5 NY Mets trade candidates not named Bo Bichette who make sense for the Phillies

Bo Bichette is a complicated New York Mets player because of his contract. The opt-out after one season seemed destined to occur unless he had a bad year. Looking more himself these days, Bichette seems more likely to walk away this offseason although we shouldn’t come to any quick conclusions.

This becomes more complicated because the Mets figured that, even with his contract structure, Bichette would be with them through the end of the regular season battling for a playoff spot and beyond. Things haven’t played out that way. Bichette is a milder trade candidate the Mets would probably like to move at the deadline if they sell because of the uncertainty.

For sure the Philadelphia Phillies would make sense. Their third base situation with Alec Bohm isn’t great. Trea Turner isn’t trustworthy at shortstop either. They could use the added right-handed excellence Bichette has been offering the Mets, but would these two teams be able to come to terms on a trade of this caliber? Fans could certainly overlook the offseason snub which caused Philadelphia natives to boo Bichette when he visited Philly in June if he plays well for them.

Bichette is hardly the only Mets trade candidate the Phillies could have interest in. These other five should land on their radar, too.

Five Mets players who make sense for the Phillies

1) Cionel Perez

Cionel Perez is a quiet Mets trade candidate who should get some attention in the coming weeks. He’ll be cheap both on payroll and in the return. Arbitration-eligible next season, Perez is someone the Mets could always consider keeping around. He has pitched well enough to keep his roster spot even on a ball club with three, sometimes four if you can’t David Peterson, different lefties in the bullpen at a time.

Possibly one of the most affordable Mets trade candidates on the roster, he’s a good guess as one of the next dominos to fall. Perez doesn’t have minor league options and to DFA him would be sending a guy whose trade value can increase down the river way a little too prematurely.

2) A.J. Minter

If the Phillies want to spend a little more in prospect capital and payroll, they should take a stab at A.J. Minter instead of Perez. Consistently over the last few years, bad relief pitching has done in Philadelphia. We saw that close up in 2024 when the NLCS match-up between the Mets and Phillies included several very good relief pitchers melt down.

They should know him well enough from his days with the Atlanta Braves and understand how useful he can be in front of Jhoan Duran.

3) Brooks Raley

Between Perez and Minter is Brooks Raley. Some might even say he is a better pitcher than Minter. Either way, you don’t shop for one of those lefties and fail to inquire about the cost for Raley. Consistently an awesome pitcher when healthy for the Mets since joining them in 2023, Raley is making close to one-third of what Minter is owed this year ($4.4 million vs. $11 million).

Already pro-rated, Philadelphia’s greatest challenge at acquiring Raley instead would be outbidding what tighter-budgeted clubs may offer the Mets. Around $2 million in salary left to pay by the time we get to the end of July/early August has additional appeal.

4) Clay Holmes

A ground ball machine, Clay Holmes could translate well in a hitter’s ballpark like the one in Philadelphia. His greatest challenge would be to trust in the defense behind him. He pitches to contact and would undoubtedly see a few more balls squirt by, get thrown away, or bounce off of gloves than he did in his time with the Mets.

Injured since May 15th, the timing of Holmes’ return will say a lot about what the Mets can get back for him. He has a player option worth $12 million for next season. Healthy or not and even effective or not, he seems bound to opt-out. He has been good enough at this point to get a salary bump next season.

5) Freddy Peralta

Freddy Peralta might actually make more sense for the Phillies because of his ability to strike out batters. Even in such an imperfect season, Peralta behind Zack Wheeler and Cristopher Sanchez takes a lot of the pressure off of him. Ask Peralta to be your number three on a team that already has Jesus Luzardo and Aaron Nola on it in the rotation and good things can happen.

Philadelphia, as much as anyone, needs to win a championship this year. They have a rotation vacancy and even if Peralta isn’t the pitcher he was last year with the Milwaukee Brewers, an ERA in the 4.00s on a consistent basis gives the Phillies a really good shot. Philadelphia has a real shot at running into the Brewers in the postseason. Coming courteous of the Mets, it sets up for one of the best playoff storylines possible.

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