Report: Mets considering trade for Kelly Shoppach - MLB

The Mets have reportedly discussed a trade for Rockies’ catcher Ramon Hernandez, but Peter Gammons of MLB Network hears that they are considering alternatives.

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Joel Sherman of the New York Post reported last weekend that the Mets are also interested in Mariners’ catcher Miguel Olivo.

If acquired, Shoppach would function as a platoon partner for left-handed hitting Josh Thole. The 32-year-old backstop is hitting .269/.358/.527 with four home runs, 12 RBI and an .885 OPS over 108 plate appearances this season and is still owed roughly half of his $1.35 million salary for 2012. He owns a .902 career OPS against left-handed pitching and would be an immediate improvement over Mike Nickeas, who is hitting just .172 with one home run and a .487 OPS in 93 at-bats this year.

Lavarnway, who made his major league debut last August, is batting .306/.395/.455 with seven home runs, 38 RBI and an .850 OPS in 71 games this season with Triple-A Pawtucket. The 24-year-old has thrown out 32 percent (22-for-68) of attempted basestealers.

The Rockies are mostly motivated to move Hernandez’s salary, so he figures to cost very little in the way of prospects. Shoppach has been a pretty productive platoon partner for Jarrod Saltalamacchia this season, so even with Larvarnway knocking on the door for a promotion, the Red Sox probably won’t move him unless they get something interesting in return.

UPDATE: Nick Cafardo of the Boston Globe writes that while Shoppach is “definitely” on the Mets’ wish list, they have yet to contact the Red Sox.

CINCINNATI — The Los Angeles Dodgers placed pitcher Noah Syndergaard on the 15-day injured list Thursday with a blister on the index finger of his right throwing hand.

Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said the timetable for Syndergaard’s return is unknown despite the 15-day designation.

“The physical, the mental, the emotional part, as he’s talked about, has taken a toll on him,” Roberts said. “So, the ability to get him away from this. He left today to go back to Los Angeles to kind of get back to normalcy.”

Syndergaard allowed six runs and seven hits in three innings against the Cincinnati Reds on Tuesday night, raising his ERA to 7.16.

Syndergaard (1-4) has surrendered at least five runs in three straight starts.

Syndergaard has been trying to return to the player he was before Tommy John surgery sidelined him for the better part of the 2020 and 2021 seasons.

Roberts said Syndergaard will need at least “a few weeks” to both heal and get away from baseball and “reset.”

“I think searching and not being comfortable with where he was at in the moment is certainly evident in performance,” Roberts said. “So hopefully this time away will provide more clarity on who he is right now as a pitcher.

“Trying to perform when you’re searching at this level is extremely difficult. I applaud him from not running from it, but it’s still very difficult. Hopefully it can be a tale of two stories, two halves when he does come back.”