NY Mets playoff hopes sinking because of these key areas

Low-key Trade Deadline

Unlike last year’s trade deadline, the Mets summer of 2020 was not as exciting as the prologue to their incredible 2019 run.

Given that the orange and blue were sporting a sub .500 15-20 win/loss record on August 31, no one expected the front office to make any major deals before the trade deadline. In fact, many seemed to want the Mets to do nothing, and avoid the risk of trading assets for talent or rental players that would not have made any difference in how the rest of this truncated season played out down the stretch.

They were right. During the month of August, the Mets acquired: outfielder Billy Hamilton from the San Francisco Giants for RHP Jordan Humphreys; RHP Ariel Jurado from the Texas Rangers for cash considerations and a PTBNL; catcher Robinson Chirinos and infielder Todd Frazier from Texas for cash considerations and two PTBNLs; and RHP Miguel Castro from Baltimore for LHP Kevin Smith along with a PTBNL or cash.

The acquisitions of Chirinos and Frazier appeared, at first, to be true head-scratchers, as neither of them are reliable long-term options off the bench. In fact, adding players to bolster some areas of the roster, like catcher and infield, would be immaterial past this season since these holes were created because of current roster injuries; none of which are considered long term.

So, with the exception of Castro, who could be useful next season as the Mets look to shake up their bullpen, none of the deals made seem to foreshadow any impact for next season.

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Overall, the trades BVW made this season were all very much immaterial. Each player he acquired had low ceilings for success, with even lower floors for them to flop – as did the two pitching prospects he traded away. It was a forgettable deadline, and unfortunately a forgettable year for the Mets in 2020.