Mets Rumors: Curtis Granderson, Jay Bruce could be on the trading block

Don’t count on Jay Bruce being the only player the Mets try to trade during the winter meetings.

[Update 12/4/16]

The Mets are looking to “move fairly quickly,” one way or another in regards to their outfield dilemma, says Newsday’s Marc Carig. The team is fielding calls for both Curtis Granderson and Jay Bruce, so with the Winter Meetings starting this week, it could be sooner rather than later that a move gets made.

Speaking with reporters Sunday afternoon, however, Sandy Alderson expressed his appreciation for Granderson, and acknowledged what a major part of the team he’s become.

The keyword here is “difficult,” not impossible. As any fan of baseball knows, if the right price is on the table, it’s not easy to say no. The same could be said for Curtis. The Mets may prefer to keep him on board by setting a high price for him in the trade market. As a counter, a move to acquire Jay Bruce may seem more attractive and cheaper to clubs that are looking for an outfielder.

[Original post]

The Mets outfield is overcrowded as we know. With Yoenis Cespedes‘ signing, the Mets have three high paid outfielders (Yo, Curtis Granderson, and Jay Bruce) and one up and coming star in Michael Conforto. And that’s without including Juan Lagares – likely their best defensive outfielder – or youngster Brandon Nimmo. This is why many are expecting the Mets to deal at least one of their top money guys.

So far, the focus has logically been on Jay Bruce being moved. The Mets have been fielding calls for the former Red and we’ve even guessed at a possible destination for him in the AL Central with the Chicago White Sox. However, one of my personal favorite Mets could be getting traded instead.

Granderson will be making $15 million in 2017, his final contract year with the Mets, as a 36-year-old outfielder. In his 2016 campaign, Granderson struggled badly early on and then worked the rest of the season to get back to a respectable batting average. He finished his year hitting a line of .237/.335/.464 in 150 games while playing both CF and RF. His power numbers are still there too as he hit it over the wall a total of 30 times last season.

I hope Granderson doesn’t get traded because he’s honestly one of my favorite players. His clutch play both on offense and defense in the 2015 playoffs will be remembered for a long time. I also think Sandy Alderson and co. can get a better return for Jay Bruce versus Grandy. If you ask me if I’d rather have a 36-year-old Granderson or a 30-year old Jay Bruce in 2017, I’d go with the former to stay on the Mets, but odds are other teams may not agree.

Next: #MetsTwitter reacts to Cespedes reported return

On top of all this, Grandy is a guy you want in the clubhouse. He’s a veteran player and is a leader for his team both on and off the field. There’s a reason why this past year alone he’s won the Roberto Clemente award, was named Marvin Miller Man on the Year, and won the Lou Gehrig Memorial Award. He is a great player, a great teammate, and an all around great person.