Texas Rangers pitcher Max Scherzer reveals New York Mets GM's future plans for $145,573,367 team: "Basically our vision now is for 2025-2026"
Max Scherzer was traded by the New York Mets to the Texas Rangers, and revealed why the deal went down at the time it did. In a meeting with Mets general manager Billy Eppler, Scherzer was told the team wasn't planning to compete until at least 2025. For a veteran pitcher like Scherzer, the prospect of staying with a rebuilding team for the final years of his career was not appealing.
The 2023 Mets were the most expensive team in MLB history when the season started, and they are already being dismantled. They have vastly underperformed expectations so far this season and find themselves sellers at the Trade Deadline. Practically nobody expected this at the start of the season when they were World Series favorites.
Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic reported what Max Scherzer told him about the messaging from Billy Eppler.
Max Scherzer details talks with Mets brass: Team taking step back to build for 2025-26. Story: theathletic.com/4739281/2023/0…
"Basically our vision now is for 2025-2026, ‘25 at the earliest, more like ‘26" - Billy Eppler
At the least, it was good of the Mets organization to be honest with their top pitchers ahead of the deadline. They likely said the same to Justin Verlander, who was traded to the Houston Astros. The former teammates will now be duking it out in Texas, chasing the American League West crown.
Scherzer clearly still wants to win and win big, which the New York Mets don't plan to do until at least 2025.
“I was like, ‘So the team is not going to be pursuing free agents this offseason or assemble a team that can compete for a World Series next year?’ He said, ‘No.'"
Incredible story from Ken, with eye-opening quotes from Max. twitter.com/Ken_Rosenthal/…
"I was like, ‘So the team is not going to be pursuing free agents this offseason or assemble a team that can compete for a World Series next year?’ He said, ‘No'" - Max Scherzer
The current active roster of the Mets is worth $145,573,367, with another $151,776,373 in retained salary from players not with the team. That isn't exactly a winning strategy, so rebuilding is likely the right move.
Max Scherzer and Justin Verlander didn't fit the New York Mets' future plans
With their eyes set on 2025 at best, or more likely 2026, Scherzer and Verlander's trades felt inevitable. Their value was never going to get higher than it is right now and they sold at the right time. Both players were sent to places where they can win and win now.
Max Scherzer is having a bit of a down year by his standards, but will have a chance to rebound with the Rangers. Their stellar rotation should allow the team to utilise his strengths, similar to Verlander with the Astros.