NY Mets: Top 5 best trade deadline targets ranked

Texas hold ’em…until you deal him

General Manager Zack Scott has already stated the reluctance to trade for rentals and by making a move for Kyle Gibson, the Mets would be given rotation help beyond the ’21 season. One thing to keep in consideration as the deadline approaches is not just how much particular players will cost in value, but how much control each player provides for the Mets moving forward. With the possible departures of Marcus Stroman and Noah Syndergaard, New York is looking to not only strengthen their rotation this year, but next year (and beyond) as well.

Trading for the right-hander, who is putting together a career year at age 33. Gibson, who made the all-star game this year for the first time in his nine year career, has produced a 2.29 ERA and 88 strikeouts over 102 innings pitched. There’s obviously more room for regression than progression, but Gibson has been durable. Since 2013, he’s averaged 173 IP per season and given the injuries that have derailed the Mets at times this season, someone to produce quality innings is something that can’t be overlooked.

Gibson isn’t a flamethrower nor is he a big strikeout guy (7 K/9 for his career), but he will cost the Mets less in prospect cost and will provide stability at the backend of the rotation. DeGrom will be back eventually and Carlos Carrasco is returning soon, with Noah Syndergaard waiting in the wings. While nothing is guaranteed with any of those arms right now, if deGrom and Carrasco provide to be healthy, there will be a bit of a logjam in the rotation. Considering that Gibson would slot into the backend, there wouldn’t be much shifting around that needed to happen and you could conceivably move Megill to the bullpen or send him to Triple-A to keep his arm fresh by pitching every 5th day.

What’s most valuable however is, again, the rotation protection the Mets would have going into the 2022 season. New York will certainly try to return one of, if not both, Syndergaard and Stroman, but if they don’t, Gibson would solidify their rotation regardless, which would be a huge boost to the club moving forward, especially at a cost of $7M which is owed to him next year.