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The New York Mets are acquiring SS Javier Baez and P Trevor Williams from the Chicago Cubs, per multiple reports. The Cubs have now traded Baez and 1B Anthony Rizzo, two key pieces from the World Series team back in 2016. The next chip who is expected to fall is 3B Kris Bryant with the MLB Trade Deadline approaching at 4 p.m. ET.
Source confirms: Báez and Trevor Williams to Mets, pending medical review. First with Báez: @feinsand.
— Ken Rosenthal (@Ken_Rosenthal) July 30, 2021
The Mets are sending back Pete Crow-Armstrong in the deal to the Cubs, per reports. The young OFer is ranked 5th in the Mets system according to MLB.com.
Pete Crow-Armstrong, the Mets' first-round pick from last year's draft, is indeed going to the Cubs in the Javier Báez trade. Pitcher Trevor Williams coming to NY as well. And it sounds like the Mets may not necessarily be done dealing today.
— Anthony DiComo (@AnthonyDiComo) July 30, 2021
Baez is set to become a free agent in 2022, so this is just a rental deal for him. It’s unlikely the Mets look to bring him back next season given the amount of money he may command on the open market. The team also has Francisco Lindor, so there’s a chance we see Baez somewhere else in the infield or in the outfield for New York.
Williams has one year of arbitration before hitting free agency in 2023, so the Mets gain a back-end starter with some upside for the rotation. Williams hasn’t pitched well this season with a 5.08 ERA and 1.53 WHIP over just 13 appearances, 12 of them starts. Baez isn’t the same type of hitter he was back in 2015-17, when he won NLCS MVP and helped the Cubs end the curse with a WS title. He still has pop with 22 HRs and 65 RBI this season, but is also leading the League in strikeouts with 131.