The New York Mets are still reportedly open to trading starting pitcher Dillon Gee before the start of the 2015 NFL season, ESPN New York reported.
According to MLB insider Adam Rubin, the Mets are still expected to shop Gee in the coming days despite losing Zach Wheeler to season-ending elbow injury, which would require Tommy John surgery.
There are no active trade talks involving Gee at this point, which is creating speculation that he will likely start the season in a Mets uniform. However, Mets manager Terry Collins has not yet announced that Gee will start for the Mets in the upcoming season, which makes most analysts believe that the right-hander will be moved anytime soon.
Despite losing Wheeler for the season, the Mets are convinced Gee is still an expendable asset because they are high on 24-year-old pitcher Rafael Montero, who might be eventually named as their fifth starter instead of Gee. The Mets also have promising prospects in their stable, including Matt Bowman, Noah Syndergaard and Steven Matz.
Gee went 7-8 with a 4.00 ERA and 94 strikeouts in 22 starts for the Mets last season. Mets general manager Sandy Alderson said that Gee is still the likely fifth starter, but he admitted that anything could change heading into the upcoming season.
"There's certainly a presumption that Dillon's the guy, and I'm not sure that that's changed," Alderson told reporters. "But Montero has done everything he can to change that presumption, so we'll just have to see."
Collins echoed Alderson's statement, saying that Montero is strongly being considered to become their fifth starter instead of Gee, who has spent his entire five-year career in New York.
Meanwhile, Collins also confirmed that they have acquired two lefty relievers in the hope of solidifying their bullpen for next season.
Collins announced that the Mets acquired Alex Torres from the San Diego Padres in exchange for prospect Cory Mazzoni and a yet-to-be-named player. They also secured the services of Jerry Blevins from the Washington Nationals for outfield Matt den Dekker.
Torres and Blevins will join the Mets' Opening Day bullpen, which also includes Jenrry Mejia, Jeurys Familia and Carlos Torres. Collins feels the deals will help them in the long run despite giving up Mazzoni and den Dekker.
"You've got to make moves," Collins said. "You go in that room and you talk to these players, we were missing a piece. We talk about how successful we want to be. There was a piece we needed, and today we went out and filled that."
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