MLB trade rumors: Does Mets’ Jacob deGrom or Noah Syndergaard have a higher price tag?

Mets general manager Sandy Alderson might hold a fire sale before the July 31, 2018 (7/31/18) non-waiver trade deadline. His two biggest chips are aces Jacob deGrom and Noah Syndergaard. How much would a pitching-hungry team like the Yankees be willing to pay the Mets?

The New York Mets and New York Yankees are going in opposite directions.

The Yankees are in first place in the American League East and own the best record in baseball (49-22).

The Mets are in fourth place in the National League East (31-40) and sinking fast.

The Yankees have a need for starting pitching before the July 31st non-waiver trade deadline.

The Mets have two aces they could sell off, Jacob deGrom and Noah Syndergaard.

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But which pitcher would bring back a bigger return for GM Sandy Alderson?

That’s the question FanRag Sports’ Jon Heyman asked of rival executives:

The Mets have understandably put a higher price on deGrom, who leads the NL in ERA and has been one of the top three or four pitchers in the game this year, than they have on the flashier, harder-throwing Noah Syndergaard, who also happens to have an extra year of control – three years as opposed to two.  That makes sense. The pitcher who’s been lights out should have more value than the one who has an extra year of control.

“DeGrom is higher,” one person in the know said of the respective price tags.

DeGrom, rightly, just might have the highest price tag of anyone on the market. While Manny Machado is a bigger name, has done more and is younger, he’s also a rental. DeGrom is under control through 2020. Also, unlike Syndergaard, who’s had issues with nagging injuries, and is currently out with a finger ailment, he is extremely reliable.

The Mets have been calling around over the past couple days, and in general admit now that “selling is more likely than buying,” though they are likely to wait a little longer to see where things stand. In their calls, they are also finding interest in Zack Wheeler, which makes sense for teams that want to hold onto their very top prospects.

Mike Rosenstein may be reached at [email protected]. Follow him on Twitter @rosenstein73. Find NJ.com on Facebook.