Yankees Rumors: James Paxton Could Sign With Mets, Insider Speculates

New York Yankees pitcher James Paxton is a free agent after the 2020 season.

We’re already inundated with anxiety in regard to when the 2020 MLB season will start. Do we really need this too?

Yankee fans are already aware James Paxton and Masahiro Tanaka will be free agents after this year, which already has a lot of people asking questions about the future of the starting rotation. What we can safely assume right now is that one of these starters will be gone.

One MLB insider speculates it could be Paxton, who could join the Mets across the city.

The Mets’ beat writer for the New York Post, Mike Puma, answered some questions from fans, and when he was asked, “Mets lineup in 2022? Don’t take the easy way out, and have some fun with it,” he had a long-winded response that snuck Paxton’s inclusion in the team’s 2021 rotation.

The craziest part is that Paxton was probably the most likely signing here. He speculated the Mets could land Nolan Arenado, Michael Brantley and JT Realmuto as well. Where are they getting this money? Did the Wilpons finally get smacked across the face by their net worth? Is billionaire Steve Cohen buying the franchise after all?

Don’t sweat it, Yankee fans. This “rumor” — if we can even call it that — is the last thing any of us need to be worried about. Paxton will be looking for a hefty payday when he hits free agency for the first time. The Mets famously don’t pay anybody, so the only scenario in which this happens is if the veteran left-hander regresses immensely in 2020 and they can snag him on a bargain deal — and even if that happens, Brian Cashman would pounce on the opportunity to keep Paxton at a discounted rate.