NY Mets trade candidate Matthew Boyd does nothing for me

It’s mid-June which means Matthew Boyd’s ears are ringing. A member of the perpetually sub-.500 Detroit Tigers, he is once again a trade candidate for every team looking to add pitching, including the New York Mets.

But why is this? Why is a guy with a career ERA of nearly 5.00 such an attractive piece in the eyes of many? Although he is having a good year in 2021, Boyd the Mets trade candidate equivalent of a cold shower.

Mets can do better than Matthew Boyd

All joking aside, Boyd does have talent. I don’t want you to think I don’t respect parts of his game. Back in 2019, he struck out 238 batters in 185.1 innings of work. However, this did come with a league-worst 39 home runs allowed. Yikes!

There’s throwing strikes and then there’s throwing balls for strikes that hitters can swat out of the ballpark. Boyd did plenty of both in 2019; one of only two seasons in his career with 150+ innings.

As if this wasn’t alarming enough, last year Boyd led the league in losses with 7 (but who cares?), earned runs with 45 (only a single unearned run oddly enough), and home runs with 15. He has cut down on the long balls this year but he also isn’t striking out batters at the same electrifying rate he has in the past.

At 30-years-old with another year of control left after the 2021 season, Boyd is a left-handed investment the Mets could possibly make at this year’s trade deadline to help them next season as well. Depending on how you feel about guys like Marcus Stroman and Noah Syndergaard may factor into whether or not you want Boyd. If you’re like me, you’re devilishly handsome and uninterested in Boyd regardless of whatever else the Mets might do with their rotation.

If Matthew Boyd isn’t good enough for you, then what is?

I know Boyd is a realistic option for the Mets, but let’s calm down thinking he’s going to actually improve this rotation all that much. Joey Lucchesi has at least turned things around somewhat in his most recent starts. I’m not ready to commit to a Lucchesi jersey but there are some positive signs there.

Other than Boyd, the Mets can explore the rental market. These players can be acquired for much less than this southpaw having one of the best seasons of his career. Give me a guy with a track record and not potential we never saw reached.

I don’t have all of the answers as to what the Mets should do with their rotation. The fuss over Boyd just seems excessive for someone routinely below average throughout his career.

Give me someone a little more proven or in the midst of a better season than Boyd. Start with the rental options first and go from there.

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Jon Gray, Kyle Gibson, and any number of potential trade candidates are more intriguing. While a nice pitcher and probably an even better human being to consider, Boyd doesn’t do for me what a mid-summer starting pitcher acquisition should: win a whole lot of ball games.