Blockbuster Mets trades that upgrade the team at third base

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Which blockbuster New York Mets trade would bring them the most help at third base? (Photo by Ron Schwane/Getty Images) /

The New York Mets are only about a week from Spring Training, but they still have work to do in shaping their final roster.

As of now, it appears as though the Mets will manage third base by committee, as opposed to one regular getting the majority of the starts. Between J.D. Davis, Luis Guillorme, and recently signed Jonathan Villar, the Mets have several serviceable options, but not anyone that would move the needle for them much.

With the Mets looking to open the Steve Cohen era with a bang, there is a sense of urgency to immediately put a winning product on the field. Third base continues to remain a question mark for the Mets. Will they get the 2019 Davis or the 2020 version of him? Will Villar rejuvenate his career and have a bounceback year? Will Guillorme prove that last year was not a fluke year?

With all of the questions that the Mets have surrounding their third base options, it makes sense that the team is at least exploring the possibility of acquiring a big name third baseman. There are a few names that are currently being discussed on social media and in baseball circles, and some of them are worth mentioning here.

The first player that the Mets could and should consider is someone who they already have been linked to. I am talking, of course, about Kris Bryant.

Kris Bryant is a player who the Cubs may look to trade, and the Mets would be a good fit for the third baseman.

Rumors about a potential Mets-Cubs trade involving Bryant have been brewing for some time, and there’s a reason for that. The Cubs window of championship-contending is almost completely closed, and many of their star players are entering their walk years. Bryant, who is set to earn $19.5 million in 2021 before hitting free agency, is a prime candidate to get traded, which would enable the Cubs to get something for him before losing him for nothing.

Bryant is an above-average third baseman who, like many players, had a down year in 2020. He hit a measly .206/.293/.351 over 34 games, missing a significant chunk of the season because of an oblique injury.

It would be unfair to read too much into his 2020 performance. Bryant is only 29 years old, and 34 games is way too small a sample size to be overly concerned with his offensive value. However, Bryant’s long history of dealing with injuries should be on the Mets mind and of greater concern to them. It’s not like the Mets are a team that doesn’t get injured; their players tend to get injured more often than not.

So the Mets will have to consider whether Bryant’s potential impact is worth the risk of parting with Davis and a top prospect or two. He had a great 2019 season, hitting .282/.382/.521 with 31 home runs in 147 games. If the Mets decide to trade for him, those are the numbers they need to hope for, because a real possibility exists that he would be a one-year rental.

BALTIMORE, MD – SEPTEMBER 06: Miguel Andujar #41 of the New York Yankees fields a ground ball during a baseball game against the Baltimore Orioles at Oriole Park at Camden Yards on September 6, 2020 in Baltimore, Maryland. (Photo by Mitchell Layton/Getty Images) /

Although the Mets and Yankees have a fierce and sometimes bitter rivalry, they have executed trades between the two in the past, and they should do so again. As it so happens, the Yankees have a quagmire at third base: With Gio Urshela playing well enough to secure the starting third base spot moving forward, that leaves a talented young player, Miguel Andujar, on the bench, wasting away his productive years.

Andujar is essentially the Yankees version of J.D. Davis. He plays third base and left field and has showcased a potent offensive bat. Andujar’s breakout year was in 2018, his sophomore season. In 2018, Andujar hit .297/.328/.527 with 27 home runs and 92 RBI. He is also only 25 (will turn 26 during the 2021 season), so it is not unreasonable to expect that he would be a productive player for the foreseeable future.

A trade for Miguel Andujar would set the Mets up at the hot corner for the foreseeable future.

Unlike Davis though, Andujar has a porous walk rate. As a result, his value to a team’s offense will depend on whether he is hitting well. If he goes cold or has an extended slump, he becomes a liability to have in the lineup because of his inability to impact a game. The good news for the Mets is that even if they were to acquire Andujar, they will still, more than likely, have Guillorme and Villar, so if Andujar were to struggle, the Mets have two options that could fill in.

However, Andujar, with three years of club control remaining, is talented enough to contribute to the Mets success now and in the future, providing them with another young player to build around.

OAKLAND, CALIFORNIA – SEPTEMBER 27: Kyle Seager #15 of the Seattle Mariners looks on against the Oakland Athletics in the top of the first inning at RingCentral Coliseum on September 27, 2020 in Oakland, California. (Photo by Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images) /

The last time the Mets traded with the Seattle Mariners, it did not turn out too well for them. Edwin Diaz has been nothing short of a bust so far, and Robinson Cano, despite his great offensive performance in 2020, got himself suspended for PED use for the 2021 season. Meanwhile, the Mariners are seeing glimpses or close to watching the former Mets prospects that they receive contribute meaningfully to the team’s rebuilding efforts. Justin Dunn made his MLB debut last season, and Jarred Kelenic, the highly touted outfielder, is expected to debut sometime in 2021.

But there is a match to be had here. With the ongoing youth movement in the Pacific Northwest, there is little need for the Mariners to continue to hold onto Kyle Seager, the veteran third baseman who has spent his entire career with the Mariners. Seager, as a 33-year-old third baseman, is not the type of player a rebuilding team needs.

Kyle Seager would be an upgrade for the Mets while allowing the Mariners to move forward with Ty France, their third baseman of the future, as their starting third baseman.

While Seager never reached the level that his younger brother Corey has eclipsed, he has consistently profiled as a slightly above-average third baseman with a solid bat and decent glove, as evidenced by winning a Gold Glove Award in 2014. After a mediocre 2019 season, Seager had a stronger year in 2020, which should assuage teams that he still has a couple of years of productive baseball in him.

Over the course of 60 games in 2020, Seager hit 9 home runs and 40 RBI with a 122 OPS+, which is above the league average. On top of that, Seager showcased better defense than the majority of third basemen in the majors.

Despite his performance slowly declining the past year or so, Seager can still be a valuable veteran piece for a team looking to compete. As a result, Seager fits in better with the Mets contending timeline than with the Mariners timeline.

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A trade from Seattle will make way for the Mariners youth movement while giving the Mets a veteran third baseman who would be an overall upgrade at the position. If he were to get traded, Seager would have the option of exercising a $15 million player option for 2022. Considering how tepid and frigid the free agent market has been, particularly for older players, it is reasonable to expect that Seager would seriously consider exercising that option if he were dealt.

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Kris Bryant is a player who the Cubs may look to trade, and the Mets would be a good fit for the third baseman.

A trade for Miguel Andujar would set the Mets up at the hot corner for the foreseeable future.

Kyle Seager would be an upgrade for the Mets while allowing the Mariners to move forward with Ty France, their third baseman of the future, as their starting third baseman.

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