Mets cannot risk making a trade deadline deal now to help in 2021

Buying at the 2020 trade deadline to help the team in 2021 is not a smart strategy for the New York Mets.

If the Marcus Stroman trade from 2019 and the results from it in 2020 taught us anything it’s this—at the trade deadline, you need to live for the moment. This wasn’t the thought going through Brodie Van Wagenen’s head when he added Stroman to the New York Mets roster. He was thinking about the short-term future of the team in 2020.

The trade was a failure. Nobody could have expected it to work out this way. Stroman was supposed to pitch at least a little bit for the Mets in 2020. The baseball gods had other ideas.

This is the risk every general manager takes whenever they swing a deal. A lot can go wrong between the time a player first makes his debut and leaves the field to an ovation when the fans know he threw his last pitch or took his final at-bat with the organization.

More from Rising Apple

• NY Mets Monday Morning GM: The middle is no place you want to be
• NY Mets News: Marcus Stroman sees “potential fit” with the Angels
• NY Mets were too “seek” and not enough “destroy” last winter
• NY Mets: 1 trade target to consider from each 100-loss team
• NY Mets: Top 12 free agents the team should look to sign this winter

In Stroman’s case, a lot of weird happened between the last time he stepped on the mound in 2019 and his decision to opt-out in 2020.

This isn’t something the Mets can afford to risk again at the 2020 deadline. Admittedly, I kind of like the idea of buying at the trade deadline for the chance to help the team in 2021. It’s like a pre-order or a down payment.

However, it’s far from a perfect plan. Half-season rentals acquired at the trade deadline often get a reputation. The good thing with these is that you can swiftly move on in the offseason if things don’t work out.

At this year’s trade deadline, it’s even more important to not outsmart yourself. Between now and the time the 2021 season is set to begin, a few more curveballs could come our way.

I’m still not sure how to feel about the 2020 World Series. This has me unsure about how far the Mets should even go to earn a playoff spot. One thing I do know—2021, 2022, and 2023 are far more important than just this one single abbreviated season.

In other words, don’t buy now for an unclear path in the next few years.

The Stroman trade was unusual from the start. The risky maneuver to buy in advance didn’t pay off whatsoever. Aside from an exciting few weeks at the end of 2019, the Mets got very little out of this deal.

Want your voice heard? Join the Rising Apple team!

Write for us!

Has Van Wagenen learned his lesson? Or will the risk-seeking GM look to correct the follies of that trade and buy in advance yet again at this year’s trade deadline?