Alderson finding it 'difficult' to trade Granderson

After signing outfielder Yoenis Cespedes to a four-year, $110-million contract at the end of November, the New York Mets have had a relatively quiet offseason, although they've reportedly discussed trading Jay Bruce and Curtis Granderson.

Granderson may not be going anywhere, though, according to general manager Sandy Alderson, who discussed potentially trading the veteran on Thursday.

Alderson said it would be "difficult" to trade Granderson because of his ability to play center field, and he believes Michael Conforto is more of a "question mark" to play the position if Granderson was traded, according to ESPN's Adam Rubin.

If Granderson were dealt, the Mets could potentially fill the hole in center field with Juan Lagares - who played the majority of the team's games there last season - or Cespedes, who also logged 63 games at the position in 2016.

They also have Brandon Nimmo in their system, who is the No. 5-ranked prospect in the organization, according to MLB Pipeline.

Career in center field

According to multiple reports, Granderson's name has been a frequent topic of discussion during the offseason, with the Toronto Blue Jays and the Baltimore Orioles mentioned as possible destinations for the 35-year-old.

The veteran of 13 MLB seasons belted 30 home runs for the fourth time in his career last year.

He's set to earn $15 million next season, which is the final year of a four-year contact he signed with the Mets in December 2013.

Over the course of his big-league career, Granderson owns a .255/.340/.474 slash line with 293 home runs and 801 RBIs.