NY Mets trade candidate might just be someone else's Framber Valdez alternative

We’re still waiting for the New York Mets to subtract from their rotation with the idea of Kodai Senga feeling just a tad less likely the longer he lingers on the roster. It’s not impossible. The team didn’t sound so high on him. For the same reasons the Mets should keep him around, other teams might pay up for a chance to secure a potential financial bargain who could anchor their rotation.

Consider Senga an option for any team who was heavily interested in Tatsuya Imai but missed out. After all, it’s Senga who Imai was compared to closely.

A similar sentiment could be said about Framber Valdez and the other starting pitcher it seems like the Mets could trade. David Peterson isn’t in the same class as Valdez and his projected $9.2 million or so would have at least some appeal for teams who don’t want to pay an extensive price on Valdez this offseason. Could the Mets’ lefty ground ball machine be a solution for those teams more willing to trade a player?

David Peterson could be someone’s Framber Valdez alternative

There’s no reason for the Mets to have Peterson and Valdez on the roster together because they are just too alike and the Mets already need to subtract one starter. Why not use Peterson, the player approaching free agency, and gamble on a bounce back season from Senga?

Peterson isn’t close to Valdez in terms of durability, often getting hurt and last year showing us there may be a limit at around 120 innings or so. He finished the first half 6-4 with a 3.06 ERA. A ground ball rate of 54.2% and career total at 51%, we can see appeal.

Valdez was no question better than Peterson in just about every aspect other than relationship building with catchers. He was 10-4 with a 2.75 ERA in the first half. A rough finish himself, he has at least pitched 175+ innings in each of the last four seasons.

His ground ball numbers are superior and regularly among the best in the league. Last year they were at 58.3%. In his career he’s at 61.5%.

You get what you pay for. With Valdez, it’s probably $30+ million a year for multiple seasons plus whatever your team has to give up because of the qualifying offer attached to him. With Peterson, it’s just some prospects and not any terribly good ones.

What has always made the most sense for the Mets was to use Peterson in a trade for a more expensive and better starting pitcher. Nick Pivetta of the San Diego Padres seemed ideal. Peterson immediately replaces him and saves money. The trade would need to extend a little further.