NY Mets trade might come back to haunt them in the NL Wild Card chase

The New York Mets gambled on an October run by adding a steady arm and a veteran center fielder, aiming to strengthen their roster for the postseason. The logic seemed clear: sacrifice a promising young talent for proven production now. However, as Drew Gilbert—a key piece sent to the Giants—emerges quickly in San Francisco, the wisdom of that trade is starting to show cracks, proving that short-term moves can have haunting consequences in the here and now.

Now, as the Giants creep up the wild card standings with Gilbert roaming their outfield, just four games behind New York, the implications of the trade become even clearer. Like ex-players facing their old clubs, he has the chance to show exactly what the Mets lost—think Harrison Bader producing for the Phillies against the Amazins last series. With September heating up, Gilbert’s contributions are subtle but sharp, the kind of subplot that could make Mets fans feel a little haunted long before Halloween arrives.

Drew Gilbert’s start with the Giants should be raising questions about two Mets trades

Cedric Mullins was supposed to be the missing piece in center field, a spark for a Mets lineup chasing October stability. Instead, over 102 at-bats, he’s hitting .188 with a .297 OBP and .591 OPS, producing one homer, eight RBIs, six extra-base hits, and 12 runs. Meanwhile, Gilbert, the player the Mets traded away, is thriving in the same role for the Giants. In just 50 at-bats, he’s hitting .260 with a .275 OBP and an .815 OPS, adding three homers, 10 RBIs, seven extra-base hits, and eight runs scored.

Tyler Rogers, the other piece New York acquired, has been solid in relief with a 2.20 ERA, six strikeouts, and one walk over 16.1 innings. But the surface numbers hide a flaw: he’s allowed 20 hits in that span. For context, he gave up 39 hits in 50 innings with the Giants prior to the trade. Rogers has been dependable, but he hasn’t delivered the dominant, game-stopping presence that might make the Mets feel confident about giving up Gilbert.

Every time Gilbert steps into the box or patrols center, he quietly underscores what New York gave up. His timing couldn’t be more inconvenient: San Francisco sits just four games back in the wild card race. Mullins and Rogers have contributed, but neither has matched the impact Gilbert is starting to show in the thick of a pennant chase.

In a season where the margin between making the playoffs or watching from home is razor-thin, Gilbert’s emergence adds an extra layer of tension. Each hit, run, and out he contributes for the Giants underscores what the Mets gave up: a player who could have filled a key role in their own outfield. As the wild card chase heats up, the ghost of this trade is more than hypothetical — it could easily cast a shadow over New York’s September.