NY Mets players who won’t be on the roster before the August 1 trade deadline

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August 1 has much more significance this season than in years past. It’s the final day before the MLB trade deadline and the last hope to improve a team’s future. The New York Mets will be looking ahead this year to 2024, unless something ridiculous happens over the next week.

Most of the moves we should expect the Mets to make with the roster will take place in the late afternoon or early evening of August 1. Taxi squad players will be in full force that night ready to replace the dearly departed players who’ve already been traded.

Before August 1, however, we should prepare to see these three Mets players already gone from the 26-man roster.

1) Why the NY Mets roster won’t have Mark Canha on it before August 1

Trade interest in Mark Canha is a bit stronger than expected. The Seattle Mariners have checked in on him and he seems to be a guy any club in need of a right-handed outfielder could look into. The Los Angeles Dodgers have also reportedly checked in on him, creating a growing market for the veteran outfielder.

The large need for quality players like Canha who can play all three outfield positions and first base should have someone nibbling before August 1 for a trade.

Tommy Pham, the other right-handed hitting outfielder on the Mets roster, might be more of a last minute trade because of his day-to-day injury status. Teams would be wise to back off a little bit to see how this week goes before agreeing to any sort of deal. He has cooled off a bit as well while Canha is putting up numbers only slightly below his career totals. He goes into Sunday slashing .242/.339/.386 on the year. Compared to the .248/.348/.423 he has hit in parts of 9 big league seasons, we can see how buyers would view him favorably enough to add him into their outfield mix.

Canha may not fetch a particularly large return, but with the addition of the third wild card and far more buyers than sellers, the Mets should be able to create a bidding skirmish. The team option for next year adds some intrigue. Teams can look to continue the relationship if things go well or cut bait after this season.

2) Why the NY Mets roster won’t have Dominic Leone on it before August 1

Dominic Leone was an in-season pickup off the scrapheap by the Mets. Through 28 innings of work in 28 games, he has been a very average reliever. The 4.50 ERA he carries with him into Sunday’s game is the perfect indication of who he is. He’s averaging an earned run in about every other appearance for the Mets this year.

Leone has a much better track record than this. His 3.75 ERA lifetime and 1.51 ERA he pulled out of his sleeve in 2021 could make him an option on the trade market. He throws strikes (2.9 walks per 9) and strikes out batters (10 per 9 this season). Inexpensive in salary and asking price, the Mets need to move on from him if there are any takers. He is, after all, a free agent at the end of this year. All he’ll serve them for after the trade deadline is the ability to eat some innings. Anyone can do that.

The market for Leone won’t have anyone busting down doors yet it should be extensive. An average reliever in the back of a bullpen has some value. Any club willing to hand a roster spot to an out-of-options veteran who has been good in the recent past should consider him. Maybe the San Francisco Giants consider a reunion.

Leone will definitely get traded. And because he’s not going to break the bank, an earlier deadline deal feels possible.

3) Why the NY Mets roster won’t have David Peterson on it before August 1

David Peterson has stuck around on the Mets roster in a new capacity. The arrival of Jose Quintana from a season’s long IL stint didn’t result in a demotion for Peterson. Instead, the Mets have been using him out of the bullpen. It might be where he ultimately lands, but with the trade deadline only a little over a week away, we might see him temporarily sent down to the minors in preparation for moving back to the rotation.

The rotation spot Peterson will eventually take is the one belonging to Carlos Carrasco. The impending free agent starter needs to get dealt before the August 1 trade deadline. Once gone, the Mets will turn to Peterson for rotation help.

Peterson was so bad as a starter for the Mets earlier this year that he already experienced a demotion. This incoming trip to Syracuse is more about roster management. Calling up a “true reliever” for about 10 days is something for the team to consider before flipping the switch and riding out the rest of the year to figure out exactly what Peterson can or cannot offer them.

Alongside Tylor Megill, Peterson is one of those fringe major league starters who at times looks impressive. On other days, an eventual slot in the bullpen seems more appropriate. Peterson will be sticking around with the organization through the end of this year but should get familiar with traveling to Syracuse when the time comes.

The biggest roster changes of all for the Mets won’t take place until the dust settles following the trade deadline. They could get a head start on things with a few late July trades and pre-planning for the days to come after.

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