Re-grading the 3 big NY Mets trades for center fielders David Stearns has made

1) Tyrone Taylor (and Adrian Houser)

This is a slightly more complicated trade because it involved another player who failed to make it through the year. In fact, if we go back to how we honestly felt about this trade with the Milwaukee Brewers, there was as much, if not more, reason to think Adrian Houser would be the better Mets player.

It didn’t turn out that way. Tyrone Taylor became the far better player acquired in this deal that cost them minor league pitcher Coleman Crow. Oft-injured with plenty of uncertainties, swapping one low-ranking pitching prospect for a pair of major leaguers always made sense.

Initial Grade: A-

How do we feel now? Houser’s struggles as a starter in 2024 and later his low ceiling as a reliever had the Mets cutting him mid-year. Taylor remained with the club and, once again, helped them in their time of need as a regular center fielder. His defense is topnotch. The offense, while regularly inconsistent, is acceptable only because of how perfect he does the little things.

This trade deserves the same grade as it originally should have received, just not for the reasons we thought. Until Crow does something at the major league level, this is an A- worthy trade by the Mets.

Updated Grade: A- but not for why we thought