NY Mets: Top 5 best trade deadline targets ranked

The start to the second half for the New York Mets is one that many probably didn’t imagine when the All-Star break came. New York sent Francisco Lindor to the IL with an oblique strain, NL MVP front-runner Jacob deGrom to the IL with forearm tightness and lost two of three to the Pittsburgh Pirates, one of which came in brutal fashion.

There’s no question that there’s a bit of heightened panic amongst Mets fans and the sense of urgency has increased, even after Michael Conforto’s late-game heroics. Do the Mets trade go all-in for a big bat now given Lindor’s absence? Do they shift their attention to starting pitching with deGrom’s health in question?

Turning to the trade market to make a run for the Mets

As for the trade chips, a former “general manager” for the Mets whose name shall not be mentioned in this article, nor should it ever be uttered, did much to deplete the farm system. That’s not to say the organization hasn’t done a good job restocking over the last year. The Mets front office has indicated that they’re not looking to part with their top prospects in a trade. That doesn’t mean if the right trade didn’t come along, they wouldn’t pull the trigger, especially when you consider that a player like Ronny Mauricio is hard to fit into the lineup moving forward.

What puts the Mets in a unique position this trade deadline is the fact that unlike the other 29 teams around the league, New York wasn’t impacted financially by COVID-19. The ability to absorb money from other teams is a chip that other front offices don’t necessarily have in their deck and it’s why the Mets can be major players for a significant move, or more, before July 31st.

Considering this, there’s a bevy of different names that the Mets have been linked to in rumors, some big and others small, but there are five players that could pay big dividends in the second half if the Mets were to pull the trigger on a trade. Here are the five best trade candidates for the Mets as they approach the deadline.

Rotation relief from Jon Gray

Jacob deGrom’s injury was a punch in the gut and with the other injuries to the rotation, the Mets have put the weight of the playoffs on the shoulders of Taijuan Walker, Marcus Stroman and potential rookie-breakout candidate Tyler Megill. Carlos Carrasco is set to come back soon after his recent rehab appearance, but there’s no reason the Mets shouldn’t be in the market for rotation help. While losing deGrom isn’t the equivalent to the loss of Ronald Acuna to the Braves and the Mets’ World Series take a serious hit if Jake isn’t in the rotation on a consistent basis.

Considering this, the Mets are going to need to bolster their rotation with multiple pieces. This is where Jon Gray begins to make sense. Gray was the Colorado Rockies third pick in the 2013 MLB draft and since then, Gray has failed to live up to expectations. While showing flashes of talent sporadically, Gray generally has fallen short of the kind of results you’d expect from a third overall pick, but it’s not to suggest that the talent isn’t there. Many have prescribed his career to the confines of Coors Field, but that’s a bit overstated. His career ERA is actually slightly lower at home than it is on the road.

If this isn’t sounding like a good sell on Gray, just wait for it. Gray is obviously not the answer to deGrom’s health issues. However, he’s a fairly durable arm that could benefit from the pitcher-friendly dimensions of Citi Field. From 2016 to 2019, Gray average 150 innings pitched. Baserunners have been an issue historically, but a strikeout rate of almost nine strikeouts per nine innings could bode well for the backend of the rotation. Gray has also pitched better this season with an ERA under 4.00. While his strikeout percentage is in the bottom half of the league, he’s in the 86th percentile in barrel rate percentage as well as the 67th percentile for hard hit percentage.

Additionally, Gray seems like the perfect “change-of-scenery” candidate. Having spent his career with an under-performing franchise, being thrust into a playoff race in a big market could be a spark for the right-hander. The raw stuff is there, but what makes Gray even more appealing is the potential low cost in regards to prospects. Trevor Story, if traded, will prove to provide a big, big return. Gray, on the other hand, would yield a much lower cost than some of the other big name pitchers that have been rumored to be available. Add in the fact that Gray is a free agent at the end of the season and the Mets could end up with a steal in terms of talent cost for the hard throwing righty.

‘El Mago’ could be magical in Flushing

The relationship between Francisco Lindor and Javy Baez has been long documented since they both came into the league; could they both take the field together in 2021?

Baez has been known for his wizardry in the field and on the base paths, and if the Mets were bold enough, he could he bring that magic to Citi Field this season. New York has already expressed an apprehension in trading for rentals, but it’s not beyond the realm of possibility. Before Lindor hit the IL, Baez wasn’t even a consideration for the Mets, but now, as Buster Olney reports, the slick infielder could make sense at the deadline.

For the Mets, positional versatility has been a sought after commodity and Baez possesses just that. While he’s spent a majority of his time in the majors at shortstop, he’s also seen time at third base as well as second base and provided above average defense at both. Whenever Lindor returns, Baez could slot over to one of those positions, while also strengthening the Mets’ defense. A perennial gold glover alongside Lindor, who has provided a massive defensive upgrade at shortstop in his own right, would be a welcomed addition to the current starting rotation.

Offensively, Baez has both plenty of upside but lots of downside as well. From 2017-2019, Baez averaged 22 homers while also averaging an .841 OPS. While demonstrating above average power, the strikeouts have been a major issue for Javy. So far this season, Baez is whiffing at a 37% clip, which doesn’t translate to much production at the plate and with a front office a new dedication to analytics, there’s much to be desired at the plate at his current pace.

That being said, if Lindor does expect to be out for an extended period of time, the Mets would greatly benefit from another plus defender filling the role of shortstop until he returns. While Luis Guillorme is a certainly a viable option defensively, Baez provides more pop and could be slotted into the lineup in a position where he’s able to drive in more runs.

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.

Kris Bryant should get an official ‘Welcome to the Mets’ text

It feels as though the Mets and Kris Bryant have been linked in trade rumors forever, but in reality it’s only been the better part of two seasons. The Mets were heavily linked to the former MVP and Chicago was in talks with New York this past offseason but the two teams couldn’t gain much traction. Times have changed and so have the needs for both sides. Bryant is in the final year of his contract before hitting free agency and the Cubs have made public their role as sellers this deadline. The Mets, trying their best to cling to their diminishing lead in the NL East are in desperate need of offense. It seems as though all of the stars are aligning for a blockbuster.

J.D. Davis made his return to the lineup after a two month stint on the IL felt by homering twice in his first game back against the Pittsburgh Pirates. This led to Mets fans succumbing to recency bias and suggesting that the team no longer needed Bryant. Whether or not Davis would be involved in a trade for Bryant remains to be seen. What is crystal clear however is that the Mets are immediately a better team with Bryant in the lineup.

In 2016, Kris Bryant took home his first NL MVP award after slugging 39 homers and 102 RBIs. When healthy, the right-handed slugger has shown what he’s capable of at the plate and with an offense that has sputtered at most points during the season, the Mets should be doing whatever they can to infuse some life at the plate outside of Brandon Nimmo.

In addition to being a threat at the plate, Bryant also provides the defensive versatility that manager Luis Rojas and the front office often covet. With a bulk of his games played coming at third base and left field, Bryant has also played in centerfield, right field and at first base. Whether or not Davis gets shipped to Chicago in a potential deal for Bryant is unknown, but what is becoming more and more evident is the reality that Michael Conforto may not be returning to Queens after this season. Could a potential trade for Bryant prompt the Mets to try to focus their attention to signing him after this season instead of Conforto?

Bryant is no doubt, one of, if not the most, coveted player heading into the July 31st trade deadline and with the Nationals reportedly being in the mix as well, the cost of obtaining Bryant is going to be high. The cost will be less than what it would’ve been during the offseason given that the Mets are only getting Bryant’s services for half a season. Nevertheless, the Mets will undoubtedly have to part with at least one top ten prospect to net Chicago’s homegrown all-star.

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The Mets have the pieces to get a deal done for Kris Bryant and the Cubs are willing to move him, which is why now is the time to pull the trigger and bring Bryant to New York for a World Series push.