Mets deal Familia to A's for 2 prospects, int'l cash

NEW YORK -- By the time the Mets reported to Yankee Stadium on Saturday, Jeurys Familia's locker was already empty. They had said their goodbyes the night before, understanding that Familia's departure was a matter of when, not if.
It finally happened during their 7-6 loss to the Yankees. The Mets dealt Familia to the A's for two prospects, third baseman Will Toffey and reliever Bobby Wahl, plus $1 million in international bonus pool money.
"This trade hits three major areas," Mets assistant general manager John Ricco said in a statement. "We got a Major League-ready reliever our scouts recommended, a position player who was a high selection from the 2017 Draft and strong prospect in the A's system as well as receiving international bonus pool money to help in the future."

Toffey, 23, was Oakland's 17th-ranked prospect and a fourth-round pick in the 2017 Draft. He was batting .244 with a .741 OPS at the organization's Class A Advanced Stockton affiliate. Upon acquiring Toffey, the Mets immediately promoted him, assigning him to Double-A Binghamton.
"I think very highly of Toffey," Mets special assistant J.P. Ricciardi said in a statement. "He's got great strike-zone discipline, gap-to-gap power and is a solid defender."
Wahl, 26, made his Major League debut during a brief stint with the A's last summer. Capable of throwing in the upper 90s, he owned a 2.27 ERA in 34 appearances with Triple-A Nashville. Wahl underwent surgery last year to alleviate symptoms of thoracic outlet syndrome, but he has responded with 65 strikeouts in 39 2/3 innings this season.

Rather than call Wahl straight up to the big leagues, the Mets assigned him to Triple-A Las Vegas. A source said the team is recalling Paul Sewald to replace Familia on the active roster.
In addition to the players the Mets acquired in the trade, special assistant Omar Minaya called the international bonus pool money "extremely helpful" for a team that has become increasingly aggressive in that arena in recent years. The Mets also received roughly $3 million in salary relief, as the A's reportedly absorbed the rest of Familia's contract. A day before completing the trade, Ricco said the Mets were willing to take on money to acquire better prospects in deals for Familia, Asdrúbal Cabrera and other pending free agents. But they did not do so in this deal.
In Familia's absence, the Mets will likely install Robert Gsellman as their closer, though manager Mickey Callaway said matchups could dictate whom he uses in the ninth. Replacing Familia, who ranked third in team history with 123 saves, will not be easy in any context.
"The A's are lucky to have a quality guy and a quality pitcher like Familia," Callaway said. "He's done a great job for this organization. I know the fans, I know the coaching staff and the players are going to miss him. But I understand it's also necessary at this point to try and strengthen our team in the future. It sounds like we did a pretty good job of that."