NY.
— Jon Heyman (@JonHeyman) November 29, 2018
Cano and Diaz would go to mets in different proposals being discussed. M’s want prospects back and sources say top Mets prospects Kelenic, Dunn and David Peterson have been talked about @JeffPassan reported momentum toward deal @Ken_Rosenthal named 2 of those prospects
— Jon Heyman (@JonHeyman) November 29, 2018
Diaz is coming off a sensational season as Seattle’s ninth-inning man, recording an MLB-best 57 saves and a 1.96 ERA. The hard-throwing right-hander totaled 124 strikeouts over 73 1/3 innings (15.2 K/9) and finished eighth in American League Cy Young voting.
Cano, meanwhile, was limited to just 80 games thanks to an 80-game suspension for performance-enhancing drugs. The eight-time All-Star batted .303 with 10 home runs, 50 RBIs and an .845 OPS.
One could argue Diaz is the best closer in baseball. He’ll be just 25 years old on Opening Day and is under team control for four more seasons. He’s both an excellent pitcher and a valuable asset for the Mariners, who are in the midst of a fire sale after finishing third in the AL West with an 89-73 record.
The Mariners have a decision to make, though: Do they trade Diaz on his own in order to land the best prospect package possible? Or do they trade him along with Cano as a way to get rid of most, if not all, of the second baseman’s contract? Cano, 36, is slated to earn $120 million over the next five seasons.
