A NY Mets-Guardians trade for Jose Ramirez that balances present and future

New York Mets fans are no strangers to Jose Ramirez trade rumors; it's an offseason tradition at this point. Ever since Francisco Lindor came to Queens, Mets fans have fantasized over ways they could reunite him with his former teammate, and who could blame them? Lindor and Ramirez on the left side of the infield would be elite.

This offseason, the Mets aim to prioritize run prevention (mainly in the form of pitching) while seeking additional offensive support. Ramirez is a plus fielder, with a fielding run value of six this season (82nd percentile in MLB), and has consistently been one of baseball's best hitters throughout his career. If there was any time to reel the big fish in, it's now.

The proposal: Jose Ramirez to the Mets for Carson Benge, Jonah Tong, AJ Ewing, and Jack Wenninger

Like the Mets, the Guardians have one of the best farm systems in baseball, but their biggest flaw is a severe lack of elite pitching prospects. The Mets have arguably the best pitching prospect in baseball in Tong and a fast-rising stud on the mound in Wenninger. Throwing in another top prospect in Benge and another fast-riser in Ewing should be enough to get this deal done.

With Tong on the rise as arguably the best pitching prospect in baseball, it may not seem wise to trade him away, but the truth of the matter is that there's plenty more where that came from. Nolan McLean already looks like a formidable major league starter, and Carson Benge is right behind him, with lefty Jonathan Santucci climbing the prospect ranks, as well.

Yes, the Mets are indeed a team in need of pitching more than anything else, but that's another area where David Stearns and Co. should be exploring options outside of the organization. Prospect-hugging is never a smart idea, especially in an area of dire need. It'll hurt to give up Benge, too, but the Mets' farm system is thriving under the guidance of Stearns and will continue to even if the hypothetical were to become reality. What's the point of building a top farm system if you don't plan to trade away some of its best?

Obviously, this might not match the vision of David Stearns. He should (hopefully) be looking to trade for a potential ace along with signing another top-line starter or two. The pitching is obviously the priority, with offense coming second. It's always fun to throw out these hypotheticals, though, and Ramirez's defensive value provides something that many of the big hitters on this year's free agent market lack.