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 Luis Robert

When healthy, just a few position players in MLB offer the five tools the way Luis Robert does. The ultra-talented Chicago White Sox outfielder Luis Robert is coming off a season of subpar offensive performance, posting his worst wRC+ of his career.

However, in his last healthy season, Robert hit 48 home runs with 80 RBI, 90 runs, 20 stolen bases, and a batting average of .264 with a slugging percentage of .542, top 5 in MLB, in 145 games played in 2023. It is added that Robert has a team-friendly contract of $15 million for 2025 and two club options of $20 million for 2026 and 2027, with a buyout of $2 million each year.

Robert is not going to carry a package with a prospect at the level of Jett Williams but the Chicago White Sox will be very interested in having a top-five prospect in the organization like Ryan Clifford. Additionally, due to the immediate need for position players, Brett Baty would be an ideal piece for a team like the White Sox with the space and patience to let him develop which would be an ideal scenario for Baty.

To complete the trade the Mets would have to let go of two middle prospects Kevin Parada and Alex Ramirez. Vasil has struggle in AAA and and there are doubts regarding his potential to remain in the catcher position due to having a below-average arm and a framing that needs to be polished. Meanwhile, Alex Ramirez, who appeared as a future center field for the team, is at risk of being left out of the top 30 of the organization due to a sustained problem in recognizing the strike zone.