(670 The Score) Cubs shortstop Javier Baez has received his wish to play with a good friend.
The Cubs have agreed to trade Baez and RHP Trevor Williams to the New York Mets, according to multiple reports Friday afternoon. In New York, Baez will fill the void of injured Mets shortstop Francisco Lindor, who’s expected to be out until late August or so. Once Lindor is healthy, Baez is expected to shift to second base. The two have a strong relationship and played together for their native Puerto Rico in the World Baseball Classic in 2017. Recently, Baez again expressed his desire to play with Lindor.
It wasn’t immediately clear what the Mets were sending the Cubs in return, although there are reports that OF Pete Crow-Armstrong, the Mets' first-round pick in 2020 and the No. 5 prospect in the organization, headlines the package.
Baez, 28, is hitting .248 with 22 homers, 65 RBIs and a .775 OPS in 91 games this season. He has also struck out a National League-worst 131 times entering play Friday. He’s a two-time All-Star and one-time Gold Glove winner who had spent all eight of his MLB seasons in Chicago.
Williams, 29, is 4-2 with a 5.06 ERA and 1.53 WHIP in 13 games, including 12 starts, in 2021. He is under control as an arbitration-eligible player in 2022, and gives the Mets another back-end rotation option in the short-term, as well as for next season.
Baez, who will be a free agent as season's end, and Williams are joining a Mets team that leads the NL East at 54-47 entering play Friday. The Phillies sit in second place in the division, 3.5 games behind.