Former Mets Minor League Pitcher of the Year signs with NL East rival

Hands down the best trade of the Steve Cohen era came shortly before the 2022 season began. The New York Mets acquired Chris Bassitt for a season while shipping out prospect J.T. Ginn and their 2021 Minor League Pitcher of the Year, Adam Oller.

Oller would end up pitching 74.1 innings for the 2022 Oakland Athletics. The 2-8 record and 6.30 ERA proved it was no mistake to get rid of him. In 2023, he wound up 1-1 with a 10.07 ERA in 19.2 innings. It was a much different experience than the 2021 season which had Oller landing on radar thanks to a solid 3.45 ERA in 120 innings on the farm.

Oller began this season with the Cleveland Guardians organization. In 27.2 innings on the farm as a starter and reliever, a 7.48 ERA was enough for them to DFA him. He found a home quickly. It’s the Miami Marlins who added him to their floundering organization.

What about that other guy from this Mets trade?

The other guy from the trade, Ginn, hasn’t been talked about much. Already 25, he is one of those rare players who got drafted later the second time he enters the draft. First the 30th overall pick in 2018 and later a second-rounder by the Mets in 2020, the oft-injured pitcher hasn’t catapulted his way to the majors just yet.

An ERA of 5.10 in 2022 led the way toward an even worst 7.43 ERA in 2023. This hasn’t stopped the Athletics from promoting him. Reaching Triple-A for the first time this year, he has gone 1-3 with a 7.03 ERA in his first 39.2 innings.

What has been the major issue for him? This year it seems to be home runs. He has served them up at a rate of 2 per 9 innings. While the 4.1 walks per 9 is a bit high, it’s way down from the 5.4 per 9 he had last season. Also up are his strikeout numbers from a putrid 5.7 per 9 last season to 9.9 this year.

Pitching in Las Vegas doesn’t help. It’s a notorious ballpark that favors hitters. Nevertheless, this looks like a winning Mets trade—until the inevitable happens and Oller beats them as a member of the Marlins and it costs them a Wild Card spot.