NY Mets Monday Morning GM: A new all-time great deadline trade?

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Jul 25, 2021; New York City, New York, USA; New York Mets pitcher Rich Hill (14) walks back to the dugout after being taken out of the game in the sixth inning against the Toronto Blue Jays at Citi Field. Mandatory Credit: Wendell Cruz-USA TODAY Sports /

The trade deadline has now passed us and the focus of the New York Mets will go from what they can do to improve the roster to how they can win with the guys they already have in-house. There are no big splashes coming to Flushing. This is it!

Even though we can’t fully say whether or not the Mets made any new all-time great franchise trade deadline moves, it’s not too soon to pass some early judgments. We do this every day in our lives. Why not with baseball?

I do think there is at least one move made by the Mets this season which could bump a trade from my list of the 15 best the team ever made. We won’t know for sure yet, but I’m ready to judge a few books by their covers.

The Mets got an absolute steal with Rich Hill and there’s nothing to really dislike about this move

The running joke with baseball trades when a poor player is involved would include a bag of balls getting exchanged for the other. A bag of balls may actually benefit the Tampa Bay Rays more than what they actually picked up in the deal for Rich Hill.

All it cost the Mets was an injured veteran reliever (Tommy Hunter) and a minor league catcher with no real future in the big leagues. Not making this move would have been foolish. Will it end up as an all-time great move?

For the Hill deal to land on the list, I think we need to see consistency down the stretch from him and maybe a big playoff moment. It doesn’t take the greatest pitcher in the world to accomplish either. Anyone can have two good months and maybe even a memorable playoff start. See Bobby Jones for the latter.

There’s little doubt in my mind we will remember the Hill deal as an all-time great trade deadline transaction. Maybe not on the level of Yoenis Cespedes or Donn Clendenon, this trade may fall somewhere closer to the middle on a top 20 list.

May 26, 2021; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Chicago Cubs starting pitcher Trevor Williams (32) delivers a pitch against the Pittsburgh Pirates during the first inning at PNC Park. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports /

The Trevor Williams addition does not move the needle

Trevor Williams joins the 2021 Mets with a 4-2 record and 5.06 ERA. It’s not impressive nor is it much of an outlier of what he has done in his career. Thus far, in 593.1 innings of work, Williams has pitched to a 4.49 ERA.

This wasn’t the needle-moving trade for a starting pitcher many of us were hoping for. While Jose Berrios cost a ton and Jon Gray stayed right where he is, the Mets settled on adding a Four-A starting pitcher.

It’s not a bad trade throw-in. The organization clearly needed some depth. As far as become an all-time acquisition goes, I think Williams’ chances are incredibly slim. That’s not to say he can’t have some kind of role in the postseason where he becomes some sort of high-leverage reliever out of the bullpen.

Crazier things have happened. A woman actually agreed to marry me.

I’m not sure any Mets fans were thrilled to see Williams tag along in the trade with the Chicago Cubs. Mostly just an add-on, the best we can hope for is maybe one big start or two down the stretch. Knowing Jacob deGrom won’t pitch for a few more weeks does make him a little more important to have. The Mets need innings from their pitchers and maybe Williams can get through a couple.

Still, there’s little chance he becomes an all-time great trade deadline acquisition.

Jul 6, 2021; Chicago, Illinois, USA; Chicago Cubs shortstop Javier Baez (9) reacts after hitting a home run in the sixth inning against the Philadelphia Phillies at Wrigley Field. Mandatory Credit: Quinn Harris-USA TODAY Sports /

Will Javier Baez be this year’s Jay Bruce or Yoenis Cespedes?

Man. There really is a wide range of possibilities with Javier Baez. I can see two extremes. I can see him joining the club and doing his best impression of Jay Bruce after he joined the club in 2016. Baez strikes out a TON and this will not change when his laundry does.

Then again, I can see the other extreme. What if Baez continues to strike out often but also bolsters the lineup in ways we’ve been crying for all year long? The Mets offense is scuffling. Baez’s power bat could be the answer. Is he possibly the jolt they need? Is he this year’s Yoenis Cespedes?

Baez essentially cost the Mets last year’s first-round draft pick Pete Crow-Armstrong. A young outfielder with a bright future ahead of him, it’s hard to really hate this trade because of how it immediately helps the big league club. PCA underwent shoulder surgery earlier this year. His entire professional career is questionable. We know what we’re getting with Baez. We’re getting a guy who can crank around 30 home runs in a full season and fan 200 times while playing some pretty awesome defense.

In case you didn’t know, Baez was the MVP runner-up in 2018. A tremendous offensive weapon, he also brings one other element with him to New York: attitude.

Look no further than last week in one of his final Cubs games when he walked it off against Amir Garrett and the Cincinnati Reds. A showcase of how much of how fiery he can be, adding him could potentially become one of the most important trades in Mets history—at the deadline or any other time.

Next. Worst trade deadline deals in Mets history

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Which of these trades do you think could be destined to become an all-time legendary transaction?

Home / New York Mets News

The Mets got an absolute steal with Rich Hill and there’s nothing to really dislike about this move

The Trevor Williams addition does not move the needle

Will Javier Baez be this year’s Jay Bruce or Yoenis Cespedes?

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