No matter the sport, ask any general manager of a professional sports franchise and they’ll tell you copious stories about multiple trades that almost were.
Another one of those such deals nearly occurred last week when the New York Mets, Washington Nationals and New York Mets almost pulled the strings on a three-team blockbuster trade.
In the proposed deal, Tampa Bay utility man Ben Zobrist and shortstop Yunel Escobar would have been sent to the Nationals, infielder Ian Desmond would’ve gone to the Big Apple while the Mets would have sent multiple top prospects to the Rays.
Of course, that trade didn’t go through and Zobrist was eventually traded to the Oakland A’s in exchange for catcher John Jaso and two high-level Athletics prospects.
The Rays certainly have to be happy with the return they received for Zobrist, who is only signed through the upcoming season, though I’m sure there are plenty of fans on both sides of the proposed trade wondering who exactly the Mets would have sent to Tampa Bay.
It also can’t sit well for players like Ian Desmond to know you were nearly traded away, so it should be interesting to see what translates in the future regarding his status with the Nationals.
