MLB Rumors: Texas Rangers Eyeing Another New York Met?

The Texas Rangers are fresh off poaching two-time Cy Young winner Jacob deGrom from the New York Mets with an astounding 5-year deal. Now they could be looking at dipping back into the Queens pool, to reunite deGrom with one of his batterymates from the Mets.

As the Rangers look to build around Jacob deGrom, they could explore a deal with the Mets for James McCann, a veteran catcher widely known to be available. McCann is owed $24 million over the next two years, and the Mets could shed at least some of that salary.

— Buster Olney (@Buster_ESPN) December 3, 2022

 According to ESPN's Buster Olney, the Rangers "could explore a deal with the Mets for James McCann, a veteran catcher widely known to be available."

McCann caught 12 of deGrom’s starts over the last two seasons, covering 75 2/3 innings. With McCann behind the plate, deGrom had a remarkable 1.67 ERA with 114 strikeouts and nine walks.

The backstop is heading into the final two years of a 4-year, $40M back-loaded contract that he originally signed with the Chicago White Sox. He'll earn $12M in each of 2023 and 2024. His time in the orange & blue hasn't lived up to those numbers, to say the least.

Some Mets fans are apparently quite pleased with this latest rumor. 

If Jacob deGrom wants to leave Mets fans on good terms he’d get the Rangers to trade for James McCann

— Keane (@kranepool) December 3, 2022

If the Rangers take McCann off this roster I might consider this whole thing a net positive https://t.co/5ysPSf2A1u

— KFC (@KFCBarstool) December 3, 2022

McCann, 32, hit just .195 with a .538 OPS last season for the Mets, and in his two years in New York, has hit .220 with a .610 OPS. That's a far cry from his previous couple of seasons with the Chicago White Sox (2019-2020) when he hit .276 with an .808 OPS and made an All-Star appearance. 

Photo: Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports