METS SURPRISE, DEAL FOR CLOSER RAMOS
The New York Mets acquired pitcher A.J. Ramos from the Miami Marlins for pitcher Merandy Gonzalez and outfielder Ricardo Cespedes.
What does it give the New York Mets
This was a surprising trade, since the Mets are not in contention (currently 9.0 games back in the NL Wild Card race) and Ramos was a sought-after closer by several contending clubs. Since he is signed through 2018, New York is adding Ramos here probably with the intention of trading current closer Addison Reed before the July 31 deadline. They will also get back Jeurys Familia from suspension next season, so the Mets seem stacked with late-inning relievers at present time.
What does it give the Miami Marlins
The Marlins have been in sell mode for some time now, so dealing away their closer was expected. Moving Ramos to an NL East division rival was not. In Gonzalez, the Fish get a 21-year-old right-hander who is enjoying plenty of success in Single-A ball this season. Cespedes is even younger than Gonzalez at age 19, but is a lot further away from the big leagues. A speedy outfielder capable of covering the ground in center field, Cespedes needs to prove he can hit better as he develops.
Fantasy impact
Ramos loses value both in the short and long term by moving to the Mets, since he will not be playing for a contender (as was expected) down the stretch and may only be used in a setup role in 2018 (due to the presence of Familia). Gonzalez should now be on the keeper radar, while Cespedes is too raw and needs to show more in the minor leagues. With Kyle Barraclough (shoulder) and Brad Ziegler (back) both currently on the disabled list, look for Junichi Tazawa to inherit a few save chances for Miami as the replacement for Ramos.
