1 Mets player they should consider trading ASAP like they did with Eduardo Escobar last year

The New York Mets traded Eduardo Escobar in late June of 2023 and for a couple of reasons. The fact that the Los Angeles Angels needed a third baseman and were willing to actually pay with two prospects made it too tempting. Brett Baty had taken over the majority of the starts at third base for the Mets. Escobar, while popular with fans and teammates, was no longer needed.

The Mets hadn’t officially waved the white flag at the time of the trade. They even went out and acquired Trevor Gott not much after in an attempt to bolster the bullpen for a July push. Only weeks later, they sold everything not nailed down.

With the anniversary of the Escobar trade to the Angels approaching, the Mets might want to consider some history repeated. There is one guy on the roster right now whose subtraction would feel like an addition. Someone would pay something for Jose Quintana, right?

The Mets are a better team with other starters in the rotation than Jose Quintana

Pitching depth is important and to actually think the Mets would sell Quintana, on a low no less, is ambitious. His recent struggles in the London start felt like a final straw for most fans. The team’s Opening Day starter for 2024 is now 1-5 with a 5.29 ERA and 11 home runs allowed. Quintana is a lighter-throwing contact pitcher whose season has only been saved from being more widely mocked because of the already failed starter Adrian Houser. At least he has transitioned well into the bullpen and has a history of doing well in relief in the past.

Quintana is now the weak link in the rotation with Houser out of it. Tylor Megill and David Peterson returning from the IL essentially bumped Jose Butto and Christian Scott from the roster. Luis Severino and Sean Manaea have had their own ups and downs but have more often than not shown they are solid options. Not Quintana. His ceiling is so much less than these others.

The return from the IL for Kodai Senga would’ve been an opportune time to cut someone from the roster. Houser had long-been a favorite, however, he has been a good long man. And when you have a guy like Quintana on the roster, you need it.

Quintana’s $13 million salary, now nearly half-paid, would probably need to be eaten by the Mets regardless of when a trade takes place. He hasn’t quite gotten into 2024 Carlos Carrasco territory which was a point where the Mets were unable to even find a trade partner at the deadline. He is getting close, though.

The Mets are in very good shape when it comes to pitching depth even with Quintana subtracted. A rotation of Severino-Manaea-Megill-Peterson-Butto-Scott would please a lot of fans with Senga on the way back. Lucchesi would be the added depth, of course. Houser, only in an emergency, would be an option as well.

Playoff hopefuls looking for a fifth starter would be the best match for a possible trade. It’s a shame the Angels are out of it. They’re the type of organization that would acquire a player like Quintana.