Making sense of the NY Mets rumors that rejected a 2-for-1 Edward Cabrera trade

According to Sports Illustrated’s Pat Ragazzo, discussions between the New York Mets and Miami Marlins for pitcher Edward Cabrera got specific. The offer was apparently just two players, but significant ones. The Marlins were looking to add both Brett Baty and prospect A.J. Ewing.

Cabrera was a known Mets trade target before landing with the Chicago Cubs. It cost them their top prospect plus two more. This shows us a lot about how they value Baty and Ewing. They would have taken one major leaguer and an up-and-coming prospect rather than the three they received from Chicago.

Why’d the Mets turn this down? It seems like it has a lot to do with both players the Mets would have given up.

The Mets don’t seem to have much interest in anyone else at third base to start the year than Brett Baty

Brodie Van Wagenen once said something about not filling a hole by creating a new one. It was one of his few quotes that resonated with practically and truth. Trading Baty immediately creates an additional hole on the Mets roster. And all for the sake of adding Cabrera, a pitching who has yet to truly establish himself, would have been problematic.

The Mets already have two, maybe three, holes in their lineup. Adding a fourth is a problem. Perhaps for a better pitcher they would indeed sell Baty. They could always sign Alex Bregman or put faith in a platoon between Mark Vientos and Ronny Mauricio at third base, as non-run prevention focused as that would be.

We also have to consider how high the Mets are on A.J. Ewing

Ewing might just be one of the next high-profile Mets prospects. He hit .339 in his month in Double-A and combined to steal 70 bases from A-Ball through his brief time in Double-A. A guy who has played center field regularly, he feels like the dream David Stearns player to have on the roster. What’s more, he has second base experience and might settle in nicely as the player we assumed Luisangel Acuna would become.

An unwillingness to trade Baty and Ewing for Cabrera raises a new question. What would they have realistically offered? It’s not an unfair trade by any stretch. You have to give to get. Was it more their appreciation and need for Baty or about how high they believe the potential is for Ewing in the future?

If, hypothetically, the Marlins asked for Mauricio and Jett Williams, would the Mets have had the same reaction? We won’t know. What we do now understand is they weren’t willing to open up third base nor do they seem eager to move on from Ewing.