NEW YORK, NY – It has been an interesting baseball offseason so far here in New York. 
With Steve Cohen’s acquisition of the Mets, the landscape has changed. Queens has become an attractive destination for free agents. The Yankees and Mets are in the market for some of the same talent.
Yadier Molina is on the radar for both teams. The Yankees appear to be fed up waiting for Gary Sanchez to sort out his myriad problems. He’s had his defensive issues for years with too many passed balls. But until this year he had always been able to hit. This year he couldn’t hit or catch. Not much use for a baseball player who can’t play baseball. Molina is an attractive option for both the Yankees and Mets. The veteran backstop and future hall of famer would provide plenty of leadership and defensive reliability. Chances are that Molina will re-sign with the Cardinals and finish his career in Cam James’ St. Louis.
DJ Lemahieu could also be the prize of a Yankees-Mets bidding war. With Robinson Cano’s one-year ban for PED use, the Mets are in the market for a second baseman. The 2020 AL batting champion is the best option available. The Yankees and Lemahieu have been in talks to bring the 32 year old back to the Bronx. But the two camps are still miles apart on the terms of a long-term deal. The Bombers are wary of overpaying for an aging player and the diminishing returns that can be expected a couple of seasons from now. I think DJ and the Yanks will work out a deal, but the Mets along with the Astros – and possibly Dodgers – could be looking to make Lemahieu and offer he can’t refuse.
The Yankees need pitching. They will most likely re-sign Masahiro Tanaka but James Paxton and JA Happ will not be returning. Trevor Bauer is one of a number of big pitching free agents but the Yanks do not appear to be in the running for his services. The Mets could very well make a strong play for Bauer. The 29-year old righty could be the big splash the Amazins are looking to make this offseason.
Time will tell how this offseason will go. Team revenue is down due to #COVID with the short 2020 season and the empty stadiums. Many teams will be reluctant to spend big on free agents until they know that revenues will be getting back to normal. The Yankees and Mets don’t seem to be worried about the drop in revenue, though. Both teams look set to spend freely. Whether or not either team can land their free agent targets remains to be seen.
That’s if for me… Leave your thoughts below and come back tomorrow Cheesy Bruin and his stellar FREE NFL Picks.
