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Mets' concern over Carlos Gomez's hip nixed trade

Centerfielder Carlos Gomez made the All-Star Game twice during his six seasons with the Brewers.
Mark Hoffman
Centerfielder Carlos Gomez made the All-Star Game twice during his six seasons with the Brewers.
By Tom Haudricourt of the Journal Sentinel July 30, 2015
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I learned too late for the JS newspaper deadline for Thursday morning that it was the Mets' concern over Carlos Gomez's hip that nixed his trade from the Brewers to the Mets.

When Brewers general manager Doug Melvin confirmed late Wednesday night that the trade was nixed over a medical concern, I assumed it was because Mets right-hander Zack Wheeler was recovering from Tommy John surgery and something came up. The trade would have sent Gomez to the Mets for Wheeler and infielder Wilmer Flores.

A couple of sources I trust told me too late for my newspaper deadline that it actually was the Mets' concern over Gomez's hip. He missed time nine out of 12 games during one stretch in June with a hip issue but did not go on the DL with it and had played all but one game since June 23, so it never occurred to me that the trade would be nixed over his physical.

I was told the hip issue was minor but nevertheless it made the Mets nervous enough to call the deal off. By then, it had been widely reported that the trade was happening, which caused much confusion when the deal didn't go through.

Whether the Brewers could work out another deal involving Gomez -- or even try -- before the 3 p.m. non-waiver deadline on Friday remains to be seen. Cleveland reportedly was one of the teams interested in him but the Mets' medical concerrn might scare off suitors. And the Brewers have other deals they would like to make before the deadline.

It's not as if the Brewers have to trade Gomez now to get their rebuilding plan going. Because he is signed through 2016, the Brewers could wait to do it in the offseason if they decide it best to move him. The Brewers have considered it unlikely that they could keep Gomez off the free agent market after 2016, which was one of he reasons they were willing to do the deal with the Mets.

Now, it's back to the drawing board, at least with Gomez.

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Tom Haudricourt covers the Brewers and Major League Baseball. He was voted Wisconsin Sports Writer of Year for 2011 and 2012 by National Sportscasters and Sportswriters Association.

Agent, Brewers dispute claims that Carlos Gomez has hip issue

By Tom Haudricourt of the Journal Sentinel July 30, 2015 10:15 a.m.

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Both Brewers general manager Doug Melvin and agent Scott Boras disputed the notion Thursday morning that centerfielder Carlos Gomez has a hip issue serious enough to flunk a medical review.

The Brewers thought they had a deal with the Mets on Wednesday evening to send Gomez to New York in exchange for injured pitcher Zack Wheeler and infielder Wilmer Flores. That deal was called off by the Mets over what they said was a hip issue with Gomez that concerned them.
 
Boras, who represents Gomez, said Gomez never had a hip issue to begin with and certainly doesn't have one now. Boras said the health problem Gomez had in early June was something else that since had been medically cleared.
 "Carlos never had any issue with his hip," Boras said in a telephone interview Thursday morning. "He had an abductor and groin issue a few weeks ago and just to make sure he was OK, we requested the team do an MRI that showed his abductor had healed with medication. The doctor just happened to throw in, 'By the way, his hip structurally and tissue-wise is clean.'
 "So, we have evidence that a doctor on record said his hip in fact was clean. So, why did this become an issue."

Melvin, who would only say Wednesday night that a medical issue arose that nixed the trade, reiterated Thursday morning that the Brewers felt Gomez's hip was fine.
 “Carlos Gomez, in my mind, is healthy," Melvin told FOX Sports' Ken Rosenthal. "There’s no issue. We don’t feel there’s anything wrong with his hip.”

So, what really happened that led to the Mets calling off the deal? A source familiar with the talks on both sides said a series of events that were actually financial, not medical, were the key factors.

That source said in initial talks, the Mets wanted the Brewers to take centerfielder Juan Lagares in the trade. The Brewers said no, in part because Lagares has an elbow issue but also because he has a four-year, $23 million contract extension that kicks in next year and they didn't want to pick up the money.
 So, after further talks, it was decided that the Brewers would take Flores in addition to Wheeler, who is recovering from Tommy John surgery and won't be able to pitch before next June. The source said the Mets then asked the Brewers to throw in the 2016 Competitive Balance Round B pick they were recently awarded and the Brewers said no.

The source said the Brewers then were asked to put some money in the trade to cover part of what's remaining on Gomez's contract, including a $9 million salary next year. Considering the talent level of Gomez and his reasonable contract, the Brewers understandably declined to put any cash into the deal.  It was only then, according to the source, that the Mets came back and said they were calling off the deal because of concerns over Gomez's medical records.

So, this became a financial issue in the end, which many people would say is not surprising considering the financial constraints the Mets have been operating under in recent years.

And I'm guessing the Brewers are none too thrilled about how this transpired, though the diplomatic Melvin would never say so.