Mets Monday Morning GM: One more trade to make with the Rangers

The New York Mets made three trades with the Texas Rangers in 2020. Why not one more?

The New York Mets made three trades with the Texas Rangers in 2020. Ariel Jurado, Todd Frazier, and Robinson Chirinos all came to the Big Apple via separate deals with the team down in Arlington.

None of those trades really did much to improve the Mets this past season. Jurado was terrible, Frazier was overused, and Chirinos was exactly what we thought—an aged backup catcher.

The Mets and Rangers may not be done making trades. The American League’s worst team in 2020 employs one more player the Mets could use.

At the August 31 trade deadline, there were plenty of rumors about the Rangers dealing veteran starting pitcher Lance Lynn. They never did, instead deciding it was best to hold onto the 33-year-old righty through the end of the year.

My guess is they didn’t get the kind of haul they were hoping for. Worst case, they try again in the offseason. And if that doesn’t work, the 2021 trade deadline gives them another opportunity to move him.

Lynn finished 2020 with a 6-3 record and 3.32 ERA. Put these numbers on the Mets and he’s their number two behind Jacob deGrom.

Had the Mets acquired him from the Rangers this past year, there’s a slim chance they would have made it to the postseason. In a month, Lynn could have made five or six starts for them. It’s possible this would have been enough to help the Mets inch into the postseason.

Although we’re Monday morning general managing, I don’t want to talk about the past. I already discussed how ineffective Brodie Van Wagenen’s trade deadline moves were. I’m ready to move on.

As I did with the Pittsburgh Pirates, I’m curious if there is anyone else on the Rangers worth adding.

Playing Mets GM

The Texas pitching staff in 2020 included some very bad numbers from familiar names. Even in the bullpen, I don’t see a single trade candidate that the Rangers could possibly think of moving.

Although pitching is a weakness of theirs, their offense struggled mightily in 2020. While they have some intriguing names, many of their most talented players are young and affordable thus not available.

This brings us back around to the ace of the staff, Lynn. I suspect he’ll be one of the most sought-after trade candidates this winter from a starting pitcher perspective. With just one season left and a salary of $9.33 million, he’s not a huge hit to anyone’s payroll.

The question we have to ask; what would they possibly want from the Mets?

After a last-place finish, the Rangers have work to do. They don’t have the star power to turn things around quickly in one year. This has me believing minor league talent is what they would desire most.

If the Mets are trading players like J.D. Davis or Brandon Nimmo this winter, it will be to a team ready to contend. More importantly, it should bring them back more than a pitcher about to embark on his age 34 season.

The Mets have young talent in the minors to trade just as any other squad. The difficult part is knowing exactly how the Rangers value Lynn. As talented as he is, he’s no superstar or a guy the Mets can depend on to give them years of production.

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Lynn remains the lone Rangers player worth exploring a trade for. He could be a great veteran to have in the back of the rotation if the club manages to add at least one talented piece in front of him.