3 NY Mets players we wish they traded before their value dropped

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A big argument against the New York Mets selling at this year’s trade deadline is how little we expect for the team to get back for the obvious pieces to move. There is no Juan Soto, Shohei Ohtani, or any other massive trade chip for the Mets to move on from. It’s all more minor pieces who might end up in a reduced role with their new ball club.

We can’t necessarily blame the Mets for holding onto certain trade pieces because early July deals are rare. Plus, they still seem to believe they have a shot at winning something.

As certain players raise their trade stock and others maintain it, it’s these three Mets players we already wish they traded before their value began to dip.

1) NY Mets player we wish they traded before his value dropped: Carlos Carrasco

Carlos Carrasco’s trade value was at an all-time high after tossing 8 shutout innings on July 8 against the Arizona Diamondbacks. Since then, Carrasco has pitched two duds. The Chicago White Sox tagged him for 4 earned runs in 4.2 innings. The Boston Red Sox handled him even better. They chased him after 2.1 innings of work and 5 earned runs across the board.

Carrasco is now 3-4 with a 5.82 ERA on the season. His inability to even go deep into games is tanking his trade value. What team, outside of someone desperate for any sort of a fifth starter, would view him favorably?

As in demand as pitching is at the trade deadline, Carrasco just isn’t an appealing product for anyone. The time to trade him would have been before the All-Star break. His trade value had finally gone up. Now it’s back in the basement.

The Mets didn’t win a single game Carrasco started in June and he failed to go more than 5 innings in any of his five appearances. The gem versus the Diamondbacks is a complete outlier post-May. Because there was still life in the Mets at the time when he last pitched well, it’s understandable why the trigger wasn’t pulled. The Mets were never meant to get a whole lot back for him. Now it’s looking like they’ll get even less.

2) NY Mets player we wish they traded before his value dropped: Dominic Leone

Dominic Leone is one of the more obvious trade candidates on the Mets roster nobody is really talking about. The reason is simple: he’s not having a very good year. He’s buried in a bad bullpen. He might be the most symbolic player of all in terms of explaining why the relief corps has been so unsuccessful. Although brought in after the season started, his roster spot should have gone to a far better reliever. This is a team that opened the year with Tommy Hunter AND Stephen Nogosek on it. Pick one, not both.

The 4.55 ERA Leone carries with him through 29.2 innings isn’t going to have anyone knocking down doors to land him. Hitters have a .241 batting average against him this year

Cheap, available, and someone the Mets took a chance on and failed with, any sort of a trade involving Leone is a shot in the dark at getting something of value back.

Leone somehow managed to get his ERA down to 3.94 after an appearance on June 18. While the Mets weren’t ready to surrender at that point, it was probably the high of his season. The very next outing against the Houston Astros included 4 earned runs in 1.1 innings of work. It was a reminder of how below-average he is and why his trade value is more likely to fall than rise.

3) NY Mets player we wish they traded before his value dropped: Tommy Pham

How far has Tommy Pham’s trade value actually dropped? It’s his lingering groin injury which has bruised what the Mets could have expected to get back for him.

Pham has also cooled off of late, in part because of the injury giving him a day-to-day status. He’s hitting .271/.355/.472 this year with 9 home runs. He has barely played over the last two weeks and when he has, Pham hasn’t been sharp. Pham is just a .214/.365/.310 hitter in July.

Mets fans found themselves struck by one of cupid’s arrows this year and the next person they saw was Pham. Of all the major offseason moves the Mets made, the free agent signing of Pham was met with the most indifference and/or disgust. He has turned into one of the more reliable offensive players. A trade will cut his time in Flushing short.

Pham’s trade value hasn’t completely tanked, but the injury concerns should definitely have teams looking at other options. This includes fellow Mets outfielder Mark Canha. The benefit of him is the ability to play first base.

The Mets were never getting a huge haul for Pham. Now, with some doubts about his health even if they are minor, they should prepare to get a little less. Maybe the best way around this is to pair him with another of their attractive trade chips.

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