Ranking the 4 most critical NY Mets trade deadline needs by severity

4. Center field is a problem area, though the Mets may struggle to find upgrades

Perhaps one of the most talked-about Mets needs might be the one that goes unfilled at the deadline. Rumors have long been percolating about the Mets pursuing Luis Robert Jr. of the Chicago White Sox.

While Robert Jr. certainly has the name recognition, with a 63 wRC+ on the season and a massive nosedive in performance that's gone on for the better part of two years, it's getting hard to call what's going on with the would-be star simply a slump that a change of scenery can fix. Add in the complicated nature of his upcoming option years, and he becomes a pretty unattractive target.

The other big name expected to be on the market is the Baltimore Orioles' Cedric Mullins. A breakout year in 2021 saw Mullins crush 30 dingers while posting a 136 wRC+. However, since then, his bat has hovered at a tick above the 100 wRC+ line, bringing mostly average offensive performance, and his defense has taken a tremendous nosedive with a -16 DRS mark on the season.

A name to watch might be Pittsburgh's Oneil Cruz, a 6-foot-7 unicorn who brings big power and big whiffs to the table. The shortstop-turned-center fielder is currently a work in progress defensively, and his three remaining years of team control will balloon his price beyond what he's produced so far.

Tyrone Taylor's offensive struggles (63 wRC+) have been hard to ignore, but his glove has been superb to the point where he's still producing, albeit minimal positive value. David Stearns' preference toward defensive excellence here can't be ignored, either.

Simply put, the Mets will be hard pressed to find a true upgrade here that's worth the cost, and if improvements are made elsewhere, this deficiency becomes even less of an issue. Stearns will no doubt kick the tires on all possible options, but it seems unlikely he'll find anything that will entice him to pull the trigger, pushing this need down to the bottom of the list.