MLB Rumors: Aaron Judge trade replacement, Tim Anderson gone, Mets dealing

MLB Rumors: NY Mets willing to take on even more money

Money is reportedly not an issue for the New York Mets, which wouldn’t be a huge surprise if they weren’t already over the luxury tax. The Mets just dealt Eduardo Escobar to the Angels, but paid his entire salary as well.

Per SNY’s Andy Martino, the Mets don’t mind taking on more money for what they deem a desirable pitcher. Now, who New York general manager Billy Eppler deems desirable is a question in its own right, and perhaps not one Mets fans want the answer to. After all, trusting Eppler to run the show has not worked out well in the past.

Martino identified a few options for New York, linking the Mets to Washington Nationals starter Patrick Corbin. Here’s what Martino wrote on Wednesday:

"“In conversations with league sources, Corbin’s name was the most frequently linked to the Mets. Washington owes Corbin $24.4 million this season and a stunning $35.4 million in 2024. The Mets could offer to pay all of that in exchange for a reliever like Hunter Harvey, C.J. Edwards or Kyle Finnegan. Corbin wouldn’t be an instant DFA, either. Perhaps Mets pitching coach Jeremy Hefner, widely regarded as one of the best and brightest in the sport, could salvage some level of performance from the former All-Star.”"

The idea would be taking on Corbin’s contract to acquire the likes of, say, Trevor Williams or another asset the Mets can use in the years to come. New York may not be a playoff team this season, but they have the highest payroll in the sport for a reason. Cohen’s squad should always remain relevant, even if that’s in 2024.