Did the Mets front office add enough at the trade deadline?

In contention for a Wild Card berth, the New York Mets were cautious at the trade deadline and bought one starting pitcher while selling another. Did they need to do more?

As the week of the trade deadline approached, the New York Mets found themselves in an uncertain position. On one hand, many credible analysts reported that the team was prepared to punt on the 2019 season and part ways with coveted ace Noah Syndergaard. Reports followed that impending free agent Zack Wheeler and even closer Edwin Diaz where being actively involved in trade talks.

On the other hand, there was a sense that General Manager Brodie Van Wagenen would be unwilling to give up on the Mets’ current postseason aspirations. Van Wagenen, who has aggressively tried to construct a winning roster during his short tenure with the team, did not seem serious about selling and rebuilding.

The team’s position became clear as the deadline passed. New York was going all-in on winning this season! The Mets traded two of their top pitching prospects to add Marcus Stroman to an already imposing rotation. Despite talks that the team may still trade one of their young starters, the Mets stood pat.

Since the All-Star Break, the Mets are the best team in baseball and find themselves with a 28.6% chance of landing a Wild-Card spot.

The Question

While the aftermath of the Stroman trade has been encouraging, there is one major question that remains. If the Mets knew they would be buyers at the trade deadline, did they buy enough?

The team clearly has a talented roster. They have also proven that they are capable of putting together a winning run. One could argue that Mets have the second-best starting rotation in Major League Baseball (behind the Houston Astros and their newly acquired pitchers Zack Greinke and Aaron Sanchez). They also boast the favorite for NL Rookie of the Year favorite Pete Alonso and NL batting title leader Jeff McNeil.

The Weaknesses

However, despite these positive notes, the roster does have a few glaring weaknesses.

Bullpen

At the beginning of the season, many considered the Mets bullpens to be one of the best in baseball. Their new closer Edwin Diaz led the league in saves in 2018. New York also brought back former closer Jeurys Familia for a less-pressurized 8th inning role.

Just a few months later, Diaz is among the leaderboard in blown saves and Familia has an abysmal 7.07 ERA. While the recent elite performances by Seth Lugo have helped solve some of the bullpen’s issues, adding another competent setup option to the roster would have done wonders for the unit.

Infield

Despite having a plethora of players that can play multiple positions at the major league level, the Mets find themselves with a noticeable lack of depth, particularly in the infield. The recent injury to second baseman Robinson Cano has left the team searching their minor league system to help. While the eventual debut of Jed Lowrie could help fill this need in September (and hopefully October), the mysterious nature of his injury is concerning.

Difference Making Hitters

The Mets batting order has been solid, it is also top-heavy. Outside the aforementioned Alonso and McNeil, there aren’t a lot of hitters that opposing teams fear. Michael Conforto is a promising power threat. Wilson Ramos and JD Davis have shown they can hit well in spurts. Amed Rosario has great potential. However, the Mets still rank in the middle of the league in almost every team batting statistic adding another impact bat to the order could have been a difference-maker.

At the end of the day, the Mets have a promising yet flawed roster. They also have one of the weakest farm systems in MLB. However, since they elected to keep their focus squarely on winning in 2019 and 2020, they would have been wise to address other weaknesses.

Both the division rival Washington Nationals and Atlanta Braves were able to add bullpen depth without sacrificing elite prospects. Offensive players like Scooter Gennett, Jesus Aguilar, and Corey Dickerson were all acquired for a low price.

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If the Mets had followed up their Stroman deal with trades for a middle reliever and an MLB-ready bat, it would have provided the team with valuable depth for their postseason run.