A future Mets bidding war we could see with the Phillies

Whether it’s over the summer or next winter, there is already a bidding war between the New York Mets and the rival Philadelphia Phillies brewing.

Don’t worry if you have your eyes set on Shohei Ohtani. It’s not him. It’s another player Mets fans have been thinking about these days. We’re Wolverine. He’s the guy in picture held by the clawed X-Men character.

Up in Boston, the Red Sox are angering fans. Letting Xander Bogaerts leave could be a precursor to Rafael Devers becoming available, too. The star third baseman could now be on the trade block. Boston would be unlikely to trade him away now out of fear of completely alienating the fanbase. What about next July when they’re 20 games out of a playoff spot and Devers has gone public that he’d like to leave?

The Mets and Phillies are both a match for star third baseman Rafael Devers

Third base has been one of the hardest positions for the Mets to fill since their beginning. David Wright is an outlier. No one else has come close to the production he gave this team for the number of years he did.

Ever since the Captain has been gone, the Mets have filled the position with a variety of different players. Todd Frazier. Eduardo Escobar. A returning Jose Reyes. They’ve all started at third base frequently for the team as have many other projects. Many are hopeful Brett Baty eventually becomes the savior at the hot corner. Is he ready to help carry the offense in 2023?

The Phillies have their own third base issues. Alec Bohm seemed to find some semblance of success last year, but he plays horrific defense and doesn’t have much pop. Third basemen need to have at least one of those qualities. Their desire to upgrade the position could push them toward a mid-season trade for Devers.

The offseason may work a little differently for these two clubs. The Mets will be focused on Ohtani, allowing the Phillies to more freely pursue a mega-deal with Devers. A bidding war between the two NL East rivals may only take place in the middle of 2023 as they look for a short-term upgrade on offense. The question will be, what’s an acceptable price for a short-term player?

Devers makes more sense for the Mets for the latter part of 2023 if they aren’t getting enough out of other players. The Phillies are a more ideal place after the 2023 season when they could let Rhys Hoskins leave and move Bohm over to first base.

Devers is one player Mets fans will definitely keep tabs on for the duration of the 2023 season. One of the least consistent positions on the field for the club in 2022, he could be the superstar addition at the trade deadline the club seeks.