4 Mets trade duos that add a starting pitcher and reliever in one fell swoop

Some bullpen help is essential for the New York Mets to compete for a playoff spot. You’ve probably gotten to know a lot of the alleged names available out there starting from the worst teams in baseball and working your way up.

The MLB trade deadline will be here before we know it and the Mets have yet to differentiate themselves as true buyers or sellers. The in-between is the lousiest place to be. Let’s not do this “just friends” thing with the 2024 team.

In addition to relief help, the Mets could do themselves a favor by adding a starting pitcher, too. Not only could they trade away one of their current starters for something and upgrade with someone else, they could always move someone to the bullpen for additional help. With these four duos, the Mets can target a starting pitcher and reliever in one fell swoop in an attempt to bolster the roster for an attempted run at the postseason.

1) Mets trade for Andrew Heaney and David Robertson

There are a lot of really good options on the Texas Rangers roster. If there is one team you should root hard against over in the American League, it’s them. 

The defending champions made one of their biggest trade deadline moves last summer with the Mets. The Max Scherzer for Luisangel Acuna deal was significant because of the money involved. It’s still one of the wackier trade deadline moves a team has ever made. Thank the power of Steve Cohen’s wallet for making it possible.

This year, the teams could be on opposite sides. The Rangers have too much ground to make up. With plenty of pending free agents, the Mets can seek help from their talented pitching arsenal. Two of the targets who make sense are starting pitcher Andrew Heaney and reliever David Robertson.

Heaney is a lefty on an expiring contract for the Rangers. Making $13 million this year, he’d probably be a tougher sell for teams than Michael Lorenzen who’d be equally as intriguing for the Mets to consider. Ironically, it was before the 2023 season when rumors of the Mets targeting Heaney came about in the offseason. This past winter, Lorenzen was a target.

Heaney is 3-9 with a 3.80 ERA in 17 starts and a relief appearance. Perhaps not a huge solution for the team in the rotation, his ability to throw strikes would be welcomed.

We know Robertson best from his time with the Mets last season. On a $10 million deal this season with a $7 million mutual option for 2025, he’s a guy many fans eagerly wanted back again in the offseason. Known to handle himself well against left-handed pitchers despite being a righty, he can help be a solution for the team’s woes with Jake Diekman.

Odds Mets trade for these two: A snowball's chance in a Canadian April.

3) Mets trade for Chris Bassitt and Chad Green

There are a few combinations to consider in a trade deadline deal with the Toronto Blue Jays. This one is all about saving our friendly neighbors up north a bit of money by taking on a pair of older veteran pitchers.

The first is the starter, Chris Bassitt. A member of the Mets in 2022, he has performed gloriously for them yet again this season. At 7-7 with a 3.43 ERA in 18 starts, he is in the middle of yet another steady year. Owed the remainder of his $22 million from this year and the same total for next season, it’s a contract a potential rebuilding or resetting Blue Jays might want to get out from under.

The same could be said for Chad Green. Another ex-New York athlete, Mets manager Carlos Mendoza can vouch for him. Green spent his first seven seasons with the New York Yankees. After a disappointing 12 innings for the Blue Jays in 2023, he has been a whole different kind of pitcher this year. Health remains a concern but with a 1.57 ERA in 23 innings, he’s too tempting to pass over completely.

Green is getting paid a lot for a reliever. A two-year deal worth $21 million split evenly between this year and next should have the Blue Jays looking for some buyers if saving some loonies is on the agenda.

To acquire either of these pitchers, the Mets will need the Blue Jays to sell more than their rentals. An alternative pairing could be Yusei Kikuchi and Trevor Richards or even Yimi Garcia.

Odds the Mets make a trade like this: A stranger pays off your home mortgage without revealing themselves for the credit.

4) Mets trade for Tyler Anderson and Carlos Estevez

The Los Angeles Angels like to save a penny. They put everyone they could on waivers last year just to shed payroll. Once again trade deadline sellers after being failed buyers last summer, they have a pair of players for the Mets to go after. The best combination would be Tyler Anderson and Carlos Estevez.

Anderson is an All-Star this season thanks to his 2.81 ERA through 18 starts. His 112 innings is superb while the 8-8 record is a reflection of the uniform he wears. More of a contact pitcher than the Mets seem to prefer, Anderson is necessary to kick the tires on because of a modest $13 million owed to him next season. This should have other teams calling up about his availability.

With Estevez, it’s pure talent that’ll have contenders eager to obtain him. Estevez is 1-3 with a 2.89 ERA this year with 16 saves. A pure rental who has walked batters at a fantastic rate of 1.3 per 9 while striking out an opponent per inning, he’ll be one of the more popular players on the trade market.

This would probably be the most costly trade for the Mets to make as it doesn’t relieve the Angels of quite enough salary. Anderson has been too good to be considered a salary dump. What’s more, are they going to give their fanbase even less to cheer for?

Anderson is the only starter they could possibly part with while the bullpen is full of players on expiring deals. Veterans Matt Moore, Luis Garcia, Jose Cisnero, Adam Cimber, and Hunter Strickland are all on deals that expire at the end of this season. Only Estevez would give the Mets a major jolt. The rest are worth considering yet far from “must have.”

Odds the Mets make a trade like this: A Bollywood movie about your life is the smash hit of 2037.