1 Mets trade package for Garrett Crochet, 1 for Luis Robert, and 1 for both

The New York Mets are projected to be one of the most active teams this offseason. The team must be creative since despite having sufficient financial availability to hire players via free agency, the market does not have an excess of reliable options for all the holes the roster currently has.

The trade market has quality, controllable players with a lower financial commitment who would immediately help the team fight for the championship in 2025. The Chicago White Sox have two relevant pieces, Garrett Crochet and Luis Robert, that fit the team's needs, but to get them, the Mets would have to make a significant sacrifice in terms of prospects.

A Mets trade package for Garrett Crochet

Chicago White Sox general manager Chris Getz has reported within the industry that any trade for Garrett Crochet would be focused on one or two high-ceiling prospects, preferably position players. Crochet is not just any pitcher available this winter but the best piece in terms of performance and cost.

Crochet established himself as the best pitcher in MLB during the first half of last season and finished the year with a 3.58 ERA and a 2.85 xERA. The southpaw has a lethal arsenal with his pitches generating a swing and misses greater than 30% with a total K% of 35.1%, a BB% of just 5.5%, and a wOBA of .280.

In contractual and control terms, Crochet would not be a free agent until after the 2026 season and is projected to earn a salary of $2.9 million in 2025 via arbitration. For their part, the Mets would have to begin any negotiations for Crochet with their best position prospect Jett Williams.

Williams is a highly respected prospect in the industry for his eye-to-ball skills, power, and speed. However, on its own, it would not be enough due to Crochet's cost given he is a proven pitcher in MLB, so Ryan Clifford would have to complement the package to make it attractive for the White Sox. This would be a significant sacrifice for the Mets but Clifford has had his ups and downs in the organization's system.

To conclude the trade, the Mets would have to include in the package two middle prospects who had a high ceiling at the time but have not lived anywhere near the expected level. Despite the cost, Crochet would be the necessary impact to stabilize and boost the Mets' rotation while the White Sox would receive the prospects necessary to begin a sustainable rebuild.

A Mets trade package for Garrett Crochet and Luis Robert

If the Mets decide to go all in this offseason, they can use their financial availability to make the necessary investments in players to complement the team's roster. By signing some free agents to long-term contracts, the need for certain prospects is not as vital which would make the possibility of a trade for Crochet and Robert a reality.

The Chicago White Sox may be inclined to join Robert in a trade for Crochet to amplify a possibly greater return than they would receive by trading him in a separate trade. In this sense, the Mets would have to combine two top-five prospects in the organization, Williams and Clifford, adding Baty as an immediate impact piece on the MLB roster.

A relevant aspect of trade between both is the inclusion of the figure of the young pitcher Jonah Tong. This could be a dealbreaker for the Mets due to the pitcher's potential in his young career in the minors, showing three above-average pitches as a prospect and an elite fastball that can hit 97 mph.

To complement the trade, the Mets should include two depth figures with the pedigree of former top prospects like Kevin Parada and Alex Ramirez. In a package of this level, the Mets would sacrifice their future for two players who would make the Mets a competitive team at the level of the Los Angeles Dodgers while they would have to continue investing in player development to enhance the talent of the figures that would remain in the farm system.