Report: Mets looking to package Lowrie, Smith in trade
Jed Lowrie's tenure in Queens may last a grand total of nine games.
The New York Mets have talked to teams about trading the infielder in a package with first baseman/outfielder Dominic Smith, reports Ken Davidoff of the New York Post.
Lowrie, 35, is owed $10 million in 2020 after signing a two-year, $20-million pact with the Mets following his 2018 All-Star campaign with the Oakland Athletics. Injuries limited him to nine contests during the 2019 season, and he didn't register a hit in eight plate appearances.
Smith, meanwhile, put up an impressive .881 OPS across 89 games in his age-24 season. However, he's blocked by NL Rookie of the Year Pete Alonso at first. The former first-rounder is also on the outside looking in when it comes to the Mets' outfield with J.D. Davis, Brandon Nimmo, and Michael Conforto projected to get regular playing time.
New York didn't do Smith any favors when the club traded for Jake Marisnick in December to be the fourth outfielder.
"We have every bit of confidence that if this is the team we open camp with, that we'll have an opportunity to compete," Mets general manager Brodie Van Wagenen said Thursday. "But we also have to keep our eyes and ears open as we go forward to see if there (are) additional ways to improve."