MLB Rumors: Yankees’ Luke Voit, Padres’ Eric Hosmer Trade Buzz; Latest on Mets

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Julio Cortez/Associated Press

Interest in players as part of deals that never came to fruition is the theme of current MLB rumors and innuendo.

Yankees first baseman Luke Voit drew interest from a team that already has someone at his position, but is looking to create some additional output in a high-powered NL, especially as the designated hitter becomes a very real possibility.

The Cubs nearly acquired Eric Hosmer from San Diego but might it have been another component of a proposed trade that was of greater interest?

And who is the current favorite to take over a Mets organization hungry for championships?

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Adam Hunger/Associated Press

Joel Sherman of the New York Post reported the Milwaukee Brewers have expressed interest in New York Yankees first baseman Luke Voit. This, despite the Brewers already having Rowdy Telez at first base after acquiring him from the Blue Jays.

Statistically, Voit (11 HR, 36 RBI, .305 OBP) and Telez (11 HR, 35 RBI, .328 OBP) were very similar in 2021. Voit is a better, more consistent player so it makes sense the team would take a look at bringing him on-board. The ongoing discussion regarding a designated hitter in the collective bargaining agreement would allow the Brewers the opportunity to bring both in as they look to bolster their lineup.

Of course, the fact Milwaukee does have Telez could indicate the interest in Voit was fleeting. Still, the loss of players like Avisail Garcia have left the Brewers seeking more offensive firepower. Voit may not be the biggest bat available but he would add to a team that needs any little bit of pop it can get as it looks to compete in an NL that has gotten better during free agency and is home to the reigning World Series champions.

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Mark J. Terrill/Associated Press

Over the summer, the San Diego Padres engaged in conversations with the Chicago Cubs that would have sent Eric Hosmer “and a highly regarded prospect” to Chi-Town, reported Sahadev Sharma of The Athletic.

It is not yet know what the Cubs would have given up in the transaction, though The Athletic’s Dennis Lin reported the Padres were looking into Anthony Rizzo around the trade deadline, making it at least a possibility that the Brewers were looking to swap players (h/t Mark Polishuk of MLBTradeRumors.com).

Hosmer’s decline in hitting (12 HR, 65 RBI, .269 batting average) and the team’s luxury tax issues make him more expendable than he otherwise may have been.

For the Cubs, any value in a trade with the Padres would be in the form of prospects. Hosmer isn’t going to suddenly make them a contender. The prospects, depending on who they are, would have given the Cubs a foundation on which to build their future.

Especially since Chicago, itself, sold off quite a few stars last summer and would most likely not be in the market for replenishing them.

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Patrick Semansky/Associated Press

Anthony DiComo of MLB.com reported the Mets have cut their manager list to three.

Buck Showalter, Joe Espada and Matt Quatraro have been invited back for a second-round of interviews by the team, per the report.

Showalter is considered the favorite and should be, if for no other than his experience in the role and his ability to build playoff teams. That new Met and future Hall of Fame pitcher Max Scherzer reportedly wants Showalter and has made it clear, per Mets beat writer for Sports Illustrated Pat Ragazzo, only ramps up speculation that the veteran skipper will be tapped to turn the Mets into a consistent playoff contender.

An old school manager, he knows how to handle media, which will be of great benefit in New York. Where he potentially faces issues is his ability to adapt to a front office that will very much want its hands in personnel decisions. Showalter, during his time in Baltimore, produced four winning seasons out of eight, a .500 record that will not fly in The Big Apple.

Espada has a history of interviewing for manager positions but never getting them while Quatraro has been a bench coach for the Rays.