3 NY Mets trade targets to fill all 3 of their biggest needs

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The New York Mets arrive halfway through the season with a record above .500 and competing for a postseason berth. The organization is in a position to be buyers on the way to the trade deadline, which opens the possibility of improving in areas that require players with more consistent performance.

The Mets' offense has been hot in recent weeks, and the starting pitching has enough depth to cover the needs for the remainder of the season, with a Kodai Senga on his way to MLB. However, the team's bullpen and bench need to improve considerably if the team intends to make a serious push to achieve a playoff berth and be competitive on the way to a World Series. This is why three specific areas need to be covered to achieve this.

1) Left-handed hitter and fourth outfielder

There is no doubt that the Mets require a corner outfielder off the bench with consistent offensive production, something the Mets have not been able to obtain since Starling Marte's injury. Tyrone Taylor, D.J. Stewart, and Jeff McNeil, who can play the position occasionally, have not been able to post an OPS close to .700, creating an offensive void when they are in the lineup.

To solve this situation, the Mets need to look at the trade market to improve in this area, where Jesse Winker could be the perfect fit. Winker is a hitter known to Mets fans who are having a good year at the plate with the Washington Nationals, posting an OPS above .800 thanks to his power and ability to get on base.

Winker is a proven MLB bat with splits that demonstrate a better role against right-handed pitchers against whom the Mets have presented more problems this year with a bat with a poor OBP below .320. In addition to this factor, Winker has proven to be an efficient defensive outfielder with an arm value in the top 3% of the league.

Even with Marte's return to the field and given the few internal options in MLB and the team's minor league circuit, Winker presents himself as an ideal immediate solution for the Mets in terms of offense and defense, offering the flexibility of a left-handed hitter in the lineup. The cost of acquiring this player would be relatively low because he would be a free agent at the end of the season, giving the Mets a productive bat without sacrificing high-end prospects.

2) High-leverage relief pitcher

An area of need and urgency for the Mets team is their bullpen. All season, Mets relievers have been unable to be efficient, being the sixth-worst bullpen in the league in walks and seventh in runs allowed.

According to the stats, as of the seventh inning, the Mets are the team with the highest number of home runs, walks, and runs allowed in MLB, which indicates the need for reliable arms on the team. Edwin Diaz has managed to be efficient but inconsistent, and Reed Garrett, one of the most reliable arms during the season, is out due to an arm injury.

In this sense, the Mets need a reliable figure in a high-leverage situation to serve as a bridge for Edwin Diaz or even cover him on his worst days. In this sense, the Mets find a trade partner in the Tampa Bay Rays, a team that is seeing its playoff chances fall and has an arsenal of intriguing arms.

Along these lines, the case of Jason Adam is presented. The 32-year-old right-hander is having another good season with an ERA below 2.00 and ranking in the top 1% of the league wOBA, a stat that indicates the hitting quality of opposing hitters, which is elite.

The Rays do not have the urgency to trade Adam, who is making $2.7 million this season and would not be a free agent until after the 2026 season. Although factors like Adam's age and that he is heading into his third year of arbitration indicates a possible salary increase, something that plays against the nature and finances of that organization, could incline Tampa to offer it in a trade.

Adam would come in as the second option in the bullpen and could share duties with Diaz in the most pressing situations. The cost could vary between multiple or a top prospect not in the top 10 of the organization, being able to obtain an option with multiple years of control.

3) Left-handed middle reliever

The Mets have attempted to fill their early bullpen needs with internal and external options, such as Dedniel Nuñez and José Buttó, and the most recent acquisition of Phil Maton. However, the team needs options, especially left-handed pitching, due to Jake Diekman's inability to find consistency on the mound.

In this sense, Brent Suter presents himself as an ideal option for the Mets. The 34-year-old veteran finds an ERA below 4.00 for the sixth consecutive season.

Suter's success factor is due specifically to his ability to generate weak contact, placing him at the top of the league in the least hard-hit contact allowed year after year. Additionally, he is a pitcher with command of his pitches, and in terms of walks, he is in the top 8% of the league.

The former Brewers pitcher is known to David Stearns for his time with that organization from 2016-2022. Suter sees his best level through the use of offspeed pitches where he has placed the opposition at a wOBA below .280, which indicates the quality of this pitch in generating good results.

Suter and Stearns is a logical fit. Suter is in his last guaranteed year of a contract for which he earns a salary of $2.5 with a club option of $3.5, which for the Cincinnati Reds seems high to pay for a reliever of the veteran's age, which opens the space for high low trade cost impact for the Mets.

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