10 best Mets trade targets they should go after even if they decide to sell

The New York Mets are at a crossroads between becoming buyers or sellers this trade deadline. After an unforgettable June, the Mets gave positive signs by winning the next six games in July.

Even though the Mets could sell some pieces as rental players or veterans, the option to buy players to help out this season and next would be a smart move. In this case, ten trade targets would make sense for the team at this trade deadline.

1) Cody Bellinger could make a lot of sense for the Mets

The Chicago Cubs could be a team that becomes sellers in the coming weeks, and within their options, Cody Bellinger stands out as an interesting target. Bellinger has a $17.5 million contract (for luxury tax purposes) this year with an equal-value mutual option and a $5.5 million buyout.

Bellinger is a former MVP who has seen his career slide after injuries and vulnerability in his swing. The same outfielder no longer induces the same power as before yet still possesses the same low-strikeout, high-OBP skills that stand out again this season.

Bellinger is an attractive player. His defensive skills turn out to be a plus in his level of play. However, despite his popularity, his contract carries a financial commitment, that not many contenders can afford.

The former National League MVP could make sense for the Mets. In a seller's scenario, Mark Canha and Tommy Pham could be traded from teams, creating an immediate need for the Mets this season and next.

Demand for Bellinger's services could increase in value, although a couple of mid-value prospects (top 15-20) from an organization might suffice due to cost and control. Bellinger could improve the Mets' outfield defense, and provide a well-disciplined left-handed bat with occasional power while injecting more base speed into the lineup.

2) The Mets can be creative and get Daniel Bard from the Colorado Rockies without sacrificing much

One of the ways we've seen this front office operate is to buy bad contracts in order to get help from controllable players beyond this season. In this sense, an opportunity opens with the Colorado Rockies for the services of Daniel Bard.

Daniel Bard has been an efficient and dominant pitcher in the worst pitching environment in all of baseball. In the last two years he has managed to maintain an ERA below 2.00 thanks to limiting the hard hit contact allowed by relying on his sinker.

Bard owns a guaranteed $9.5 million contract for this season and next. For this value and his performance Bard could have a high cost in terms of prospects.

The Mets could go either way if they want to acquire the services of this reliever, trade in a controllable MLB ready player plus cash or take on a bad contract from the Rockies. In this sense, due to the financial capacity of Steve Cohen, the Mets could assume the remainder of this season's $15 million from Germán Márquez (Tommy John Surgery) and the $2 million buyout of the 2024 season.

With this move, the Mets could acquire a veteran reliever with high potential and a good track record. Bard could assume the role of closer this season if the Mets trade David Robertson and be the setup for Edwin Diaz in 2024.

3) The Mets could improve their bullpen with the acquisition of this power reliever from the Chicago White Sox

The Chicago White Sox are in another disappointing season, and the option of competing this year is unrealistic. The Chicago team is determined to sell this season, being one of the teams with the largest number of important trade targets on the way to August 1st.

Among the many options that the roster has, Joe Kelly is an interesting option that could be of impact for the Mets. The 35-year-old reliever is on the disabled list with elbow inflammation in his final guaranteed year of a contract worth $9 million for 2023 and a $9.5 million team option for 2024 with a $1 million buyout.

Kelly comes from a bad season in 2022 and shows regular numbers in 2023. However, the metrics show that, in health, he is an elite pitcher with an xBA that ranks in the top 10% of the league.

The Mets can take advantage of an important juncture. With Kelly's current injury and his career history of injuries, some teams may not want to pay for the services of a pitcher who might not know his contribution in the current season.

A contract worth Joe Kelly's for a reliever his age can help diminish his value. The Mets could make a trade with the White Sox without necessarily granting a great return talent and could get an elite reliever in a bullpen that needs him for this season and to accompany Edwin Diaz in 2024.

5) Among the Chicago White Sox's put options is a veteran pitcher who could work for the Mets

The fire sale of the Chicago White Sox includes among all its options a veteran pitcher of long standing in MLB who has not been having his best year. Lance Lynn is in the final season of his contract which nets $18 million this season and includes a 2024 club option of $18 million or a $1 million buyout.

Lance Lynn has been suffering this year from worse results due to an increase in hard-hit contact allowed. However, in the last two seasons, he had shown a better level, especially in 2021 when he posted an ERA of 2.69.

Lynn has improved his strikeout ability this season from last year but has had control issues that haven't helped his results. However, the metrics show that Lynn would have a much better xERA than his current ERA in 2023.

The Mets should consider Lynn among their options at the trade deadline. With his current salary, the value of this veteran will be low, which would imply that the Mets would have to sacrifice a few levels of prospects to assume the entire contract.

The Mets would have the option of placing Lynn in the rotation this year and testing if, with some tweaking, he could be an option for the bottom of the rotation in 2024. In a case of failure, the Mets would only have to pay the $1 million pledged as a buyout at the end of this season if what Lynn observed in the remainder of 2023 does not convince them.

6) Alex Lange could be an ideal reliever for the Mets, if they get him at a moderate value

The Mets are going to be interested in getting controllable players at this trade deadline, concentrating on pitching arms. Among the options on the market, an interesting reliever is Alex Lange.

Lange is in his third year in MLB and this year he is putting up regular numbers. However, this reliever has the ability to generate a good swing and miss and limit the hard hit contact of his opponents.

However, Lange has not entered his first year of arbitration yet, which increases his value in the market thanks to being a young and controllable pitcher. This would make the Detroit Tigers seek to boost the highest return on prospects for this pitcher.

The Mets should try to combine average prospects with the acquisition of a contract that the Tigers want out of to limit the payment for the services of this pitcher. Additionally, the team can benefit from the fact that Lange is having a regular season affected by command and control problems, and that the relief position is the most volatile on the market.

The Mets can acquire the $10 million contract for this season of Matt Boyd, who is out for 2023 with an injury to his pitching elbow. With this the Mets could pay close to $5 million for Lange and only have to offer prospects in the top 25-30 of the team.

7) The Mets could acquire a solid reliever from the Chicago White Sox to help compete this year and next

The Chicago White Sox options keep coming. Within the organization's relief pitching staff, Kendall Graveman emerges as a solid option for any bullpen seeking for help in a high-leverage situation.

Graveman is having a better season this 2023 than what was shown last year. His contract is worth $8 million this season and $8 million guaranteed for 2024, plus incentives.

Graveman's success this year has been the location of his main pitch, the sinker, and making greater use of his fastball. The White Sox reliever has increased the use of his fastball, thus decreasing his change-up, which has been positive. The opposition is hitting below .050 on their fastball so far this season.

Due to his performance and contract, Graveman is one of the White Sox options that won't come cheap. Graveman could have a cost of MLB-ready prospects somewhere in the top 10 to 15.

The Mets could get creative on this part and include Lance Lynn as part of the trade, which is the most expensive contract for the White Sox this season. With this kind of approach, the Mets could get rotation and bullpen help for this season and next, taking advantage of the availability of resources that Steve Cohen provides.

8) A trade between the New York teams would make a lot of sense for the Mets and Yankees

A few weeks ago, WFAN's Evan Roberts proposed that the New York Mets and New York Yankees should make a trade that would meet the needs of each team. At the time, Robert suggested that the Mets could trade Tommy Pham to the Yankees for a controllable reliever.

This is a trade that would make a lot of sense for both teams. The Yankees clearly have a need for a bat with the ability to play left field that doesn't cost them a valuable prospect.

For their part, the Mets should consider selling Pham, a rental player with significant value this season who could help them get help in future seasons. But to do that, the Mets, in their seller position, must leverage the highest possible return for Pham.

In this sense, Ron Marinaccio would be the ideal fit for the Mets. Marinaccio is a young, controllable pitcher with the ability to limit contact, who they could get without needing to touch their big prospects in their farm system.

The Yankees might be reluctant to let go of a pitcher of this caliber, but the depth of their relief and the high need for a bat like Pham could earn points in the Mets' favor as we approach the trade deadline. So the Mets could get a reliever who could help them this season and in the future, improving a bullpen that has been a pain in the ass for the organization all season.

9) The White Sox's last option could become a fan-favorite player for the Mets

The Chicago White Sox have many options to sell by this trade deadline, and perhaps one of the most difficult decisions for the front office would be what to do with Liam Hendriks. Hendriks represents a story of overcoming. After battling cancer, the all-star reliever return this season in an incredible comeback.

However, the pitcher is on the disabled list with inflammation in his pitching arm elbow. This situation must be monitored. With his recent health process may lead the White Sox to try to sell Hendriks before he has major problems.

In health, Hedriks is a top 3 among relievers. This prompted the White Sox to offer him a multiyear contract which expires this season. However, he does have a $15 million club option with a $1 million buyout, but if he's traded, the option would be automatically applied.

If the elbow injury ends up being a problem and preventing him from pitching this season, the best-case scenario for Hendriks would be a trade to guarantee his contract. With elbow pain being one of the biggest concerns among pitchers, some teams may be wary of pursuing this pitcher.

The Mets could play a big gamble and make a trade for Hendriks who, if he could get back to health, would be a critical piece for the Mets this season. In the worst-case scenario, the Mets could pair Hendriks with Edwin Diaz next season, making the Mets bullpen the most feared in the league. But only if the price is right for them.

10) The Mets may consider a cheap, controllable option with the Colorado Rockies

In their quest to get creative this summer heading to the trade deadline, the Mets may want to consider controllable options for their bullpen that are cheap. This is the case for Justin Lawrence of the Colorado Rockies.

The 28-year-old reliever is having a good season in the Rockies' bullpen. With a sub 3.00 ERA and inducing weak, low-quality hitting from his opponents, Lawrence is an interesting option on the market.

His years of control make him a potentially expensive pitcher, but given his low league popularity, short track record and limited pitching arsenal, he may be a viable option for the Mets. Lawrence owns a sweeper and sinker that round out his pitch types, with the sweeper being the better of the two, generating opposition batting under .150 with little power contact.

Due to the volatility of the relief position and the fact that this pitcher's previous seasons have been below average for the league, the Mets should try to make a trade for this middle reliever. The cost of a pitcher like Lawrence could be around top 20-25 prospects, the return wouldn't be abysmal.

In a rotation that this 2023 and the following season will depend on a lot of help from the bullpen, due to the age of its pitchers, getting young and efficient help is necessary. The Mets could use Justin Lawrence for a long time in the bullpen, as he has five more years of control.