Should the Mets take a chance trading for one of the fallen Rockies relievers?

Should the New York Mets investigate a possible trade with the Colorado Rockies for one of their highly paid relievers?

The New York Mets know all about having a bad bullpen. Last year’s relief corps put together one of the worst performances fans could imagine.

The Mets are far from alone. In recent years, the Colorado Rockies tried their best to win with the typical offense-first strategy and a new and improved bullpen. Unfortunately for them, it didn’t work out.

Heading into the 2020 season, the Rockies look prepared to potentially take a step back. While trading Nolan Arenado pretty much puts them into a rebuild mode, trading a few other pieces may simply help them reset. The team has three relievers on big contracts that didn’t work out, making me wonder whether the Mets should take a look at adding one of them.

Wade Davis

At $17 million for 2020 and another $15 million available to him on a mutual option for the 2021 campaign, Wade Davis has a chance to make a whole lot of money before he retires from baseball. He doesn’t even have to pitch very well to do it either.

The former star reliever who became the closer of the Kansas City Royals back in 2015 hasn’t enjoyed his two years with the Rockies. Although, he did lead the league with 63 games finished and 43 saves back in 2018. Davis did this while pitching to a 4.13 ERA—something I suppose you can accept for a Coors Field reliever.

The 2019 season was much worse. Davis only pitched 42.2 innings and posted an 8.65 ERA. Injuries bit him hard and his gigantic salary is an albatross on the payroll.

Even if Davis could regain his glory days, I cannot imagine paying a relief pitcher $17 million. It’s quite clear he didn’t sign with the Rockies for the Colorado school system like Mike Hampton claimed when he left the Mets. Davis went for the money and good for him.

I’ll save the game of devil’s advocate and make it perfectly clear; there’s no reason the Mets should trade for Davis unless Colorado eats 86.5% of his salary? I’m choosing this number to match his ERA last year and the idea of his contract going to the Mets in full is ridiculous.

Bryan Shaw

Bryan Shaw’s contract is similar to McGee’s at $9 million for 2020 and an equal team option for 2021. There are also some goals he must reach in order to have the contract guarantee for the final year.

Shaw isn’t a super stranger to Mets fans. During the Mickey Callaway era, he was a name I often saw appear as an option for the team because of their work together with the Cleveland Indians. Understandably so. Shaw was a key part of the Indians’ success from 2013-2017.

While in Colorado, Shaw has tossed 126.2 innings and delivered a 5.61 ERA. In 2018, it was at 5.93. This most recent year he managed to lower it down to a still horrifying 5.38.

Callaway is no longer in Queens so I’m not so sure how many people are still on board with this idea. There’s no reunion to make. Shaw is now just another reliever in his 30s making more money than he would in the open market.

Shaw has always walked more batters than he probably should and has never been a superior strikeout pitcher. He excels at being availability. Three times in his career, Shaw led the league in games pitched.

Oddly, Shaw’s numbers were better at home next year. At Coors Field, he had a 4.20 ERA in 2019. On the road, it was at 6.89 for the year. Taking this into consideration, I’m curious if Shaw is just a sinking ship no matter where he’s pitching.

With all three of these pitchers, I think the most important consideration is how much the Mets end up paying of the contract. Each has succeeded in the past and may have another good year in store for the future.

Even in a non-salary swap deal where the Mets may send Lowrie to Colorado for one of them could work. New York just needs to allow room to add more to the roster this winter if there are other opportunities.

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These three men—McGee and Shaw specifically—are risks to consider taking. But to take that risk, Brodie Van Wagenen needs to make sure the Mets have a parachute handy.