3 trade deadline NY Mets rumors they can't revisit if run prevention is paramount

2) Luis Arraez, -9 OAA

You might not find a first baseman out there more different than Alonso. Luis Arraez is a three-time batting champion and yet always on the trade block. The Mets were rumored to have interest in him last offseason before re-signing Alonso.

Arraez is a lousy fit for a Mets team in need of something other than a .300 batting average at first base. Add in his -9 OAA from last year and a track record of playing poor defense, this feels like an easy call for Stearns.

Arraez has already done what Lowe feels destined to do and move to first base. It hasn’t seemed to make him any more valuable as a defender. Although he made just one error all of last season, he has a severe lack of range at the position. His OAA is tied with Alonso from last year. Swapping the power bat Alonso out for the light-hitting ways of Arraez and no defensive improvement doesn’t make the Mets a better team. It’s not even lateral. It’s a downgrade.

We can cross him off the list of previous targets to re-enter the conversation. If the Mets are moving on from Alonso at first base, it needs to include a defensive upgrade at first base or at least someone with 30+ home run potential. Arraez has 36 bombs in his entire career.