3 Twins players not named Byron Buxton we could see traded to the NY Mets this month

The New York Mets entered the All-Star break on their last leg, or in this case, last arm. They’ve already cycled through 36 different pitchers, the most of any team in the league. It’s been a revolving door on the mound, and it’s taken a toll. With the trade deadline right around the corner, David Stearns and the Mets front office have some tough decisions to make.

Byron Buxton put any trade rumors to rest during All-Star media day in Atlanta, making it clear he has no intention of ever playing for a team other than the Minnesota Twins. While moving Buxton’s contract might not be realistic, the Twins should be thinking long-term. With three prospects ranked in MLB’s Top 50 and promising young players like Brooks Lee already in the majors, Minnesota has the foundation to build toward a brighter future.

It seems too perfect a match. The Mets need depth pieces to contend, and the Twins need prospects to build for the future. Who can the Mets add to fully cement them as contenders for not only the NL East, but for the World Series?

1. Danny Coulombe

Danny Coulombe is having the best year of his career at age 35. ERA under 0.7, 0 home runs allowed, 2 ER in 26.2 innings are all career highs in the first half of a season. While his age may be concerning, he has only gotten better with age. 3.6 of his 5.3 career WAR has come after his age-33 season.

Since A.J. Minter and Danny Young went down for the season, the Mets have not been able to fill their bullpen with a trustworthy lefty. According to FanGraphs, of the 30 teams in MLB, the Mets’ left-handed relievers rank 26th in opponent batting average in high-leverage situations

Coulombe is on an expiring one-year contract, so it would not take much to bring him to Queens. Meanwhile, Brooks Raley has been lights out in his rehab outings. If the Mets can land Coulombe, they can go from having no trustworthy lefties out of the bullpen to two.