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Familiar Mets trade partner is an even better match this offseason
The two teams have made multiple trades in recent years. Could another be brewing?
The trade history between certain clubs can vary. Lengthy periods have gone by when the New York Mets didn’t make any trade at all with division or geographical rivals. The notion of never trading within the division seems to have gone away. The Mets have made several somewhat significant moves with NL East rivals. Even the New York Yankees and Mets have been known to cut deals in recent years.
One team with an interesting trade history with the Mets couldn’t be much further away from Queens. The Seattle Mariners and Mets struck their biggest deal of all heading into the 2019 season when Edwin Diaz and Robinson Cano came over to New York for a couple of veterans and prospects. It was a lousy deal for New York through the first year but has grown into more of a win in recent seasons thanks to Diaz.
The two clubs have remained in contact through some front office changes, possibly due to the structure of how the teams were built. We saw the Mets help out the Mariners financially in 2023 when they took on Chris Flexen’s contract in order to receive Trevor Gott for a reliever they had already DFA’d. Last summer, it was Ryne Stanek the Mariners dealt to the Mets despite Seattle still vying for a playoff spot. Do the two clubs have another deal in them?
The Mets have infielders aplenty for the Mariners to look into
If the Mariners are going to come away as the sole buyers in any trade with the Mets, it should include an infielder. The team had an unspeakably bad infield last year. Offensively challenged throughout, the best batting average of any of the most regularly used infielders belonged to Josh Rojas. He hit .225. In terms of power, Jorge Polanco with 16 home runs and 45 RBI led the way from second base.
The quick assumption for Mets fans would be for Jeff McNeil to be the man to trade to Seattle. However, this often fiscally challenged ball club might not be too enticed by over $30 million remaining on his contract. He’s coming off of a bad year. He wasn’t so great in 2023 either. Nevertheless, McNeil is a sell-low option for the Mets and a guy who, if he replicated what he did in New York over in Seattle, would vastly improve their offense.
The Mariners have a player for the Mets to target, too
Pitching is what kept the Mariners competitive in 2024. If there’s one reasonable trade candidate on their roster, it’s veteran Luis Castillo. He was 11-12 with a 3.64 ERA in 30 starts for Seattle. He turns 32 later this year which isn’t too ancient to pass up on.
An extremely talented pitcher who has never quite reached the full potential of what many believed he could become, Castillo is no stranger to trades. He has been dealt five times in the past. The Miami Marlins traded for him twice and dealt him away just as many. Castillo was able to sign an extension with Seattle before reaching free agency. Owed $24.15 million in each of the next three seasons with a $25 million vesting option for 2028, it’s a large amount of money but not such an outrageously bad one for a team willing to spend.
The trouble the Mariners run into is that they have other needs and younger pitchers they might feel are more on the upswing in their careers. Logan Gilbert isn’t a free agent until after 2027. George Kirby won’t reach it until after 2028. The arbitration numbers for both are creeping upward. Now, while Castillo has plenty of value left, might be the time to strike.
A trade that meets somewhere in the middle
McNeil for Castillo with some other players attached could work, but we start to ponder too much about the importance of the money exchanged. To offset this, something more in the realm of Castillo for Luisangel Acuna (at least to start) becomes easier to fathom. Acuna, while unproven, gives the Mariners a second base option to immediately plug into the lineup next year. They rid themselves of Castillo’s contract entirely and can use the money elsewhere to improve the club. Maybe they even go out and sign Pete Alonso.
The Mets get a starting pitcher with a reasonable salary. The Mariners lower the payroll (at least temporarily) and add some younger talent. It should take more than just Acuna to get Castillo. The cost shouldn’t be unfathomable, though.
Trade discussions among fans will always lead back to the Mariners because of their lopsided ability to prevent runs and inability to score them. Other Mariners pitchers shouldn’t even be discussed because of their far lower salaries, years of control, and the upside each has. Unless you’d be willing to part with Mark Vientos who has already put together a massively productive year, names like Logan Gilbert, George Kirby, and Bryan Woo are not worth the calories your lips would burn by uttering their names.
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