NY Mets rumors: Logical Mark Vientos trade destination wouldn't require any unpacking

NY Mets rumors: 1 Mark Vientos trade destination that makes too much sense

The New York Mets will play the San Diego Padres for three games this week and while we figured it would give us a chance to scout Dylan Cease for a possible yet seemingly unlikely trade to Queens, there might be more at stake. If you look at the numbers posted by DHs around the league, there aren’t too many situations worse than what the Padres have.

Monday’s Mets rumors included SNY’s Andy Martino reporting the strong belief that it will be Mark Vientos executed from the roster. The most proven at the big league level thanks to his powerfully clutch 2024 campaign, he’s also the illest fit for a Mets team that seems to value its defense almost too much at times.

Could the Mets and Padres be a match for a possible Vientos swap? He seems to fit what they’re looking for.

The Padres could have interest in taking more than 3 games away from the Mets this week

Only the Texas Rangers have a worse OPS from their DHs this season than the Padres. At .589, it far exceeds the last place team but is in a pack among some of the league’s worst. The Mets are at .746 and ranked in the middle at 14th.

Reports of what the Padres would want for Cease have included controllable players. This is something Vientos has plenty of. He doesn’t become a free agent until after the 2029 season. The Padres, with Luis Arraez set to hit free agency at the end of the year, even have an opening for him at first base.

Offense has routinely been hard to come by for the Padres. They’re ranked 25th in runs scored this season. Even with a .249 batting average, ranking 14th, their lack of power has held them back. Their 89 home runs is the second-worst. Somehow, the Pittsburgh Pirates have hit only a not-so-nice 69.

Vientos for Cease doesn’t quite work. The Mets would be selling low on one of their best hitters from last season for a rental. Acquiring Cease whatsoever would mean an increased chance of Clay Holmes ending up in the bullpen. This wouldn’t be so terrible. A sixth-man rotation is another way to make it work although that would require some extra navigation with minor league options or the lack thereof with several of their bullpen arms. Until September, they’d be hamstrung. Both sides could have an argument to want more, the Mets with a stronger case because Cease is out the door in two months if not re-signed.

Cease makes his final outing before the trade deadline tonight against the Mets where he’ll showcase directly for one of the interested teams what he can deliver. Vientos had his own value displayed on Saturday when a clutch two-run double accounted for the team’s lone runs in the win.

Two National League contenders with big league pieces ready to sell face-off this week as rumors run amuck. Does Vientos end up staying in San Diego before the team heads home? If there’s a team looking to add some young right-handed talent at the DH spot, none is better than the Padres.