NY Mets Monday Morning GM: 3 trade deadline questions David Stearns needs to answer

2) What are you willing to give up for a starting pitcher?

Pitching wins championships. It’s not so much just starting pitching anymore. Although without it, you’re in a lot of trouble. The Mets are a walking wounded team right now, plugging in whomever they can to get them through the first few innings (or middle frames when an opener is used).

In an ideal world, the Mets get their starting pitching healthy. Clay Holmes, David Peterson, Kodai Senga, Sean Manaea, and Frankie Montas make five. Add in spot starts from others as needed, and the team is all set. We know better than to believe another injury isn’t on the way.

Navigating the starting pitcher market at the trade deadline isn’t easy because, in theory, you only need four of them for the postseason. Even a weak fifth starter is capable of winning you one-third of their games. So, how much are you willing to give up for something that’ll make your team better in the regular season but might not be as useful in the playoffs?

The Mets probably aren’t in the market to add an ace to the staff. A mid-level rotation arm or even worse, might be where they shop. Think in terms of finding a Griffin Canning replacement or this year’s Paul Blackburn.

Starting pitching remains important even if the bar has been lowered for this role. The price tag on it at the trade deadline will, as always, be extreme. The Mets still have some impressive prospects to try out as an alternative. In fact, that’s exactly what Stearns needs to do.