The latest from Queens…
- The Mets will send scouts to Corey Kluber’s showcase on January 13, MLB.com’s Anthony DiComo reports (Twitter link) and the club also had evaluators watching James Paxton when Paxton threw for teams two weeks ago. Both free agent pitchers are looking to bounce back from injury-shortened 2020 seasons, and Kluber also barely pitched (35 2/3 innings) in 2019. If healthy and effective, either pitcher would give the Mets another major arm to join Jacob deGrom and Marcus Stroman atop the rotation. Lots of other teams, of course, would have similar hopes of installing Kluber or Paxton as a rebound candidate, though it is unclear how this interest will manifest itself in terms of a contract given both pitchers’ health concerns. The Mets have deeper pockets than most clubs this offseason, however, and New York could conceivably sign Kluber or Paxton as something of a lottery ticket for the back end of the rotation while still targeting a higher-tier arm (such as a Trevor Bauer).
- The Mets announced their full coaching staff, including official confirmation of new hires Dave Jauss (as bench coach) and Tony Tarasco (as first base coach and an outfielders/baserunning coach). Ricky Meinhold will also join the staff as an assistant pitching coach, while retaining his prior job as a minor league pitching coordinator. Brian Schneider returns to the staff with a new assignment, moving from quality control coach to Major League field coordinator and catching coach.
- In case you missed some noteworthy Mets news from yesterday, the Amazins are reportedly no longer bidding on Tomoyuki Sugano, but they are interested in former Indians closer Brad Hand.