Mets: What is the team’s direction following the trade deadline?

Finish the 2019 Season Strong

Mets Rookie Pete Alonso recently took to Twitter and posted a letter to the fans, thanking them for the constant support and promising to finish the season strong.

https://twitter.com/Pete_Alonso20/status/1156581443889483776

While it may seem like wishful thinking, the best course of action for the club going forward should be to finish the season strong and try to play competitively down the stretch.

While it is highly unlikely that they win the NL East Division, as they entered play Wednesday 11.5 games behind the first-place Atlanta Braves, the team is still in the mix for a wild card spot and with the acquisition of Stroman, they have improved their rotation.

Additionally, while this is a small sample size, the team’s bullpen, which struggled mightily in the first half of the season, has performed much more consistently following the All-Star Break, and the team’s post-All Star break ERA of 2.75 is the best in the MLB.

The schedule also appears to be in the Mets favor, as over the final two months of the season, they are set to play struggling teams such as the Pirates, Rockies, Royals, Reds, and multiple series against the Marlins.

In addition, they will be playing their competitors for the wild card, including one series each against the Cubs, Diamondbacks, and Nationals, and two series against the Phillies.

Performing well in all these series down the stretch of the season could vastly improve the Mets’ chances of a postseason berth, as it would improve their record while cutting the lead that many of their main competitors.

While their odds of making the post-season are not necessarily probable, it is still possible. As some of you may recall, in 2016, the Mets had a record of 60-62 in mid-August and still managed to claw their way to the Wild Card with an arguably less talented team.

My only critique for them to do this is to go with playing the younger “hot hands” more often than the older and struggling veterans, and moving said struggling players down in the lineup, so we make sure that we are running out the best team in the hopes for a playoff push.

In particular, JD Davis entered play on Wednesday batting .299 while starting third baseman Todd Frazier is batting .246, so I would argue that he be starting over Frazier at third more often than not. I would also recommend moving Robinson Cano lower down in the lineup to take the pressure off of him, as he is currently struggling at the dish.

While he is not a great fit in the outfield, when healthy, I do recommend keeping Dominic Smith in left field for the time being, as he is one of the team’s best hitters this season and this is a team that struggles to manufacture runs.

Like I said earlier, a playoff run for the Mets may not necessarily be probable, but Ya Gotta Believe.

The Offseason and 2020

Whatever happens this season, I recommend some big moves for the Mets this coming off-season.

Firstly, since we held onto Wheeler at the deadline, the Mets should tenure him a qualifying offer of about $17.9 million. The purpose of this provides one of two outcomes.

Wheeler would either accept this offer and remain with the Mets for the 2020 season on a one year deal, or he turns it down and New York gets an extra first-round compensation pick in the upcoming draft.

If he elects not to resign, to replace him, the Mets could plug Seth Lugo into the rotation from in house. As for free agents who could replace Wheeler, Madison Bumgarner, Gerrit Cole and Cole Hamels are among the top names, although they would each be costly.

As for cheaper options, Michael Pineda, Tanner Roark, and Gio Gonzalez are other available names.

I would not do the same for Frazier, as the amount given in the qualifying offer is more than he would likely see on the free agency market, meaning he would likely accept the offer and we would be stuck with him for another season.

Beyond those two, since the Mets gave up so much for Stroman and 2020 will be the final year of his rookie contract, New York should sign him to an extension so he remains with the team going forward. Given his age and performance history, I imagine something in the vein of 5 years $100 million.

In addition, while he is signed through the 2021 season, the Mets should also consider extending Noah Syndergaard‘s contract as well, just as they did with Jacob deGrom prior to the 2019 season.

This one may not be as pressing an issue since he is under team control for the next two seasons, but extending him now could simply help the team avoid a headache down the line, and Noah has said he would like to “stay a Met for the remainder of my career“.

On the topic of pitching, one of the chief issues for the Mets in 2019 has been their bullpen, and while it has shaped up in recent weeks, there is still plenty of room for improvement going into 2020, and there are many free agents who could provide assistance.

A few of the bigger names set to be free agents following this season are Will Smith, Greg Holland, and Brandon Kintzler. As we have seen this season, having a consistent southpaw is a vital part of a bullpen, so I would push hard to acquire a player like Smith.

The Offseason and 2020

One player that it feels like many Mets fans have forgotten about is Yoenis Cespedes, who is expected to return to play at Spring Training in 2020.

After missing over a year and a half due to double heel surgery, and later ankle surgery, the former All-Star left fielder should be healthy to begin the 2020 season, although it is uncertain how productive he will be after missing so much time.

However, having his bat back in the lineup would be a welcome addition if he can regain some semblance of his old form, and having him back in left field would round out the outfield nicely, allowing the Mets to move Jeff McNeil back to third base where he is more comfortable.

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With Yo’s pending return and Pete Alonso‘s status as first baseman of the future, Dominic Smith should once again find himself displaced from the lineup, and given his performance in 2019, I feel this off-season is the best time for the Mets to trade him.

Teams such as the Tigers, Marlins, Royals, and Nationals are all expected to be in the market for a first baseman, so if we could trade Smith to address one of the Mets other needs, such as relief pitching or a more versatile bench player, it would behoove them to do so.

The Mets should also look to acquire more depth for the outfield, and preferably one who can provide some speed. While he is a great defender, given his performance at the plate this year, it is likely that they will part ways with Juan Lagares following the season.

As for free agent options to replace him as the fourth outfielder, Billy Hamilton, Jarrod Dyson and Cameron Maybin are a few of the names who could best suit the Mets needs. Switch-hitting utility player Ben Zobrist could also be an option to help provide depth at positions both in the outfield and infield.

In summary, locking down our starting pitching as the core of the team, and building around the young and talented players that we have built our lineup around this season, while acquiring new relievers and depth players could put the Mets in a good position to compete in 2020.

Hopefully the Amazins finish the 2019 season strong and give us something more to build on as we enter the off-season. From there, we can potentially enter 2020 with one of the top starting rotations in baseball and with an improved lineup, the Mets can give the rest of the NL East a run for their money.

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Now that the trade deadline has passed, what do you think the Mets’ strategy should be going forward?