2 recent NY Mets trade deadline strategies to repeat, 2 to avoid at all costs

Avoid this: Subtracting from an existing strength

Last year’s Mets rumors included the idea of the team subtracting from their starting pitching to improve the bullpen. Please don’t do this. Keep your strength intact. Mets starters have been excellent this season. A surplus of arms when all are healthy, the difficulty is wondering how they could actually improve themselves by removing winners from the team.

The Mets never did end up trading a starter last year. It’s a good thing they didn’t. Kodai Senga went down with another injury in late July. The team had to add Paul Blackburn and later rely on Tylor Megill. These things have a way of working themselves out or turning on a team when they experience a little too much hubris.

On a smaller scale, the infamous 2022 trade deadline deal for Darin Ruf falls as a cousin of this trade deadline strategy to avoid. Three prospects plus right-handed hitting J.D. Davis went to the San Francisco Giants for Ruf. The Mets could have just committed full-time to Davis at the DH spot against lefties rather than send so much out west for Ruf. It’s not a matter of Monday morning quarterbacking this trade. We all felt a pain in the pits of our stomach when the trade was announced.

Mistakes are bound to be made at this year’s trade deadline. Remaining sensible will be Stearns’ best approach.