NY Mets: 2 reasons to trade for Shohei Ohtani this offseason, 1 why they shouldn't

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Shohei Ohtani is one of the best players in all of baseball. He brings a certain energy and buzz everywhere he goes and is a huge difference maker everywhere he goes. The New York Mets were linked to Shohei Ohtani in trade conversations, but they never got going at the trade deadline.

Mets general manager Billy Eppler was the Angels’ general manager when they won the Ohtani sweepstakes in December 2017, and Ohtani owes a lot of debts to Eppler for making his stint with the Angels happen, albeit one without a playoff appearance.

So let’s weigh in some of the pros and cons of the Mets trading for Ohtani this offseason.

1) Reason the Mets should trade for Shohei Ohtani: He has perhaps the mightiest swing in baseball, and he hits the ball hard consistently.

Ohtani’s 2021 American League MVP campaign at the plate can be described as legendary. He hit 46 home runs, drove in 100 runs, walked 96 times, and had an OPS of .965. His numbers and averages are down a tad from last year, but what’s not down is his ability to hit the ball really hard. He led the majors last year with 22.3 percent barrel rate. Even though it is down to 16.7 percent this season, that’s still good enough to be one of the most feared sluggers in all of baseball.

Ohtani also passes the eye test when you watch him swing the bat. He’s got such a balanced approach at the plate, while his stance allows him to open himself to hitting to all fields. He is one of the most difficult hitters to prepare for while you’re on defense because of that ability.

Also, Ohtani’s success has come while playing home games at a ballpark that’s not easy to hit home runs in, Angel Stadium in Anaheim. One could argue that Albert Pujols’ decline in production from St. Louis to Anaheim beginning in 2012 can be contributed to the spacious ballpark there. So Ohtani to the Mets could be a match made in heaven, especially with right field being a haven for home runs in the summer when a southwest wind kicks in.

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2) Reason the Mets should trade Shohei Ohtani: He is a Cy Young candidate whenever he takes the mound, making him a complete package for anyone who takes him.

Ohtani has been labeled as the Babe Ruth of the 21st century in the past, and rightfully so. Ruth had been carving out a Hall of Fame pitching career with the Red Sox in the 1910’s before playing the outfield full time. Ohtani has the unique distinction of being the two-way player everyone wants to be, and do it well.

Before pitching on Tuesday night, Ohtani has compiled quite a two-year pitching performance. He has a 3.02 ERA in 235.1 innings pitched, with 308 strikeouts and 68 walks with 11.8 strikeouts per nine innings and a 4.53 strikeout to walk ratio.

He’s been better this season than he was last on the hill, which compensates for his down year at the plate. Regardless, Ohtani is the unicorn type of player everyone wants, because of his ability to play both offense and defense. Nobody in baseball has an ability quite like this, and it would be amazing for him to be in Flushing, a town surrounded by Asian American traditions, and Ohtani would thrive there.

Ohtani taking the mound is appointment television for baseball fans, because he can also be a designated hitter within the game too, as per the special Ohtani rule put in place. Imagine what SNY or WPIX’s ratings would be if Ohtani makes his Mets debut and the hype that would surround him playing for a World Series contender in New York?

3) Reason the Mets shouldn't trade for Shohei Ohtani: They should wait until he is a free agent, rather than trading for him.

It is clear to everyone that Shohei Ohtani is not walking into that Angels clubhouse once he hits free agency following the end of the 2023 season. And that’s exactly what I would to if I look at the poor ownership at the top with Arte Moreno, and seeing first hand how an organization can waste the prime of the greatest player of our generation in Mike Trout and a two-way talent in Ohtani at the heights of their powers.

Billy Eppler knows Ohtani from his days in Anaheim, so that would give the Mets a huge leg up on the rest of the competition when it comes to the Ohtani sweepstakes two winters from now. It would also enable the Mets to keep their prospects and continue the trend towards turning this Mets team that has been such a joy to watch into a perennial powerhouse that can rival the Dodgers in the National League.

There is simply no reason to mortgage 2024 and beyond for Ohtani now. The Mets have several great prospects in the minors that are on track to be plugged in to their current roles at the big league level. For example, Brett Baty when Eduardo Escobar’s contract is up, and Francisco Alvarez for James McCann’s. And since the Mets only have one pitching prospect in their top eight or nine, and with nobody currently in the books for the 2024 Mets rotation, it makes sense to wait and pounce. Steve Cohen would take care of the financials from there.

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