Yanks check in on Tulo; Mets not close on swap
Troy Tulowitzki may prefer the Yankees, but the Mets have more to offer in trade. (Getty Images)
The Mets maintain interest in Rockies star shortstop Troy Tulowitzki, but it’s clear there’s a major gap to bridge in negotiations between the teams, with differences in ideas of player compensation and financial considerations, as well.
Meantime, a couple other teams — including the rival Yankees — are said to have checked in recently on Tulowitzki in the wake of the report here late last week that talks between the Mets and Rockies were ongoing.
The Mets could still be the best hope for Tulo trade considering a natural match between those two teams in terms of player compensation, but several major hurdles remain even beyond the existing gap in negotiations. While new Rockies GM Jeff Bridich has been clear from the start of winter they’re listening on their two big positional stars — Tulo and outfielder Carlos Gonzalez — it remains unclear how committed the Rockies-owning Monfort brothers are to trading the beloved Tulo and how willing Tulowitzki is to consider teams beyond his preferred Yankees, Dodgers, Giants, Angels, Cardinals and one or two others.
One person familiar with the talks suggested Colorado may not agree to a deal unless it feels the return is to too good to turn down. The sides have been discussing packages centered around top Mets pitching prospect Noah Syndergaard, but some have suggested that at least at some point the Rockies were also requesting Zack Wheeler be included in the package, though talks are fluid, so that may not be the case now. Just about every young Mets pitcher and player has been mentioned at some point, including right-hander Dillon Gee and shortstops Ruben Tejada and presumably Wilmer Flores, though those players are drawing limited interest and would be considered as perhaps third and/or fourth pieces in a potential deal.
The return on Tulowitzki, 30, would depend on how much money the Rockies might be willing to kick in, though to this point there is no word how amenable they are to paying down the $118 million remaining on his deal over the next six years. The Mets also would need to review Tulowitzki’s medical records; he is said to be recovering nicely after hip surgery that ended his brilliant 2014 campaign (1.035 OPS in 91 games) and the hope is that he’d be ready for Opening Day.
Tulowitzki and his current team have remained in touch throughout the winter, and while he didn’t request a no-trade clause upon signing his franchise record $157 million deal, the Monfort brothers are so close to him they’d prefer his approval before pulling the trigger on any deal. While the Mets have been an obvious targeted team of Colorado from the start because of their impressive stash of young pitchers (including also Rafael Montero. Steven Matz, Jenrry Mejia and Jeurys Familia, among others), Tulowitzki, who is still said to love Denver and the Rockies organization, at least initially didn’t have the Mets in his very upper tier of preferred destinations.
Tulowitzki, who attended a Yankees game and sat in a box seat to watch his idol Derek Jeter play in his final season last summer, is said to love the idea of going to the Bronx, though the Yankees’ need to replace Jeter was lessened with their trade for defensive whiz Didi Gregorius, who is expected to at least platoon at short for the Yankees. The Yankees re-checked late last week on Tulo’s availability, and while there is significant question whether they could even match up with the Rockies, their trade for the hard-throwing Nate Eovaldi could possibly give them a slightly better chance.
The Yankees have a top young pitcher Luis Severino, but he’s only 20 and didn’t reach Double-A until late last season. The Yankees’ best young pitcher is probable closer Dellin Betances, though they’d presumably be very reluctant to break up perhaps the team’s biggest strength.
The other team from New York remains the best match for the Rockies. Even with Rookie of the Year Jacob deGrom and potential ace Matt Harvey presumably going nowhere, the Mets have the players and prospects to entice the Rockies, depending on how willing they are to trade their best player.
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