NY Mets are three moves away from checkmating the rest of MLB

SAN FRANCISCO, CA - JULY 19: A detailed view of the bat wieghts of the New York Mets in the on-deck circle against the San Francisco Giants at Oracle Park on July 19, 2019 in San Francisco, California. (Photo by Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images)
SAN FRANCISCO, CA - JULY 19: A detailed view of the bat wieghts of the New York Mets in the on-deck circle against the San Francisco Giants at Oracle Park on July 19, 2019 in San Francisco, California. (Photo by Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images)
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The New York Mets are three moves away from checkmating the rest of MLB this offseason. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-USA TODAY Sports

In three moves, the New York Mets can call “checkmate” on their offseason and have an elite roster ready to win it all.

The 2020-2021 offseason is still young, but the New York Mets are talented enough to the point where they are now just three moves away from having an elite roster.

You read that right. The below .500 in 2020 Mets only have to make three more transactions in order to become the cream of the crop in Major League Baseball.

Luckily for them, these moves are also realistic ones. I’m not trading the entire farm system for Mike Trout or using Steve Cohen’s money to resurrect Walter Johnson. The three moves the Mets have to make all involve players they have been rumored to have interest in. Most amazing of all, they are very obvious.

Sign George Springer to play center field

George Springer is the best center fielder on the open market this winter and a perfect fit for what the Mets need. They get a guy that is a true center fielder and swings from the right side. Springer’s mix of hitting for power and ability to add in a good batting average makes him a must for their 2021 lineup.

Signing Springer causes a chain reaction to the rest of the roster. Brandon Nimmo moves to left field. J.D. Davis moves to third base. And finally, Jeff McNeil becomes the team’s starting second baseman.

The Mets don’t lose any roster flexibility and actually become a better defensive squad. While Davis may still need a little more experience at third base before we fully trust him, guys like Andres Gimenez and Luis Guillorme could handle duties at the position during late innings.

I don’t expect to see Springer disappear from the Mets’ radar until he actually signs with another team. Hopefully, if the Mets want to get into checkmate quickly, it’s their name on his paychecks.

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