MLB rumors: 5 dark horse trade destinations for Blake Snell

Oct 27, 2020; Arlington, Texas, USA; Tampa Bay Rays starting pitcher Blake Snell (4) is taken out of the game during the sixth inning against the Los Angeles Dodgersduring game six of the 2020 World Series at Globe Life Field. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Jairaj-USA TODAY Sports /

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Credit: G Fiume/Getty Images /

3. New York Mets

With new owner Steve Cohen ready to spend, and Robinson Cano’s season-long suspension freeing up even more money, the Mets can’t be ruled out of anything this offseason as other teams sit idle or try to offload salary.

After Jacob deGrom, the Mets have some question marks in the starting rotation. Marcus Stroman is coming back after accepting a qualifying offer, but he did not pitch last season after opting out. Noah Syndergaard is coming back from Tommy John surgery, and two contributors in 2020 (Rick Porcello, Michael Wacha) are free agents.

A run at Trevor Bauer in free agency is possible, but team president Sandy Alderson has suggested a more balanced approach is coming with multiple holes to fill. The trade market might be the pivot in the search for a starting pitcher, with Snell now joining Lance Lynn or even Yu Darvish as potential targets. Snell’s reasonable contract, with three years of control, stand out compared to the aforementioned Lynn and Darvish.

The Mets seem to mean business as Cohen starts to put his stamp on the organization. Snell and deGrom would give them two aces at the top of the rotation, bumping a very good pitcher in Stroman and a hopefully healthy Syndergaard down the pecking order.

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