Mets trade rumors: Expect to hear plenty more about Zack Wheeler

New York Mets trade rumors are beginning to pop up. Leading the way are rumors about potential interest in pitcher Zack Wheeler. Expect plenty more about him this summer.

The MLB trade deadline is still several weeks away. Already, we’ve seen some teams make deals which included notable big league veterans. New York Mets trade rumors are just beginning to take shape. As the team continues its failure to show an ability to contend, plenty more Mets trade rumors involving Zack Wheeler are likely to appear.

Wheeler is the most obvious trade candidate on the Mets even in spite of his struggles. The pending free agent is earning less than $6 million this season. At a pro-rated total, he’s someone even the smallest of markets could afford.

Though no team has been specifically linked to Wheeler, there’s plenty of speculation that the New York Yankees could have their eyes on him. I do find it out, though, considering they witnessed first-hand how poorly he has performed this year.

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Yankees batters rocked Wheeler for 5 earned runs and another 4 unearned ones in his start in the Bronx earlier this month. Included in the melee were two home runs. Giving up four-base hits has been a noticeable issue for Wheeler all year long. Pitching half of his games at Yankee Stadium will not do him any favors in this department.

It’s unfortunate the 2019 Mets trade rumors will for the third straight year include a sell-off. One might think the third time around the results would be different. Unfortunately for the team in Flushing, it’s the same old story.

One thing the Mets could potentially do differently at this year’s deadline is sell more than Wheeler. Other pending free agents such as Todd Frazier, Juan Lagares, and Jason Vargas have varying values. I expect New York to shop each of them over the next several weeks in hopes of salvaging some minor league talent in return.

More grandiose Mets trade rumors would involve the potential sale of someone such as Noah Syndergaard. Thor still has two years of control after this year, but his name always seems to come up whenever talking Mets trades. I’m doubtful the former Brodie Van Wagenen client is dealt this summer. The offense, however, may have me thinking differently.

Starting pitchers are valuable this time of year even if it means adding a guy for only a few weeks. Teams pay a premium price for them. And as I covered before, whatever the Mets get back in return for Wheeler must be worth something valuable.

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In their past two attempts to sell and add some talent, the Mets have failed to find much gold in the packages they received. This year’s sale has to yield different results. Wheeler and everyone else they trade must bring back future major league value—not just the revolving door relief pitchers.