3 best assets Billy Eppler should trade this offseason

3) NY Mets need to trade Jose Butto or move him to a relief role

Jose Butto was not impressive in his Mets debut this season. Called up out of need for the starting rotation, he’s not a high enough profile starting pitcher for anyone to believe he has a whole lot of MLB potential.

While Butto may not be a future starting pitcher for the Mets, there is another place where he can go and find innings. The Mets will need a lot of relief pitchers. Moving him to a bullpen role—or at least planning to at some point—is the next best step to take with him.

The Mets have as many questions in their 2023 bullpen as they do with the starting staff. Guys like Tylor Megill and David Peterson could be thought of as trade assets. Until we know what the rotation will look like, the Mets should hold onto them. Peterson might be useful in a Trevor Williams-like role in 2023. Megill, at worst, could slot into the bullpen.

Butto’s trade value hasn’t taken any major hit just because of his poor debut this past year. It never was all that high.

Butto is falling behind other Mets starting pitching prospects. Now 24, he’s one of the older well-known names the team has in the minors. Trading him this offseason, while there still is some hope of better days ahead, would be wise. The only other option might be to see if he can become a full-time reliever they can shuttle back and forth from the minors.