NY Mets: 6 All-Stars we could see traded to Queens this month

The New York Mets may not acquire an All-Star player this month via trade, but who knows? All-Stars aren’t off-limits. And the Mets, who could use a boost at the plate and on the mound, are a candidate to potentially pull off one of the bigger blockbuster trades of the summer.

Using the initial All-Star rosters for the 2021 season, these six players look like real possibilities for the Mets.

I am by no means suggesting the Mets will land all of them. What am I, a guy with three followers on social media and no avatar? I know the deal. Picking up even one of these guys would be a good look and improve the club.

NY Mets All-Star trade candidate Kyle Gibson

Spoiler alert! Kyle Gibson is the only player I selected from the American League All-Star roster for this list. The players on bad American League teams to make the All-Star Game don’t really fit the Mets or I view them as unlikely to get dealt.

Gibson is actually a superb target. A veteran having a career year and possessing another season of control beyond 2021, he’s someone worth more than just two months of an investment.

However, I wouldn’t expect Gibson to come close to replicating his All-Star campaign in 2021 ever again. It’s an atypically awesome year he has put together. On a Texas Rangers team going nowhere, there’s little doubt he’ll become available.

For the Mets, a team hopeful to keep the farm as intact as possible, the price may also be right. The Rangers could get something decent back for Gibson, but it won’t be nearly what other squads could get for their best pitcher on the trade block.

NY Mets All-Star trade target Adam Frazier

Just as Gibson stands alone as the only guy from the American League roster, Adam Frazier stands out in a field by himself. He’s the only guy voted into the game. The starting second baseman for the National League could help give the Mets a boost at multiple positions. He’s essentially the right-handed hitting version of Jeff McNeil—in the good years.

Frazier wasn’t always my favorite addition for the team to make this summer because of a few important details. Namely, where do they play him?

When the Mets are fully healthy, which they nearly are, they have a full roster of guys we know can play well. This year, we haven’t seen it from everyone. Just about every offensive player has had their struggles. Adding Frazier could help the Mets rotate the position players a little more while getting his bat into the lineup regularly.

It’s a nice idea, but with another year of control after this season, I’m not so sure it’s something the Mets want to buy high on and then figure things out in 2022. I’m lukewarm to the idea of buying so high on Frazier when the cost should be through the roof at the moment.

If positional versatility is what the Mets are looking for, why not simply move McNeil around and add a big bat at another position you’d like more from?

I’m not against acquiring Frazier. I’m also not all for it because of what it means for future Mets rosters.

NY Mets All-Star trade candidate Eduardo Escobar

Do I think the Mets will actually land Eduardo Escobar? I do not. Certainly not the best option out there, Escobar does bring a few valuable tools to whatever team he does ultimately end up getting traded to.

Escobar represents the Arizona Diamondbacks at this year’s All-Star Game as a third baseman. Able to play other infield spots as well, he’s a power-hitting option the Mets could think about bringing in to primarily play third base but also take over at other spots.

The great debate here would be whether or not he’s an upgrade over Davis. He might not be which would relegate him to part-time duties. It’s not outrageous to think the Mets could acquire a player of Escobar’s caliber and play him less than he has become accustomed to. Sometimes at the trade deadline, the best acquisitions aren’t always direct fits.

It’s only fair to include Escobar on this list because of how eager the Mets seem to add a third baseman. You also have to appreciate his power. If the price was cheap (which I suspect it will not be) I would definitely want to acquire him for the ball club in Queens.

Likely headed elsewhere, Escobar is a “fit” for your blue and orange that will never be.

NY Mets All-Star trade candidate Bryan Reynolds

Rising Apple’s Michael Calascione went deep into a potential trade for this Pittsburgh Pirates All-Star already so I advise you to look into what he had to say for further analysis.

But I have two cents, too.

Bryan Reynolds has had a rich man’s Oreo career thus far. In 2019, he hit .314 and finished fourth in the Rookie of the Year voting. Dreadful in 2020 with a .189 batting average, he has managed to turn his career around in 2021 with his first All-Star selection.

I call it a rich man’s Oreo because only the wealthy can afford a cookie with two cream fillings on the outside. Thought I might clarify.

Reynolds is an outfielder which might not entice every Mets fan. Given the struggles of Michael Conforto and the constant fear of another injury, Reynolds would probably arrive to New York as a part-time player.

The issue the Mets face is his actual availability. Nowhere near free agency and making pennies in the world of Major League Baseball, there’s no actual rush to trade Reynolds. A nice player to consider in the future or even in the offseason, the cost to add him this month is going to exceed what I believe the Flushing front office is willing to pay.

NY Mets All-Star trade target German Marquez

Our final All-Star for the Mets to take a deep look at is German Marquez. The Colorado Rockies starting pitcher is already signed for several more seasons which may make him even more available for the rebuilding team out in Denver.

Young and talented, it’s tough to know what Marquez’s full potential could be on a different ball club. He has put up favorable numbers even while having to deal with Coors Field. Averaging more than a strike per inning in his career, Marquez is the kind of guy who could land with a different ball club and become a star.

The price of acquiring Marquez would put a dent in the Mets farm system for sure. Something all Mets fans have likely considered is having Charlie Blackmon added to the deal. Blackmon is on an unfavorable contract with player options for the next two seasons. If willing to pay this price in order to acquire Marquez at a cheaper price, it’s something to definitely look at.

Marquez’s availability remains in question particularly with teammate Jon Gray heading to free agency. Gray is the more likely trade candidate. Although he’s not an All-Star this year, he could make sense for the Mets.

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Which of these All-Stars would you most like to see finish off his season in Queens?