4 likely MLB trade candidates the Mets should target, 3 they should avoid

The Mets better not try to call up the Boston Red Sox for Alex Verdugo

The Boston Red Sox will have a change of direction this offseason. With a new head of baseball operations, the team will evaluate its options to transform an organization that is coming off years of poor performance.

Alex Verdugo would be a candidate that the Boston team would be willing to trade because he would be a free agent after the 2024 season. Verdugo has been a productive bat who has been in the eye of the hurricane for being unfairly compared to who he "replaced" Mookie Betts.

Verdugo has been a productive hitter with an average of over .280 in MLB, with good plate discipline and great contact ability limiting his swings misses, and strikeouts. Likewise, the Red Sox outfielder is an above-average defender with arm and shooting strength located in the top 5% of the league.

The above shows that the return request for Verdugo's services can be high. The Mets need a reliable and productive outfielder but sacrificing prospects for a rental like Verdugo could be a mistake that would be difficult to accept if he cannot be retained in the long term. The team should focus on other free agent or trade chip candidates instead.