If the Minnesota Twins are to win the Noah Syndergaard sweepstakes, they'll reportedly have to pay a hefty price.
The New York Mets are eyeing the No. 1 and No. 2 prospects in the Twins' system - shortstop Royce Lewis and outfielder Alex Kirilloff - as part of a package that would send Syndergaard to Minnesota, sources told La Velle E. Neal III of the Minneapolis Star Tribune. However, that ask is apparently a reason that talks between the teams have not made much progress.
Lewis is the seventh-best prospect in all of baseball, according to MLB Pipeline, which ranks Kirilloff at No. 11.
New York is rumored to be intent on moving Syndergaard even though general manager Brodie Van Wagenen declared in mid-July that the hard-throwing right-hander would remain on the roster.
The Houston Astros have been aggressively pursuing the 26-year-old starter, but the Mets believe the San Diego Padres and Atlanta Braves are better positioned - due to their stacked farm systems - to pull off a trade, Joel Sherman of the New York Post reports.
The New York Yankees also appear to be interested in the former All-Star's services. However, the Mets are not overly impressed with what their crosstown rivals have to offer, Sherman notes.
Syndergaard isn't scheduled to hit free agency until after the 2021 season. He's strung together three straight quality starts with only six earned runs allowed and 25 strikeouts across his last 21 innings. For the 2019 campaign, he still owns a 4.33 ERA - well above his career mark of 3.21.
The Twins' quest for controllable pitching help doesn't end with Syndergaard. They've also reportedly expressed interest in trading for All-Star closer Kirby Yates of the San Diego Padres, Toronto Blue Jays right-handed starter Marcus Stroman, and Blue Jays reliever Ken Giles.
