Overpriced Orioles trade candidate seems to match what the NY Mets would want

Bullpen arms galore. It’s the first thing David Stearns should say when he wakes up in the morning. The President of Baseball Operations for the New York Mets has some restructuring to do. He knew this was coming. What team goes from July into August without making some changes in their bullpen?

Injuries have hurt the Mets most in their relief corps. From the Opening Day roster, they’ve lost A.J. Minter, Danny Young, and Max Kranick to season-ending injuries. That’s only the relievers and the ones who made the team from game one.

In their search for bullpen help, they’ll need to think creatively. This isn’t a problem for Stearns who seems to manifest quality pitchers out of thin air. The sinking Baltimore Orioles have multiple options, including Andrew Kittredge who seems to fit exactly what the Mets would seek.

Potential Mets trade target Andrew Kittredge checks off multiple boxes

His 3.86 ERA on the year isn’t excitement-inducing, but the Mets have acquired players midseason under Stearns with worse numbers. He almost feels like a candidate to be this year’s Phil Maton. Like Maton last year, Kittredge has a somewhat high salary on a team option for a second year. Owed the remainder of $9 million this year and the same next season, he’s someone the Orioles might want to consider letting loose rather than keeping around for 2026. This makes him a trade candidate right now as to not lose him for nothing at all.

Kittredge missed the start of the season which is fine because it should just mean he has more innings to give. At 25.2, there’s no reason to believe he can’t make it through the rest of the year. Good control in recent seasons and once more in 2025, he’s walking just over 2 batters per 9 innings. His 8.4 K/9 isn’t marvelous for a reliever yet more than acceptable.

Above-average ground ball results in his career and again this season, the one concern is he has been hit a little harder than usual. These things can be a warning sign as much as they can be a symbol of luck. They can be spun in any way to fit a narrative.

A former member of the Tampa Bay Rays pitching staff gives him one more thing to have in common with many recent Mets relievers. He was an All-Star reliever for them in 2021, finishing the season with a 1.88 ERA.

Slider reliant, getting batters to chase this pitch has been one of his best qualities. There’s a 28.2% whiff rate on the slider. For context, Edwin Diaz’s slider is at 33%.

Kittredge is no guarantee to get moved and with the team option for next year, it would be interesting to see if it increases or decreases the cost. The Mets took Maton away from the Rays last year in what amounted to a salary dump. The Orioles are destined to trade away multiple pitchers so keeping him remains a possibility. Although, if they’re on the hook for $9 million for a middle reliever next year, they might benefit more as an organization to shop Kittredge to a desperate team and regain some assets they gave up in previous trade deadline moves where they bought