NY Mets rumors: Dylan Cease hits the trade block, Amazins have done their homework

New York Mets rumors are flying in with fury and one of the latest stunners is the availability of San Diego Padres pitcher Dylan Cease. A regularly discussed name in the winter’s offseason Mets rumors, the Padres ended up holding onto him, perhaps to their own detriment. According to ESPN’s Buster Olney, the Mets are one of the teams specified to have checked in on him.

Cease is not having a good year. He has one month of an ERA under 4.00 (at 3.71 in May) and has gotten knocked around a few times recently. His final two starts of the first half included 12 total innings and 10 earned runs. In his lone start of the second half, he threw 5.1 shutout innings against the Washington Nationals while fanning 10.

As a pending free agent, Cease was guaranteed to get traded if the Padres weren’t in contention. At 55-46 with a chance to win the NL West or at least settle in as a Wild Card spot, them making him available seems like an attempt to capitalize on a lackluster starting pitcher trade market while attempting to better their offense. They went into Wednesday with the 25th most runs in MLB.

What can David Stearns offer to the Padres to make these Mets rumors come true?

Exactly what could the Padres use? Left field and DH have been two of their biggest weaknesses. Gavin Sheets has the most at-bats out of both places. Catcher isn’t a strength offensively either, but they aren’t going to find any answers from the Mets.

Multiple Mets infielders are potentially available. One of those players would give the Padres some added depth. It hardly answers their need for greater offensive output. A team with too many outfielders than they know what to do with would be a far better match for a trade than the Mets.

Contenders trading with one another isn’t particularly unique, especially with the expanded playoffs. More than half of the teams in the league can justify buying over the next week rather than selling. The Padres are right there among those who should be adding rather than subtracting.

Other recent Mets rumors have suggested the team’s most realistic ending at the trade deadline is the addition of a righty and lefty reliever as well as maybe a center fielder. With very little to offer the Padres that’ll help them become better right now, this just doesn’t seem to be the kind of trade anyone should expect the Mets to get heavily involved in; at least not right now.

Mark Vientos is becoming increasingly less important for the Mets. Jose Butto is someone who, if the Mets had more bullpen help and there was more time, could be someone the Padres might want to convert into a starting pitcher again. As constructed, the Mets don't have the big league fire power the Padres should look for.