Red hot Pirates rookie has hit his way out of being a realistic NY Mets trade target

Every team in need of bullpen help, line up. The New York Mets have options. From lefties A.J. Minter and Brooks Raley at completely different salaries to the controllability and usefulness of Huascar Brazoban to the most discussed and debated trade candidate of all, Luke Weaver, there is someone for everyone.

One team fighting to stay above water in need of some literal relief are the Pittsburgh Pirates. Sitting 2 games out of a Wild Card spot with the very questionable Miami Marlins and St. Louis Cardinals ahead of them (Marlins owning the spot, the Cardinals a game back), this certainly feels like the year for the Pirates to be a little more “all-in” than usual. A player like Weaver is absolutely perfect for them as they’d be able to go to battle with him again next year as their closer. He might not mind it too much. If successful, he’ll get paid pretty well re-entering free agency as a ninth inning guy.

You’ve probably already checked out what the Pirates farm system has to offer. A first baseman/right fielder in Triple-A hitting .255/.388/.526 probably piqued your interest. Well, he might not be available any longer. Esmerlyn Valdez, the 22-year-old who added 13 homers with that impressive slash line, is now in the majors and hitting his way out of becoming available even for one of the Pirates’ biggest trade deadline needs.

You can probably count Esmerlyn Valdez out of any Mets trade scenarios with the Pirates

In 105 trips to the plate, Valdez is hitting .309/.371/.713 with 10 home runs and 27 RBI. Those outrageous numbers for a guy who wasn’t in the upper echelon of their prospects is giving the league’s best offense (it’s true!) added fire power at a position they didn’t have much at. He has already nearly matched what currently injured first baseman Spencer Horwitz did in just under 300 plate appearances. Although his season was good, he had 10 home runs and 33 RBI before landing on the IL.

It’s one of those “good problems to have” for the Pirates who could certainly move on from Marcell Ozuna at DH to clear out space for added hitters. It doesn’t do much to solve their bullpen woes. Gregory Soto, a trade deadline addition by the Mets last year, has not been the closer solution they had hoped for.

The Mets and Pirates lined up well for an offseason trade. Many of the rumors centered around Mark Vientos or Brett Baty. Mid-season, they need to be bullpen focused. Before he got to the majors and started crushing baseballs, Valdez would have been one of those ideal Mets trade targets. His defensive versatilty as a corner outfielder and first baseman would have had him looking like more of a solution at the latter with enough of a reason to spot start him in the corner outfield as needed.

Prior to the MLB Draft, the Mets and Pirates discussed a potential deal around the 34th overall pick and Brooks Raley. Pittsburgh chose to make a deal with the Chicago White Sox instead. Raley could still be a match for them, as well as any other reliever the Mets have on the block. Valdez, once a practical match, no longer looks available.

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