Mets bullpen trade targets: 1 rental, 1 under contract, 1 salary dump

Lucas Erceg could be a great asset given the status of his contract.

In the understanding that David Stearns decides to look for a controllable arm instead of a rental player, Lucas Erceg would be the ideal fit. Erceg and Stearns have a history together, Erceg was drafted by the Milwaukee Brewers as a third baseman while Stearns was in the organization and it was during his tenure that the player was converted to a pitcher.

Erceg is having a breakout year with the Oakland Athletics serving as a bridge in the bullpen for star closer Mason Miller. To date, Erceg has a good ratio of strikeouts to walks, thanks above all to greater control, managing to reduce his percentage of walks by almost 50% compared to 2023.

The A's pitcher is another of the many cases in MLB that have benefited from a change in the distribution of use of their pitches. Erceg is using his four-seam fastball and slider as his main pitches, replacing the sinker, which was his main pitch in 2023, and decreasing the use of his change-up.

The main focus of success is due to his slider, which he used 14.% in 2023 and in 2024 he is using this pitch almost 25% of the time. Through the slider, Erceg has managed to hold the opposition to a batting average below 0.70 and a ridiculous slugging percentage of around 0.65, achieving a swing-and-miss of over 33%.

The cost of Lucas Erceg's services and the fact that he is controllable for several seasons would correspond to an important return for the Athletics. Regardless, the team's top 10 prospects would remain intact in a trade for this player.

The Mets may use Steve Cohen's pocket power again to acquire Nick Martinez's contract.

An aspect that differentiates the Mets from many MLB teams is their financial capacity and the willingness of their owner, Steve Cohen, to do what is necessary to achieve the future sustainability of the organization. In that sense, the Mets could contact the Cincinnati Reds to acquire reliever Nick Martinez.

Martinez has a contract for this season worth $14 million with a player option for 2025 of $12 million, something high for a revenue-challenged organization like Cincinnati. Martinez is having a good season on the mound, posting an ERA below 4.00, and his underlying metrics reveal that his performance could be better outside of a hitter's stadium like Great American Ball Park.

Martinez's expected ERA has a difference in favor of more than 0.7, which indicates that the Reds reliever has faced bad luck events this season. Martinez has been very effective in limiting hitters' contact power and command, limiting his walks, and ranking in the top 2% of the league in both categories.

The fact of Martinez's contract, the financial status of the Reds, and the multiple options on the market could create an ideal situation for the Mets where taking on this full contract makes it easier for them to keep the top of their farm system intact. With a trade of this type, the team can achieve what it seeks by sacrificing what Steve Cohen needs, money.