The Mets need to call up the Rockies about a trade for Randal Grichuk

Let’s face it Colorado Rockies, you aren’t going to compete this season. Why wait around and pay Randal Grichuk any more money when you’ll get even less for him at the trade deadline? The New York Mets are already desperate for a right-handed outfielder who can kill lefty pitchers. Don’t wait for Billy Eppler to call. Call him.

Is that a good enough sales pitch to the Rockies? Probably not. They are one of the toughest teams to read. They’ll sign Nolan Arenado to a massive extension then do nothing else. After trading him, they sign Kris Bryant to a lucrative deal then do nothing else.

Colorado needs some sort of direction. A trade with the Mets, which would send them Grichuk in the final year of his deal, is one way to add some younger talent to the roster.

What would the Mets need to give up for Randal Grichuk?

It shouldn’t cost the Mets any of their notable prospects to acquire Grichuk. A good but not great hitter. A slightly below average but serviceable outfielder. A kind-of-high contract but nothing outrageous. He hits for decent power. More importantly, he should be available.

Grichuk doesn’t have dazzling numbers versus lefties in his career, however, last season was remarkably productive. The 31-year-old (how is he not older?) slashed .308/.333/.593 with 11 home runs versus southpaws in 2022. He’d be an ideal fit for the Mets as a right-handed platoon partner of Daniel Vogelbach and a guy they can plug into the corner outfield spots occasionally as well.

We definitely do need to be careful with Grichuk and his numbers at Coors Field. He hit 102 points higher (.307 vs. .205) at home than on the road. He hit 13 of his 19 home runs there, too. He won’t save the Mets offense, but he can give it a lift with so many of their better free agent options no longer available.

When it comes to the price, we should immediately think of pitching. Only two of their top 10 prospects are pitchers. The rest are outfielders, shortstops, a catcher, and a third baseman. The third baseman is named Warming Bernabel who could only work in a city like Denver or maybe Deadhorse, Alaska if they ever get a team.

Blade Tidwell and Calvin Ziegler would be too much to give up for Grichuk. Maybe a Grant Hartwig or Jordany Ventura plus a lower level prospect is worth acquiring Grichuk. The Mets could always wait to find that extra bat. But first, let’s see what the Rockies are thinking because frankly, nobody can guess.

Over the course of the last few days, the Mets have missed out on Andrew McCutchen and Trey Mancini. Playing time was a rumored reason for McCutchen to sign with the Pittsburgh Pirates and probably was a case for Mancini, too. A trade takes away a player's choice in the matter. It could be the last place to turn.