1. Trading Pete Crow-Armstrong for Javier Baez & Trevor Williams in 2021
This decision by Scott is by far the worst since Cohen has taken over. Failing to extend Alonso and Nimmo earlier has financial ramifications that can be overcome. Trading Davis for Ruf can be fixed by signing a better player in free agency. Even drafting Rocker gave the Mets an extra draft pick in 2022. Trading a young center fielder who is now a top-10 prospect on the MLB Pipeline for a rental player in Baez was a mistake the Mets should have foreseen coming.
The worst part about this trade is the thought of PCA winning multiple gold gloves in center field and helping to expedite the ‘re-tooling’ process of the 2024 Mets. He is turning 22 years old and had a breakout season for the Chicago Cubs in AA and AAA last season. While the Mets needed a bat at the 2021 trade deadline, the farm system was already barren at the time. To part with a budding star before reaching full prospect potential is a mistake the Mets have made before with Jarred Kelenic. If Baez had multiple years of control beyond 2021, like the Bruce and Stroman trades in 2016 and 2019, then the deal would have made more sense. In 2024 with David Stearns at the helm, we should expect the Mets not to continue this trend.
Pete Crow-Armstrong, the Mets' first-round pick from last year's draft, is indeed going to the Cubs in the Javier Báez trade. Pitcher Trevor Williams coming to NY as well. And it sounds like the Mets may not necessarily be done dealing today.
— Anthony DiComo (@AnthonyDiComo) July 30, 2021