Mets Trades: 3 upgrades a J.D. Davis trade could bring this summer

The New York Mets are likely buyers at this summer’s trade deadline. Like Bradley James Nowell, I ain’t got no crystal ball. It’s just common sense to expect the Mets to be right there in the thick of things when sellers sell and buyers buy.

Arguably the best trade candidate on the MLB roster is third baseman J.D. Davis. Long talked about as a potential trade chip, this could be the summer when the club finally does pull the trigger. The Mets have two viable options at the hot corner in lieu of Davis: Luis Guillorme and Jonathan Villar. Subtract Davis from the club and the Mets aren’t in dire straits at the position.

Fast-forwarding to the trade deadline, we should expect Davis’ name to pop up in trade talks. The way I see it, there are three obvious upgrades the team could make by using Davis as a trade chip.

Trading J.D. Davis for a major third baseman is a win-now move for the Mets

Turning Davis, a controllable and affordable piece, into a superstar third baseman is a win-now move for the Mets. It’s what a lot of us thought was going to happen over the winter. Trade rumors abound revolving around guys like Kris Bryant never materialized.

Bryant, still with the Chicago Cubs and likely headed to free agency this winter, remains a viable option for the Mets. Davis alone wouldn’t be able to draw the former MVP out of Chicago. In a package deal, Davis could be a major leaguer the Cubs look at as a piece to help them get back on track.

Many of baseball’s biggest trade deadline deals include an All-Star level player getting swapped for prospects. This kind of deal is different. I also don’t think it would cost much more than Davis to pry Bryant away. Why balk at a deal like this if you’re Chicago? Years of Davis over two useless months of Bryant in a season likely headed nowhere for the Cubs might be enough or at least almost the entire package needed.