The Toronto Blue Jays are inching closer to acquiring 2012 Cy Young award winner R.A. Dickey from the New York Mets, according to multiple sources.
There were several other teams that were strongly interested in the services of Dickey, but the Mets decided to channel their negotiations with the Blue Jays and cut off all other discussions with the other teams, according to CBSSports.com.
As of Saturday morning a major league executive aware of the negotiations told ESPNNewYork.com that both teams are working towards completing the trade.
The Mets have discussed acquiring the Blue Jays top catching prospect Travis d’Arnaud, who they previously did not want to include, and center fielder Anthony Gose.
Last season while playing in Triple-A in Las Vegas, the 23-year-old d’Arnaud had a batting average of .333, on base percentage of .380, a slugging average of .595 and 16 home runs.
Dickey has yet to discuss extension talks, nor has he been asked to take a physical according to sources close with ESPNNewYork.com.
The 38-year-old Dickey put together impressive numbers to win the 2012 Cy Young award. He led the NL with 233 2/3 innings pitched and finished second with an ERA of 2.73. He also led the league in strikeouts with 230 and owns a lifetime career ERA of 3.98 over 10 major-league seasons.
Dickey, who is under contract with the Mets next season for $5 million, attempted to negotiate an extension with the club, but both sides were approximately $6 million apart. The Mets offered Dickey a two-year extension worth $20 million, while Dickey requested a two-year extension for $26 million.
The knuckleballer made his frustrations known publically about the negotiations while attending a holiday party earlier this week at Citi Field for children affected by Hurricane Sandy.
“In the context of the market, you want what you think is fair,” Dickey told reporters. “I feel like we’re asking for less than what’s fair because that’s how it’s been for me.”
