3 best All-Star fits Mets GM Billy Eppler should trade for

The 2022 MLB All-Star rosters have been announced. The New York Mets are sending Pete Alonso, Jeff McNeil, Starling Marte, and Edwin Diaz to the game. Could the finish the year with more All-Stars on their roster?

While the rosters are completely subject to change due to injuries or unavailability of pitchers, from what we currently see there are three trades candidates that could be super fits for what the Mets need at the trade deadline

1) NY Mets should trade for All-Star Ian Happ

Ian Happ is Jeff McNeil only slightly different. The two have a different style of play and have differing primary positions. Happ is more of a left fielder who once played second base while McNeil is more of a second baseman who occasionally plays left field. Each can bounce around a lot. Both could easily co-exist in Flushing.

Happ might not feel like the main trade target for the Mets. What they need most of all, at least for the offense, is a power bat. At least for this season, Happ is more of a nice batting average, strong OBP players. He did smack 25 dingers last season so perhaps there is some untapped pop left in his bat.

What makes Happ an especially good target for Billy Eppler is how flexible the Mets could be with him. The team has the luxury of being able to do this with McNeil already but adding Happ as another guy to DH or play the outfield would be incredibly valuable.

Happ could even help solve the ongoing slump for Eduardo Escobar. Either he or McNeil could play third base regularly until Escobar (hopefully) snaps out of it.

2) NY Mets should trade for All-Star C.J. Cron

A more DH exclusive player for the Mets to target in a trade that is on this year’s All-Star team is C.J. Cron. The first baseman of the Colorado Rockies is becoming a serious candidate for the Mets to consider. While far less flexible as a defender than Happ, he might be exactly what they need hitting in the middle of the order.

Cron has been a power-hitter throughout his career with 30 home runs in 2018 for the Tampa Bay Rays topping his single-season total. Last year, with the Rockies, he smacked 28 and drove in 92 while hitting .281/.375/.530. He is on-pace to hit more dingers this season and possibly even finish with a better batting average and slugging percentage.

Limited to only first base and under contract through next season, the Mets would either be committed to him for another year or have to look to move him in the offseason. One interesting idea could be for them to use this as a chance to trade Dominic Smith. The Rockies would get younger at the position and the Mets would get a more productive player for the present. It would cost more than Smith to land Cron whose value right now is only going to grow with his All-Star selection.