The Mets are hoping for an upgrade at shortstop and view Rafael Furcal as a potential match.
According to an industry source, the Mets are among the five to six teams that have expressed interest in the veteran shortstop, who missed all of last season with the Cardinals recovering from Tommy John surgery.
The 36-year-old Furcal last played in the major leagues for the Cardinals in 2012, when he batted .264 with five homers and 49 RBIs and was selected to the NL All-Star team.
Stephen Drew and Jhonny Peralta are maybe the two most intriguing shortstop options on the free-agent market, but the Mets would likely receive significant competition in a pursuit for either player. Furcal could be Plan C.
Drew received a qualifying offer from the Red Sox on Monday, but that would not prevent the Mets from pursuing him, because the team has a protected first-round draft selection for next season and would not have to forfeit that pick for such a signing.
Additionally, general manager Sandy Alderson has indicated a willingness to surrender a second-round pick to sign a player who received a qualifying offer.
Peralta did not receive a qualifying offer from the Tigers and could be a more realistic target for the Mets than Drew, who is represented by Scott Boras — an agent known to wait out the market.
Furcal, a former NL Rookie of the Year, made $7 million last season. He had his best year in 2006, when he hit .300 for the Dodgers with 15 homers and 63 RBIs.
Ruben Tejada was a disappointment at shortstop for the Mets last season and was demoted to Triple-A Las Vegas after recovering from a quadriceps injury that placed him on the disabled list for a month. Tejada returned in September and sustained a broken right fibula that cost him the final two weeks of the season.
The Mets recently asked Tedaja to participate in an offseason nutritional and conditioning program with the hope he will arrive to spring training in shape. Tejada’s conditioning became a point of contention last season, when some club officials were displeased with his weight.
In 208 at-bats for the Mets, the 23-year-old Tejada batted .202 with 10 RBIs. Veteran Omar Quintanilla spent the majority of the season at shortstop, but his range was an issue and he had a steep offensive decline as the season progressed.