3 Mets trade options involving a high-priced player making over $20 million in 2024

2) Tyler Glasnow

A much more palatable high-priced player for the Mets is Tyler Glasnow. His contract is what has people already speculating about some offseason movement. His extension signed with the Tampa Bay Rays jumps from $5.35 million in 2023 up to $25 million in 2024.

Glasnow has had a strange career. While Sale at least stayed healthy for much of his 20s, Glasnow has not. This past season was only his second to log over 100 innings. His first came in 2018 when he pitched exclusively in relief for the Pittsburgh Pirates then added 11 starts as a member of the Rays.

He has had some fantastic runs—posting a 1.78 ERA in 12 starts back in 2019, a 2.66 ERA performance in 14 in 2021, and this most recent season going 10-7 with a 3.53 ERA in 21 appearances as a starter. His numbers with the Rays included a 27-16 record and 3.20 ERA plus some of the best stuff in the game. His 12.2 strikeouts per 9 is even better than Sale’s MLB history-leading total. The big knock against him is the inability to stay on the field.

Do the Mets trade for a guy making $25 million who has such a consistent track record of getting hurt? It would probably mean an extension is asking for trouble. Glasnow is mercenary worthy in that if you’re planning to win a championship in 2024 you might do it. Plus, any deal involving him should be viewed almost as a salary dump with lesser players sent back to Tampa Bay in return.

Where the Red Sox should definitely look to move on from Sale, the Rays should be a little more tempted to pay Glasnow the money. There might not be a more unique trade candidate out there than Glasnow. He’s good and on a team that needs him and yet he never stays healthy and is very expensive.