MLB Insider says New York Mets 'Seem to Love' This All-Star Slugger
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It's no secret that the New York Mets are in the hunt to acquire a DH ahead of the August 2 trade deadline.
As previously reported by Inside the Mets on July 8, rival executives in the National League believe the Mets' top bat options are Baltimore Orioles' Trey Mancini and Washington Nationals' Josh Bell.
While Mancini and Bell remain possibilities as potential deadline targets, one MLB insider says the Mets have taken a liking to this All-Star slugger.
According to Jon Heyman of The New York Post, "Mets people seem to love" Colorado Rockies first baseman/DH C.J. Cron. The 32-year-old made the All-Star team for the first time in his career this season, and rightfully so, as he is hitting .298 with 21 home runs, 69 RBIs and a .902 OPS.
However, Cron comes with an extra year of control and the Rockies have been reluctant to move players at the deadline in the past, with Trevor Story and Jon Gray being the latest examples last summer.
Cron also plays in a high-altitude home ballpark, Coors Field, and his numbers away from Colorado are significantly lower this year.
Home: 50 games, .352 average, 16 homers, 53 RBI, 1.067 OPS
Road: 40 games, .229 average, five homers, 16 RBI, .695 OPS
Cron had similar home-away splits in 2021 as well.
That said, Cron still had a decent track record before joining the Rockies ahead of last season. He cranked a total of 55 homers between 2018 and 2019, with the Tampa Bay Rays and Minnesota Twins.
Depending on the asking price, Cron would be a solid addition in the middle of the Mets' lineup, serving as a complement to Pete Alonso and Francisco Lindor.
While there has been no shortage of trade buzz surrounding Juan Soto over the course of the past week, Heyman says the chances are very low that the Mets and Nationals strike a deal for the 23-year-old superstar. For that, the Mets are more likely to land Cron, Mancini, Bell or a different hitter by the deadline.
Read More:
- Mets Push Jacob deGrom's Sim Game Back due to Shoulder Soreness
- Mets' Pete Alonso on Shohei Ohtani: 'He'd be More Than Welcome in Queens'
- Mets to 'Explore' Trade for Juan Soto
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