The Mets are expected to talk to Francisco Alvarez and agent Bad Bunny at some point about a long-term deal.
But unless Alvarez wants to sign very cheap (unlikely), it’s hard for a team over the fourth-tier luxury-tax threshold to do anything long term early.
The Yankees are at the threshold, too, lessening the chances for a Gleyber Torres extension. Plus, the Yankees haven’t seemed convinced about Torres — he’s often on the trading block. …
Kodai Senga’s arm was a concern from Day 1. The Post reported last winter his medical charts showed an irregularity, which was likely the reason the Mets got such a great deal ($75 million) on the ace with the ghost fork. …
Before the Giants signed Jorge Soler, they made an offer to J.D. Martinez. Word is the ex-Dodger didn’t want to go there. The Rangers are a potential fit for Martinez. …
The belief is ex-A’s star Matt Chapman wouldn’t mind the Giants, but there was a decent gap in talks at last check. …
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The hitting market is historically slow. The two top position players — Cody Bellinger and Chapman — remain free agents, as do many other fine hitters. Those include: Eddie Rosario, Adam Duvall, Tommy Pham, Brandon Belt, Michael Taylor, Kiké Hernandez, C.J. Cron, Garrett Cooper, Joey Votto, Tony Kemp, Corey Dickerson, Donovan Solano and Robbie Grossman.
Pham, for instance, had two offers last year coming off an 89 OPS-plus season and signed with the Mets for $6 million. Now, off a 111 OPS-plus season, crickets. He was great with the Mets (124 OPS-plus), batted third in the NLCS with the Diamondbacks and had a record-tying four-hit World Series game before he kindly gave up his fifth at-bat to teammate Jace Peterson, who hadn’t yet played. …
Congrats to good guy Eric Hosmer on his retirement. Other candidates to retire include Wil Myers and Brandon Crawford. Crawford has received some interest, but after spending his career as only a Giant (he’s one who loved it there), he’s looking for the right spot.
Hosmer made $175M for 17 career WAR ($10M/1 WAR) but WAR still hasn’t figured out how to grade defense at 1B. …
Jackie Bradley Jr. is working out and looking to see if he can get a job now.
Stephen Strasburg would retire as doctors have told him he’s done and would only be hurting himself if he tried pitching. But the Nationals would need to release him from his contract first.