4 NY Mets players with the most to lose post trade deadline

The trade deadline is nearly upon us, and the New York Mets are officially open for business. However, just because David Stearns will be listening on (virtually) everyone doesn't mean that a whole lot of players will be booking U-Hauls. Luke Weaver is the prime gem, Luis Robert Jr. could have a healthy market, and starters like Freddy Peralta and Clay Holmes will be asked about often.

Then, there's a whole host of players that the Mets likely would want to trade, but might not have more than tepid interest at best. For this cohort, if they survive the trade deadline, they'll have something to play for down the stretch. If they don't perform well, they'll have a lot to lose.

Four Mets who have something to lose if they don't play well down the stretch

Francisco Alvarez

On the one hand, having a catcher like Francisco Alvarez who has power and can post a mid-.700 OPS seems like a valuable asset, but a deeper look brings to light the holes in the 24-year-old's game. The vast majority of his homers have come in low-leverage situations, making his at times erratic offensive performance feel like empty calories. His defense, from controlling the run game to pitch blocking to framing and ABS challenges, is subpar.

New York has little reason to trade Alvarez now, unless a desperate contender blows them away. Still, his inconsistent performance and durability issues are growing tiresome, and he could be on the trade block in the offseason unless he shows sustained signs that the promise he once held as a top prospect is still inside of him.

Devin Williams

In a way, Devin Williams has already won. He fell flat on his face with the Yankees, and his performance in the Bronx proved he can't handle pitching in a big market, yet somehow he duped the Mets into giving him $51 million dollars.

Yet, what's at stake for Williams is his reputation, or what's left of it. He came to Queens with defenders touting how his peripherals didn't match up with his results. Now that the same thing is happening this year, the excuse no longer stands up. Williams is fighting for his reputation and the ability to remain a closer, so he'll need to put together a solid couple of months to close out the season, or else no one will ever entrust him with the ninth inning again.

Brett Baty

After years of disappointment, Brett Baty finally looked like a useful player last season with his .254/.313/.435 line and 2.3 fWAR. Was he the power-hitting superstar the Mets had hoped for? No, but he finally looked like a capable starter. With that, 2026 has been a huge step back. The 26-year-old put up a 116 wRC+ in May and has been having a decent July, but his April and June performances have been abysmal.

It probably hasn't helped that New York has played Baty all over the field, making it hard for him to get in a groove. With that said, if you're going to hit like a fringe player, you can't turn down an assignment. Baty needs to string together a couple good months to close out the year, otherwise he's looking down the barrel of a possible non-tender this offseason.

Mark Vientos

Mark Vientos is in much the same the same boat as Baty, but is in even worse shape. While Baty can at least fake it til he makes it at a variety of defensive positions, Vientos is a butcher no matter where you play him. Designated hitter is the only spot he can safely man in the lineup, except if one is going to be a designated hitter one must, you know, hit, which is something Vientos hasn't done for the last year and a half.

The once-fearsome slugger is really behind the eight ball as his fractured hand will cost him critical time to change the narrative, while also threatening his effectiveness at the plate even once he's healed. He'llneed to go on a serious heater to close out the season and avoid being non-tendered this winter.

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