The 28-year-old second baseman could be dealt.
While Sandy Alderson has said recently that the Mets are open to trading Daniel Murphy, Jeff Passan has a different take: The team is working hard to trade him. The 28-year-old was drafted by the Mets in 2006 and has been with the team since 2008. He's coming off a season in which he put up a 106 wRC+ but posted a 3.0 fWAR, the best of his career, thanks to good baserunning and just slightly-below-average defense.
By the arbitration estimates at MLB Trade Rumors, Murphy would make $5.8 million in arbitration this winter. He doesn't hit for power or draw walks, but Murphy's skill is making contact. His .290 career batting average and .333 on base percentage are passable at second base.
The problem with trading Murphy, however, is that the Mets have no obvious internal replacement. Eric Young Jr. has been mentioned as a potential option, but whether or not he can play the position adequately in the field is a question. And his bat is suspect for a second baseman, too. Wilmer Flores, one of the Mets' few position player prospects close to the big leagues, might be able to hit enough, but there are doubts that he can actually play second base in Major League Baseball. And among remaining free agents, only Omar Infante is really a desirable everyday player.
