Mets: Does a Dominic Smith for Clint Frazier trade make sense?

Trades between the New York Mets and New York Yankees rarely happen, but would a Dominic Smith for Clint Frazier swap actually make sense for both Big Apple squads?

First baseman Dominic Smith is coming off a very productive partial year with the New York Mets. Fans and the organization were able to breathe a sigh of relief after Smith had two disappointing seasons to begin his MLB career.

In 2017, he slashed .198/.262/.395 and had an OPS of .658 and OPS+ of 73 in 183 PA. In 2018, he slashed .224/.255/.420 and had an OPS of .675 and OPS+ of 85 in 149 PA. He turned it all around in 2019 and showed why he was a first-round pick in his draft. He slashed .282/.355/.525 and had an OPS of .881 and OPS+ of 134 in 197 PA.

Even though Smith made himself relevant again after looking like he was a bust, it does not look like his future in baseball will be in Flushing. Unfortunately for him, Pete Alonso took the first baseman job and never looked back. He is going to be a cornerstone piece for the Mets for years to come.

The Mets toyed with the idea of moving Smith to the outfield: he played a fair amount of games in left field but was bad defensively, posting a DRS of -7 and a UZR of -6.8.

The Mets have had an issue with finding good defensive outfielders who can be everyday starters. One of the biggest holes they needed to address coming into this offseason was finding a good defensive center fielder. They acquired Jake Marisnick who has a superb glove from the Houston Astros, but he is not a productive hitter and cannot be an everyday starter.

Clint Frazier is a promising outfielder who has a high ceiling, so Mets fans may be inclined to acquire him in a trade, especially since Smith’s departure seems inevitable.

The New York Yankees are one of the best teams in baseball and do not have many issues, but first base is a question mark. Luke Voit has been surprisingly good since coming to the Bronx from St. Louis, but it is yet to be known if his success has been a fluke or if he is the real deal. It would not hurt the Yankees to acquire someone like Smith, but this trade would not be a good idea for the Mets.

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Frazier, who is now 25 years old, was one of the most highly-rated prospects in baseball but is yet to have an everyday role. He has slashed a career .254/.308/.463, has a .771 OPS, 102 OPS+, 56 RBIs, and has hit 16 home runs in 429 plate appearances with the Yankees.

The first reason the Mets should not make this trade is because the Yankees, especially General Manager Brian Cashman, are very high on Frazier and believe he can be a superstar in this league. That is the reason the Yankees have kept him around this long in the first place.

Even though he has a great deal of potential, there is no realistic spot for him, at this point. Brett Gardner has not officially been re-signed but all signs indicate that he will be.

The Yankees outfield will most likely be comprised of Gardner, Aaron Judge, and Giancarlo Stanton on Opening Day, and Aaron Hicks will be in the mix later on in the season.

The Yankees are going to have to realize sooner rather than later that Frazier should be moved but because they are so high on him, they are going to want a massive return.

The Mets will have to give up quite a bit for a player who has not proven anything. He has shown offensive promise in both the minors and majors but has also gone on cold streaks. He has done nothing to prove he can consistently produce at the plate.

His biggest issue, however, is his defense. When Frazier is in the majors, he is one of the worst fielders at his position in MLB. He has played all three outfield positions, primarily left field, and has been terrible at all of them. The Mets’ entire issue is finding a good defensive outfielder.

While Frazier can probably start every day, he is a defensive liability that is not worth it for the Mets. His health is another problem in itself. He suffered multiple injuries, including concussions, over the span of the 2017 and 2018 seasons. The Mets have been injury-stricken for several years and do not need to add another player who has not been able to stay healthy in his short career.

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Even though the Mets recently added Marisnick, they may still be looking to add an everyday outfielder who has a good glove. The Yankees could use some depth at first base, but a deal between the cross-town rivals seems unlikely. The Mets would have to give up too much for an unproven player in Frazier, and it is not worth it.