SNY’s Andy Martino will be responding to and breaking down answers to questions from readers. Here’s the latest…
@RonDeLaPena: Do the two New York teams have any interest in Scherzer? A hired gun for the playoffs. I don’t think they’ll have to give up much because he’s a free agent next year
Love this question. Let’s have some fun with a big free agent-to-be and fold the Yanks and Mets mailbags together today, shall we?
The Scherzer aspect is speculation. But the question allows us to present several facts about the Mets, Yankees, and Nationals.
We’ll start with intel on the current approaches of both New York owners, who are said to be impatient for different reasons. Hal Steinbrenner, as we reported this week, is asking pertinent questions about why the Yanks aren’t winning more. Meanwhile, Steve Cohen can smell a potential championship run.
In theory, both could spin those emotional states into a desire for Max Scherzer. Maybe Steinbrenner decides to go all-in on the late prime of his core players, cost be damned. Maybe Cohen determines that two aces with miles on their bodies are better than one.
Let’s talk about the luxury tax. Scherzer is making $34.5 million this year. Steinbrenner has so far shown no inclination to exceed the $210 million threshold. The Yankees are $4 million under it. A move would require a shift in approach.
Cohen was aiming to stay under the tax in his first year, in part because it took considerable politicking from Fred Wilpon with other owners to get Cohen approved in the first place. Wilpon, combined with the presence of Sandy Alderson, helped to convince the nervous clubs that Cohen wouldn’t disrupt the financial model of their business. Cohen’s approval was at risk at one point because of these competitor anxieties.
But Alderson already convinced Cohen to go over the tax for Trevor Bauer. That tells us that there is a certain openness, depending on the opportunity.
Now for the Nationals. Unsurprisingly, our digging on Friday told us that they’re not ready to call themselves sellers. It’s only June 18 (happy birthday to my mom and Paul McCartney, btw), and they have been historically reluctant to give up on seasons, a mentality validated by the 2019 championship that followed a slow start.
Washington is nine games behind the Mets in the loss column. Would a bad weekend push them in the direction of selling next month? Would a hot streak invalidate this entire conversation?
We’ll say this: Other clubs believe the Nats would be tempted to move a prorated chunk of that hefty salary, if the team truly is out of it.
It’s also assumed that the Mets would have to pay a higher prospect cost because they are in the same division. That’s speculative, but backed by the history of in-division trades.
We’ll finish with a word about the health of aces of a certain age. Scherzer, 37 next month, is on the injured list with a groin issue that the team is downplaying. DeGrom, 33 tomorrow, keeps getting alarming owies all over his body.
It would be fun for the Mets to have one as an insurance policy on the other, wouldn’t it?
This is a long, long way from real. But you have to admit that it makes a certain amount of sense.