Mets general manager Billy Eppler says New York isn’t having a “fire sale” after trading Max Scherzer and David Robinson in the middle of an epically disappointing season.
- New York is said to have a high asking price for starting pitcher Justin Verlander
- Verlander ‘open’ to waving his no-trade clause if team wants to split
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New York Mets general manager Billy Eppler has claimed the team is not looking to undergo a ‘rebuild’ or start a ‘fire sale’ for the remainder of the season, despite signs to the contrary. .
New York recently made headlines when it traded star pitcher Max Scherzer to the Texas Rangers for highly rated minor league infielder Luisangel Acuña.
Scherzer’s trade came just days after the Mets sent latching pitcher David Robinson to the Miami Marlins for minor leaguers Marco Vargas and Ronald Hernandez.
New York is also reportedly listening to offers for star pitcher Justin Verlander, but they’re valuing the Cy Young Award winner high enough to keep him.
“It was a strategic decision,” Eppler said of the Scherzer-Robertson trade. ‘We take this opportunity to serve another objective of the organization, which is to improve the agricultural system. But I want to be clear, it’s not a rebuild, it’s not a forced sale, it’s not a liquidation.’
New York Mets general manager Billy Eppler stated that the team is not having a ‘fire sale’
The Mets recently traded star pitcher Max Scherzer and linked up with the Justin Verlander trade.
New York also traded closing pitcher David Robinson to the Miami Marlins for minor leaguers.
“This is just a reuse of Steve’s investment in the club and sort of a shift of that investment from the team to the organization.”
Eppler also hinted that the Mets may not be as quick to spend money as aggressively as they have been recently under new owner Steve Cohen, though they intend to remain competitive.
“I don’t think we’ll go into 2024 with the same preseason odds that we had in 2022 (and) 2023,” Eppler said. “It doesn’t mean we’re clearing 2024. We’re going to have a competitive team.”
“We don’t want to put up with long periods of being mean.” “In general, with clubs in the rebuilding process, you have to put up with five, six (or) seven years of losses and we don’t feel like that. We’re not going to do that.’
“We’re going to listen, but our price points are high.”
The Mets have become one of the biggest disappointments in MLB this season after starting the year with a record payroll only to rank fourth in the NL East with a 50-55 record as of now.
verlander too told reporters that while he’s “committed to trying to win a championship” in New York, he’s “open” to waving his no-trade clause if that’s the direction the Mets want to go.
