Five blockbuster Mets trades the team should consider this winter

Catcher Salvador Perez

The Mets will have a glaring hole at the catching position this offseason, and many insiders are connecting the Mets to engage in a bidding war this winter for free-agent catcher J.T. Realmuto. Yet if the Mets do not choose to move in that direction, or if Realmuto decides to return to Philadelphia the Mets should pick up the phone and give the Kansas City Royals a call on their six-time All-Star catcher Salvador Perez.

If the Mets are looking for an instant impact behind the plate both offensively and defensively, the 30-year old Perez would be a fantastic fit. Like Realmuto, Perez will be 30-years old on Opening Day in 2021 and he is entering his final year under contract in a Royals uniform in 2021, which may allow the Royals to consider trading Perez as they are currently stuck in the middle of a rebuilding process.

The five-time Gold Glove Award winner is coming off another stellar 2020 campaign both offensively and defensively despite missing time with a fluid-filled particle in his left eye. It can be argued that Perez is the best overall backstop in baseball, and with his well-regarded personality in the clubhouse, he can bring an additional element of leadership to a Mets pitching staff that includes two-time Cy Young Award winner Jacob deGrom.

Perez would be a candidate for an extension should the Mets acquire him and it would also give the Mets time to properly develop top catching prospect Francisco Alvarez, who is still around three seasons away from making an impact at the Major League level. This is a win-now move that would upgrade the Mets catching position with a proven winner and arguably the best catcher in baseball for the next three to four seasons before handing the reigns to Alvarez.