NY Mets: Three way-too-early potential trade deadline targets

Starting Pitcher Kevin Gausman

This off-season, New York underwent an overhaul when it comes to their starting rotation. Outside of deGrom, nobody was safe. Rick Porcello and Michael Wacha were not brought back, and Steven Matz was dealt to Toronto.

At the same time, the Mets retained Marcus Stroman, signed Taijuan Walker, and acquired Carlos Carrasco to join deGrom and David Peterson in the rotation. And already, they are having some issues.

Carrasco is missing the start of the season as he recovers from a hamstring injury, and Peterson got rocked during his first start. And while the starting five will eventually get reinforcements when Noah Syndergaard returns from Tommy John, the team cannot hold out for him to immediately get into form.

Taking that into consideration, the Mets are a potential buyer for starting pitchers. Players like Luis Castillo and Sonny Gray of the Cincinnati Reds are possible options for the Mets. But San Francisco Giants Kevin Gausman is the best target.

Unlike the other three mentioned, Gausman is not going to take much to acquire. He is currently playing under a qualifying offer and would be a rental for the 2021 season. And with numerous key players on the Giants having expiring contracts after the season, they are primed to be sellers.

Gausman is coming off of an excellent 2020 campaign, where he started 10 of 12 games, going 3-3 with a 3.62era. He also managed to strike out 79 in 59.2 innings pitched, therefore earning him a career-high 11.9 strikeouts per nine innings mark.

Again, the Mets have a talented starting rotation if everyone is healthy. Yet should health come into play and pitching becomes inconsistent, Gausman is an intriguing trade deadline option.

Relief Pitcher Raisel Iglesias

No, the starting rotation is not the position of concern for the Mets. In fact, it might be the strongest once they get into their zone. As for the team’s bullpen, who knows what their deal will be this season.

For years the Mets bullpen has been as inconsistent as any in all of baseball. Seth Lugo is the headliner of the group, being the lone reliable reliever the past few seasons. All because of the struggles and consistency issues of the rest.

Edwin Diaz enters year three with the team. His first year was a massive disappointment, and while he did improve in 2020, he was far from perfect.

The Mets also have arms like Castro, Dellin Betances, Jeurys Familia, Aaron Loup, and others in the bullpen, except, none have earned the trust in high leverage situations. Even their prized off-season addition to the group Trevor May has already been a liability in his first couple of outings.

Thus, the Mets will likely turn to the trade deadline to help resolve their bullpen woes. And a name that could come up in conversations is Los Angeles Angels reliever Raisel Iglesias.

The 31-year-old righty is set for free agency after the season and has been one of baseball’s more dependable pitchers since hitting the majors in 2015. Through his first six years with the Reds, Iglesias threw 411.2 innings, earning a 3.20era and striking out 479.

Should the Mets acquire Iglesias, it gives them another flamethrower out of the pen, and one who is also capable of closing. From 2017-2019, Iglesias registered 92 saves in 104 opportunities. Clearly, Iglesias is a guy that the Mets should be willing to welcome with open arms for bullpen help.

Third Baseman Kris Bryant

Seriously? Returning to the Kris Bryant off-season trade rumors again?

Throughout the off-season, the Mets came up multiple times as a team talking about a Bryant deal with the Chicago Cubs. Obviously, nothing came of it, as Bryant remains with the team… at the moment.

The Cubs are playing in a very competitive NL Central, and at least on paper entering the season are far behind the top contenders in the National League. Meaning, the team could quickly pivot to being sellers at the deadline, and Bryant is one player to watch.

New York got involved with the Cubs about Bryant in the first place because of their defensive concerns at third base. With Robinson Cano suspended for the year, Jeff McNeil slides to second, leaving J.D. Davis, Luis Guillorme, and Jonathan Villar as their capable third baseman. Only, none of them are perfect fits for the position.

And that is where Bryant may come into play by the trade deadline. The three-time All-Star and former NL MVP is now 29-years-old and may just need a fresh start to get back into his groove. Injuries have taken a toll on the slugger, and in 2020, his batting average plummeted to .206, and his on-base percentage fell below .300.

In other words, he has not been the same high-caliber player he once was. Although, he may be just good enough for the Mets to consider acquiring. Bryant was last an All-Star in 2019 and does have a career mark of -10Rdrs over 629 games.

Of course, those are not perfect numbers, but they are definitely better than the trio the Mets currently employ at third. And if those three struggle, Bryant could be a Met sooner than later.

Trade Block: Third Baseman J.D. Davis

As with any trade, the Mets are going to have to part with someone in return. After all, no team is just going to hand New York players like Gausman, Iglesias, or Bryant. Luckily, the Mets have a handful of possible trade chips.

Without a loaded farm system, the team is going to look at their depth on the 40-man roster and look to deal from there. And that is where the Mets could find themselves parting with fan-favorite J.D. Davis.

A former borderline major league player back with the Houston Astros, the versatile infielder/outfielder was traded to Queens during the 2019 off-season. There were not many expectations when he arrived, but whatever they were, he has blown them out of the water.

From 2019-2020, Davis hit 28 home runs, batted in 76 runs, all while hitting for just under a .290 average in 196 games. His offense has been fantastic for New York, though his defense has left a lot to be desired.

Davis has lined up all over, playing in the outfield and third base, but the loss of the designated hitter has hurt his outlook with the Mets. In his time with the team, he has accounted for an Rdrs of -29 in 152 games in the field.

At only 27-years-old and with team control until 2025, Davis is one of the team’s most attractive trade chips this season. That is unless his defense takes a dramatic upswing during the 2021 season.

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Ultimately, it has only been a few games into the 2021 season, and as MLB returns to a 162-game schedule, the Mets have plenty of time to get things on track. Nevertheless, it never hurts, especially with teams like the Los Angeles Dodgers and Atlanta Braves gearing for the NL crown, to do everything possible to improve the team.