How one rising NY Mets trade chip may be hurting the value of another

The New York Mets were always going to have a tough time trading Luis Robert Jr. Short of paying for the entire remainder of this contract, finding someone to take him on with the risk of injury was going to be difficult. It doesn’t matter how well he played. There would always be a lingering doubt that he’d perform a Curtis Mead and get hurt in his first game with the new team.

The same way two MVP candidates on the same team can help cancel each other out, see the 1988 Mets with Darryl Strawberry and Kevin McReynolds, teammates can sometimes devalue each other. Exhibit-A brings us to Tyrone Taylor whose hot bat, more affordable salary, and better track record of staying healthy has helped to make Robert less appealing.

Tyrone Taylor is unintentionally cancelling out Luis Robert Jr.’s trade value

There are plenty of teams who could use a smooth-fielding center fielder. And if we look at this pair of Mets trade candidates realistically, they are very different players. Taylor is playing above his weight class. Robert is starter capable but the numbers aren’t all that much better on a regular basis than what Taylor has done all year long.

About one-fifth of the salary as Robert, Taylor makes the most sense for a team in need of depth. Someone with outfield options, possibly on the IL, would be the best match. This is why you’ll never hear the end of Taylor to the New York Yankees speculation.

Robert is a better match for a team looking for a number nine hitter or so with room to move up in the lineup. Someone like the Philadelphia Phillies, who’ve tried a variety of different center fielders this year, make sense. They, or anyone else for that matter, would do it with caution. Robert has power, but doesn’t hit for average. A statistical clone in way too many ways, the Mets will have a tough time convincing anyone Robert is better when the salary is higher.

We get spoiled having Steve Cohen as an owner. Even if he has his limits, he wouldn’t cut the Mets off in the middle of the season like the Texas Rangers apparently are.

Of all the trade candidates the Mets have, Robert is the one player whose contract may need to be paid down. Rumors of Cohen preferring not to do so, Taylor’s recent surge to help cancel out some of Robert’s trade value may make it a greater must.

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