4 changes every Mets fan should want to see

Houston Astros v New York Mets
Houston Astros v New York Mets / Rich Schultz/GettyImages
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The New York Mets find playing their worst baseball in a long time. The team has been having problems in different facets of the game, both on offense and in starting pitching including the bullpen.

The team lacks that spark that has been evident since the first games of last season. Despite building a roster with big stars, this underperforming has impatient Mets fans wanting to see some drastic changes materialize.

1) NY Mets move every fan should want to see: Trade away Eduardo Escobar

The wait for Eduardo Escobar to resurface at the plate has ended. The team has limited Escobar to a low-involvement bench role since Brett Baty took over at third base.

While Baty demonstrates his ability to produce at the plate, Escobar hasn't adjusted even now that the shift has been banned in MLB. Escobar's production this 2023 has been nil, producing well below the league average in each offensive category.

Since joining the Mets in 2022, Escobar has hit the lowest level of his career since 2012, with 2022 marking his second career-highest strikeout year. Likewise, his defense which was supposed to be an upgrade for the Mets at third base, was the worst of his career in 2022, posting a DRS of -11.

His defense at second and third base hasn't been up to scratch. His fWAR is negative for the third time in his 13-year MLB career.

Escobar has already lost the role and playing time necessary to make an impact on the team this season. However, being on the roster he occupies a position that could be used by a prospect who can generate more production in MLB. The Mets should consider trading Escobar for very little return or absorbing most of his remaining salary.

2) NY Mets move every fan should want to see: Call up Mark Vientos and Ronny Mauricio

At this point in the season, fans have seen enough of the inconsistent production of the Mets lineup at every game. Meanwhile, their top prospects are hitting at the highest level in Triple-A, seen as ready to demonstrate their talent in the majors.

Unlike pitching, the Mets have inside options that can replace the slowest bats in MLB. Daniel Vogelbach and Tommy Pham have filled the DH position, they haven't done a bad job, but they aren't generating the power and offensive production needed for that position.

On the other hand, Mark Canha has been a failed experiment. Beyond his high on-base ability, his offensive production level and ability to make contact are terrible.

Ronny Mauricio and Mark Vientos represent the solution to this problem. The organization's top No. 6 and No. 8 prospects have been burning minor league pitchers, proving that their bats are more than ready to contribute to the Mets' lineup.

Vientos would automatically enter the designated hitter position seeing the most turns and contributing with his power that has been top in AAA in 2023. In the case of Mauricio, the defensive adjustment would be different. The Dominican has been playing the second base position which would move Jeff McNeil to left field, allowing Canha to move to the bench.

With this move, the Mets would inject youth and power into a lineup that ranks among the bottom in slugging percentage and home runs hit. Likewise, the youth of these two prospects would invigorate a lineup that has seen its fruits since Brett Baty and Francisco Alvarez joined the big team.

3) NY Mets move every fan should want to see: Trade for a reliable starting pitcher

The rotation of the Mets has been the biggest headache for this team in 2023. The injuries and discomfort of Justin Verlander and Max Scherzer, the lack of adaptation of Kodai Senga, the inconsistency of Carlos Carrasco, and the impossibility of José Quintana to power seeing action this season have put the team in a difficult situation.

The Mets gambled on risk for reward which has resulted in the need to create strategies early in the season that have not produced the desired results. David Peterson has not been able to be efficient on the mound, and Tylor Megill has had his lights but has not been able to throw deep in games. The rest of the occasional spots in the rotation have been filled by unreliable pitching.

This forces Billy Eppler and the front office to look for solutions in the trade market if the team wants to compete in October. Several teams find themselves in the position to become sellers with reliable options and talent in their rotation that the Mets could acquire and strengthen this area of ​​great weakness.

Pitchers like Lucas Giolito, Lance Lynn, and Alex Cobb, among others, could be available and would generate a boost in the Mets' pitching staff. The team could be competing with a rotation led by Verlander, Scherzer, Senga, and one of the pitchers via trade, having Carrasco and/or Quintana as spot starters to ease the load on the main arms for the playoffs.

4) NY Mets move every fan should want to see: Trade for a top relief pitcher

Since Edwin Diaz's injury in the World Baseball Classic, the Mets have been playing short options in a high-leverage situation. David Robertson has done an excellent job as a closer, but for a high-use bullpen like the Mets', the team needs more bullpen arms.

Robertson has been supported by Adam Ottavino, who has done a good job, and Drew Smith. Brooks Raley hasn't been able to show enough health, and the rest of the bullpen is overused and underperforming.

This opens the need to acquire a top arm on the market. Among the options that stand out is included Liam Hendriks, who would be the most in-demand.

Including Hendriks in the Mets bullpen would give the team the best options in a high-leverage situation, guaranteeing more wins in low-score difference games. If they don't acquire an arm like Hendriks', the Mets could migrate to a higher-cost candidate in Alexis Diaz or a familiar face in New York for a lower cost in Aroldis Chapman.

Chapman has been pitching well with the Kansas City Royals showing elite speed in the league. Also, other options that would be available at low cost would be Reynaldo Lopez of the Chicago White Sox, Daniel Bard of the Colorado Rockies, or Scott Barlow of the Kansas City Royals.

In either case, the Mets need more reliable, efficient, power options in the back of the bullpen if they want to make the postseason and compete for the National League title. Fans certainly need to see the team move to the trade market for options that make them confident the team is heading in the right direction.

Next. Trade candidates to thinking about amid Scherzer injury concerns. dark

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