Though the talks have been ongoing, the sides aren’t close to completing a deal, Heyman reported.
“New York and Colorado have been surreptitiously talking names for weeks, and while there’s said to be some progress, it still feels like they are almost in the early stages with several hurdles to go,” Heyman reported on CBSSports.com, “including ultimately whether the Rockies owning Monfort brothers would sign off on such a deal for their beloved superstar shortstop.”
On WFAN radio Friday, Heyman said he believes it’s not out of the question that an agreement could be reached.
“Yes. I think so,” Heyman told Joe Benigno and Evan Roberts. “There are a lot of hurdles. Obviously, the first is he’s got $118 million to go, and they’ll have to work out some kind of compensation package there. Another hurdle is (Tulowitzki) probably has to approve the trade, or at least nod, even though he doesn’t have a no-trade (clause). Another one is his health. The Mets will have to take a close look at that if they can agree on the prospects and the money. And the last one is Rockies ownership. They’ve told some other teams Tulo is not available. … It’s possible that they like the Mets’ package better than some other teams’, and they’d rather deal with the Mets.”
The Mets and Rockies are thought to be ideal trading partners, with Colorado seeking young pitching and New York in need of offensive pop, especially at shortstop. The Mets — loaded with 20-something hurlers Zack Wheeler, Matt Harvey, Rafael Montero and Syndergaard, among others — were linked to Tulowitzki and outfielder Carlos Gonzalez ahead of last season’s trading deadline.
The 30-year-old Tulowitzki hit .340 with 21 home runs and 52 RBIs before a torn labrum ended his 2014 season. He’s a lifetime .274 batter away from the thin air of Coors Field.
.@MetsGM must have been listening to @WFAN660 last night RT @JonHeymanCBS: rockies, mets talking tulo. syndergaard woujld be centerpiece.
“We have to be realistic,” Alderson said from last week’s winter meetings. “There just aren’t a lot of options, or attractive options. So the idea of waiting is nice, but I think you have to be realistic about what we’re waiting for. Options are limited. But I go back to our original position, and that is if we go into spring training with what we have, we won’t be unhappy with that.”
A Mets official recently told the New York Daily News that a trade for Tulowitzki is “(n)ot happening” despite his four-time All-Star status.
Friday’s news is encouraging, but a source cautioned Heyman that the chances of the deal materializing are “slim.” The oft-injured Tulowitzki is owed $118 million over the next six seasons, and “the financial part of such a major transaction isn’t close to being settled,” Heyman wrote.
There is no chance the Mets take on Tulos contract
“We’ll see what develops over the next few days, couple of weeks,” Alderson said on Dec. 11. “There’s a long time between now and spring training.”
Syndergaard was acquired from Toronto as part of the R.A. Dickey trade in 2012. He went 9-7 with a 4.60 ERA and 145 strikeouts in 133 innings last season for Triple-A Las Vegas.
Tulowitzki, a career .299 hitter, has a .438 average with five home runs in 14 games at Citi Field.
