NY Mets: 3 trade targets on the Rockies to fill 3 different needs

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The Colorado Rockies might be able to help the New York Mets a lot more than originally believed. The greatest needs for the Mets this summer might all be available in Denver.

While one big trade for all three of these players might be a little ambitious, none of them are worth one of the best 100 prospects in baseball. A couple of arms and maybe a bat headlined by someone just within the Mets’ top ten list or outside of it might be enticing enough for Colorado to shed some salary and do the smart thing of looking toward the future.

Instead of trying to convince Colorado to hand the Mets a championship, we can settle with looking at these players as individual trade targets, maybe paired with one of the other names on this list.

1) NY Mets can trade for Rockies slugger Charlie Blackmon for DH duties

Charlie Blackmon to the Mets feels a lot more likely than it would have a few months ago. J.D. Davis and Dominic Smith aren’t cutting it in the DH role. Meanwhile, Blackmon is having a powerful year for the Rockies. He looks like an ideal DH candidate who can occasionally play the outfield—a near perfect match for what the Mets should be looking to add in this role.

There aren’t nearly as many superb DH candidates on the trade market. The Boston Red Sox stole this away when they started to win games and J.D. Martinez was no longer an option for the Mets or anyone else.

Blackmon is a high-salaried player with only a player option worth $10 million next year—but with some room to grow. He’s nearing the end of his career but could be one of those trade deadline pieces moved mid-year to add depth to an already good team. The Rockies aren’t going to win with him anytime soon. They can do him and the Mets a favor by sending Chuck Nasty to Flushing.

2) NY Mets can trade for Rockies starter Kyle Freeland for some rotation depth

I’m riding the Charlie Blackmon to the Mets bandwagon and also reserving a ticket on the Kyle Freeland train, too. The Rockies left-handed starter might not be the most exceptional pitcher available this summer—if they even are looking to trade him. Nonetheless, he’s someone Billy Eppler has to call up the Rockies about.

Freeland has minor league options left and throws left-handed. This is good enough for me. He should be viewed as depth the same way Trevor Williams was when the Mets acquired him last year from the Chicago Cubs.

The Mets can simply stash Freeland in Triple-A until needed as a starter or throw him right into the mix. As the season winds down, he could even turn into a left-handed relief option. Maybe, if the Mets are feeling especially creative, he helps eat up some relief innings to limit the number of frames other starts are tossing. Keeping someone like Jacob deGrom fresh while knowing Freeland will relieve him after five innings is a very 2022 strategy that might anger some “purists” but lead to more wins.

Freeland would cost more than Blackmon in a trade merely because he is a pitcher in his arbitration years during a year where the market for players of his ability is limited.

3) NY Mets can trade for Rockies closer Daniel Bard for late inning relief

My least favorite of these trade targets simply because the Mets already have enough late-inning righties, Daniel Bard is still someone to consider. The Rockies closer is having a fine year and should make some team very happy.

While not exactly ideal for the Mets, Bard should be on the radar with nothing locked on him. He is someone to keep a close eye on only if they suffer a major injury to the bullpen. There are too many other better moves they can make. The foursome of Edwin Diaz, Seth Lugo, Adam Ottavino, and Drew Smith is solid enough from a right-handed perspective.

Consider Bard a “reactionary” addition the Mets would only be in the market for later this month barring the worst. Trevor May should also return from injury giving them yet another right-handed reliever for those later innings.

A part of understanding baseball is knowing how quickly plans can change. The Mets should feel comfortable enough with the right-handed options they have even beyond the players already mentioned. Colin Holderman can give them good depth and Trevor Williams is a nice long man to keep in the bullpen when the starters are healthy.

If a worst-case scenario pieces of news slips in, the Mets could come signing a ballad for Bard.

Next. Most recent Mets trade with each NL East rival. dark

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