5 more former Mets players who will be traded by August 1
Amed Rosario and Noah Syndergaard were traded for each other, and they won't be the only New York Mets players traded by August 1
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The Los Angeles Dodgers and Cleveland Guardians pulled off a trade which New York Mets fans can laugh at. Amed Rosario is a Dodger while Noah Syndergaard will make his way to Cleveland. Our minds would've been blown if this went down in 2018 or 2019.
Rosario and Syndergaard were traded, and it feels almost certain that these won't be the only former Mets who will find a new home. Here're five players who used to play for the Mets at some point in time who could be traded by the August 1 trade deadline.
1) Former NY Mets pitcher Marcus Stroman can be traded by August 1
The best player by far on this list is Marcus Stroman. The Mets acquired Stroman at the 2019 trade deadline in the kind of trade you might see the Mets make at this season's deadline. They acquired Stroman while the team was on the outside looking in when it came to postseason contention because he was under team control for more than one season. They had slim odds to make the playoffs that season, but had the ability to hold onto Stroman for more than two months when the Mets were sure to try and compete.
Stroman pitched pretty well for the Mets in 2019, opted out of the shortened 2020 season, and was outstanding in 2021. He was rewarded for his great season by receiving a three-year deal to join the Cubs. He got $71 million total. $25 million in each of the first two seasons, and a $21 million player option for the 2024 season. Based on how Stroman has performed this season, the chances of him opting into that option feel slim.
The right-hander has a 3.51 ERA in 22 starts and 125.2 innings pitched. He's been his usual solid self, and has been one of the few bright spots for the 51-51 Cubs. Chicago is 5.5 games back in the NL Central and they're four games back of the third Wild Card spot. It's possible they retain Stroman and try to compete, but their playoff odds aren't great, and trading Stroman for a haul feels like the best course of action for that franchise.
The Mets will not ever consider Stroman again as that bridge has been burned, but he can help a contender out there if he is moved.
2) Former NY Mets pitcher Rich Hill can be traded by August 1
At the 2021 trade deadline, the Mets acquired Rich Hill in a trade with the Rays in an effort to sure up their rotation and make the postseason. Their postseason hopes fell short but Hill pitched well, posting a 3.84 ERA in 13 appearances (12 starts).
The Mets were Hill's 11th team which is pretty astonishing. Since his short Met tenure, he signed a one-year deal with Boston for his third stint with the Red Sox last season, and then signed another one-year deal to join his 12th team, the Pittsburgh Pirates.
As a 43-year-old Hill has been decent enough for the Pirates as he's posted a 4.82 ERA in 21 starts and 114 innings pitched. His 4.42 FIP suggests he's been the victim of a bit of bad luck as well. He's not the pitcher he once was, but Hill is reliable enough to take the ball every fifth day and most of the time put your team in a position to win with five or six quality innings.
Hill has played 19 years in the majors and has been in virtually any situation imaginable. He'd be a great clubhouse addition wherever he ends up. With the Pirates clear sellers, Hill could find his way on his 13th MLB team in just a couple of days.
3) Former NY Mets infielder Justin Turner can be traded by August 1
Easily the most frustrating former Met on this list is Justin Turner. The Mets had Turner from 2010-2013 before choosing to non-tender him in the 2013 offseason. He wound up in Los Angeles with the Dodgers and turned into a future star that would torment the Mets everytime he played them.
Turner's nine-year run with the Dodgers ended this past season as he signed a deal to join the Red Sox. Serving as Boston's primary DH he's had another solid campaign.
The Red Sox are in a bit of a difficult position. At 55-47, they're just 1.5 games back of the third Wild Card spot in the AL, but they aren't a guaranteed postseason contender.
According to Robert Murray of FanSided, Boston's deadline plan is to try and make moves that keep them competitive for this season while also keeping an eye on the future. This means not trading all of their key players, but moving on from free agents to be, like Adam Duvall. This could also be applied to Turner.
The 38-year-old signed a two-year deal worth $21.7 million this past offseason, but the second year of the deal is a player option. There's a good chance Turner opts out of the $13.4 million he's owed and seeks a richer deal this offseason. That makes him a likely free agent as well.
It's unclear whether Turner is available considering he's one of Boston's best players, but if he does become available, he'd be a highly sought after trade piece that could help any contender.
4) Former NY Mets pitcher Seth Lugo can be traded by August 1
Seth Lugo had a great seven-year Mets career primarily working out of the bullpen. Lugo had always wanted to be a starter but always worked better in relief. When it came to free agency, Lugo still searched for opportunities to start and the Padres gave it to him.
Lugo joined the Padres to try and fortify the back of their rotation and he's been one of the few bright spots on what's been an awfully disappointing San Diego team.
It's unclear as to whether the Padres will buy or sell, but considering the fact that they're five games under .500 and 6.5 games back of the third Wild Card spot just 0.5 games ahead of the Mets, it's clear to me that they should be sellers. If they do sell, Lugo will become a prime trade candidate.
The right-hander has a 3.62 ERA in 15 starts and 82 innings pitched this season. He missed some time with injury but when healthy, he's been rock solid. He's allowed more than three runs just three times this season and has failed to go at least five just twice. In hindsight, the Mets could've really used that consistency even if it made little to no sense to bring him back at the time.
Lugo signed a two-year deal worth $15 million but the second year of that is a player option. Lugo can ope out of the $7.5 million he's owed and search for more money this offseason which makes him an impending free agent. If the Padres do sell, expect his name to come up in conversations.
5) Former NY Mets pitcher Brad Hand can be traded by August 1
Brad Hand was another player added by the Mets in the 2021 season, but he came over after the trade deadline. He was claimed off of waivers by the team in September and pitched pretty well, posting a 2.70 ERA in 16 appearances.
Hand had a good year with the Phillies last season, and wound up signing a one-year deal to join the Rockies. While playing for Colorado, he's had a typical year for any Rockies pitcher. He's been fine on the road as his 4.15 ERA would indicate, but his 5.40 home ERA has spiked his overall mark to 4.76.
Hand has held left-handed hitters to a .149/.286/.213 slash line with no home runs allowed in 47 at-bats, so he's an effective arm when used properly. He might not be the dominant closer he once was, but Hand can help some team out there.
The Rockies have the worst record in the National League and have already begun selling, so it's extremely likely Hand will find a new home in the coming days. I'd bet pitching away from Colorado primarily against left-handed hitters, whichever team acquires him for basically nothing will be happy with their addition.
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