A Cubs player the NY Mets should target to help possibly replace Bo Bichette

Bo Bichette has a complicated contract with an opt-out after this year and next. It has made him one of the harder players for the New York Mets to trade. With every positive comes a negative. Even if he plays well over the next few weeks, how much are they going to actually get back for him in a trade short of the Mets paying the remainder of his contract? It gets trickier when we consider the possibility of him opting in. Do the Mets accept the chance of paying a portion of next year’s salary, too?

This creative thinking didn’t work out incredibly well when they did it with Max Scherzer and Justin Verlander. The only remaining prospect from those two trades is Ryan Clifford who might not hit his weight in Triple-A. Sure, they saved some money, but for what?

The Mets have to face the reality of Bichette leaving this offseason and a new search at third base beginning. Whether here or not, a trade with the Chicago Cubs for this prospect can help sort it out. Able to play second base and third base, Pedro Ramirez feels like the player to target.

Who could the Mets offer the Cubs for Pedro Ramirez?

Ramirez is 22 and already in the majors hitting .250 in limited opportunities this season. He had a .942 OPS in Triple-A. In 196 plate appearances set a career-high with 9 home runs. Speedy as well with 19 stolen bases in 21 tries, he’s not the kind of hitter who’ll clobber his way to the middle of the lineup. He might just be good enough to take on the third base role rather than experience more of the same out of Brett Baty.

Regardless of whether Bichette remains with the Mets or not, Ramirez feels like a worthwhile addition for the Mets who could use some infield depth. Ronny Mauricio seems bound to have his final minor league option expire after his recent demotion. Baty and Mark Vientos can’t possibly both survive into next year. Down on the farm, there is no one barking for major league playing time.

The Mets certainly have some players the Cubs could use. Freddy Peralta for the rotation as a buy low option makes sense. The two clubs already pulled off the David Peterson for Cole Mathis deal. Why not another?

A bullpen ravaged by injuries, no reliever has more than 3 saves. Luke Weaver immediately comes to mind as someone they could view as a savior in the ninth inning even if the Mets have utilized him as a setup man. They might not have as much interest in A.J. Minter or Brooks Raley as two of their most frequently used and healthy relievers are left-handed. Huascar Brazoban makes some sense, but it’s Weaver that could be the difference-maker they’re searching for.

A year and a half for Weaver in exchange for Ramirez seems too light for the Mets. The same could be true for Brazoban simply because of how valuable he should be based on the low price of his contract. Ramirez for Peralta has a similar conclusion only because Peralta should be one of the small number of high-profile starting pitchers for sale.

The Cubs have little need to keep Ramirez with Alex Bregman and Nico Hoerner under contract for several more seasons. It seems like a good match with the biggest debate being which player they desire most and which other prospect they’ll include. FanGraphs ranked Ramirez as the third best Cubs prospect entering the season. The headliner of any trade the Mets should make with the Cubs for one of their better trade chips, he immediately becomes a player the team can utilize on the infield.

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