5 NY Mets players they can trade before Opening Day and what they should get back

3) Trade Dylan Covey for cash considerations

It’s somewhat under-the-radar what the Mets are doing with Dylan Covey level players. Sign them to split contracts and make them more passable through waivers. We see how frugal other ball clubs can be. They’ll be more likely to pass on a fringe MLB player who costs more. The split contract benefits the player and the team who signs him both financially and from the standpoint of better knowing where you’ll live.

A split contract doesn’t guarantee a thing. Last spring we saw the Mets trade Austin Adams to the Oakland Athletics before the year began. He was signed to a split contract and upon realizing he wasn’t going to make the Opening Day roster, they sent him elsewhere for cash considerations.

This is all the Mets could conceivably get back for Covey. He’s a journeyman pitcher who can start, but is probably best used as a longman leaning toward the side of mop-up duty. It’s impossible to picture the Mets including him on the Opening Day roster outside of some major injuries and a hot spring from Covey. They may try to shop him just as they did with Adams or look to move him to the minors to begin the year. He’s useful but not so needed.

Covey spent much of last season injured. If you’ve followed the Mets IL closely, a “convenient” injury is probably on its way to keep him around and off the waiver wire.