Former Mets GM shares what he would trade for White Sox reliever Michael Kopech

Zack Scott has been all over SNY lately. The former New York Mets General Manager is one of the more open and honest former executives in baseball. Known for one of the continually lingering worrisome Mets trades of the recent past, he offered a proposal for the Mets to acquire Chicago White Sox reliever Michael Kopech.

For Kopech, Scott is sending pitching prospect Dom Hamel. That’s it. Very simple. The third-round pick taken by Scott back in 2021 for Kopech.

Hamel has lost a lot of the fanfare he once had. A devilish 6.66 ERA in 16 starts at Triple-A, it’s a big disappointment to see the 25-year-old struggle so mightily. Whichever way you look, Hamel’s numbers aren’t good. Neither are Kopech’s which makes this a little more complicated of a trade.

Why the Mets should make this trade

Hamel is expendable and to get the extra year of control with Kopech has a ton of value. At the time of Scott’s trade proposal, Kopech held a 5.05 ERA and 9 saves. It’s his first full year back in relief again. He spent most of 2021 in the bullpen with success then moved to the rotation in 2022 with his ERA only going from 3.50 to 3.54.

Kopech isn’t having a strong year, however, he does have minor league options left and could easily get sent down again if he struggles in New York.

At the price Scott proposes, only Hamel, it’s tempting. He doesn’t have to be “the guy” out of the bullpen either. He can just be another body.

Why the Mets shouldn’t make this trade

This isn’t about giving up Hamel. It’s about adding Kopech at all. He has been wild throughout much of his career. He hasn’t had a walk rate below 4.3 per 9 in each of his last three seasons. The strikeouts are up this year, but moving to the bullpen explains this. He led the league in walks last season with 91 in only 129.1 innings.

Kopech has been prone to the home run ball, too. Last year’s total came out to 2 per 9. This year, heading into the second-half, it was at 1.8 per 9.

Hamel isn’t going to get the Mets anything useful at this year’s trade deadline. A player like Kopech is a project to tinker with. He has some incredible abilities without the results. In a pennant race, you avoid guys like this. 

Why this trade won't happen

Furthermore, is there really a need for the White Sox to even trade him away for a struggling Mets pitching prospect? This is the biggest hold-up of all in the trade. Kopech has too much talent and years of hype for this trade to ever go down. The White Sox are better off holding out for something better in the offseason or at next year’s trade deadline.

This is a deal the Mets should make if it was a real one because of the immediacy of help it could offer. Hamel is already Rule 5 Draft eligible this winter which could have him as trade bait anyway. Over in Chicago, the White Sox would be fools to sign off. There is no reason they need to sell low on their reliever. The Mets would still be better off trading Hamel for a better pitcher even if it’s a rental.

Scott added some additional commentary to his trade idea. A lesson learned from his infamous Mets trade with the Chicago Cubs perhaps?