3 desperate NY Mets roster moves they can make to save the season

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The New York Mets find themselves in a difficult situation. After several weeks of playing below expectations, the hopes of a possible postseason qualification are becoming increasingly complicated.

Despite this, Steve Cohen, Billy Eppler, the Front Office, and the nearly $400 million payroll give no room for throwing in the towel. The Mets will be buyers this next trade deadline, and here we show the movements they must make to turn this season around.

1) The Mets must trade for Lance Lynn and Joe Kelly

What the Mets need most this season is pitching. Despite possessing a rotation headlined by two future Hall of Famers, the team's starting pitchers have fallen far short of their potential.

The main asset available this summer will be Lucas Giolito. This will make him the most demanded target, and therefore his cost will be very high. While Lance Lynn has been an underperforming pitcher the past few years and possesses an $18 million option next year with a $1 million buyout making him an interesting target.

Kelly seems not having a good season, but advanced metrics don't show it that way. His xERA is two points below his current ERA, and his fastball ranks top of the league in velocity. White Sox reliever owns a mere $9.5 million club option for 2024.

The Mets can also take advantage of the fact that the relief market will be focused on Aroldis Chapman to make a good early proposal to the Chicago White Sox for the services of two pitchers that will come to improve a great need of the team. The Mets could get both pitchers without trading off a top prospect. Pitcher Jose Butto, third baseman Jacob Reimer and reliever Christian Scott (prospects 12, 14, and 27 in the organization) could be enough to make this trade.

With Lance Lynn and Joe Kelly, the Mets are getting two controllable pitchers that would positively impact two areas of need on the team without draining their farm system. With this movement, the team would improve what is necessary to start winning games and get into the standings.

2) The Mets should call up Ronny Mauricio

The move Mets fans have been waiting for months. The Mets' top-hitting prospect continues to play Triple-A and test defense in left field.

Ronny Mauricio has slaughtered the balls of every pitcher in the minors this season. His swing has been adjusted, decreasing his number of strikeouts and making more ball contact.

If the Mets continue to intend to compete this year and fight for a postseason berth, they can't leave Mauricio batting at his mercy in the minors. Instead, this Mets lineup could use a power switch hitter like Mauricio to counterbalance Pete Alonso and Francisco Alvarez.

Ronny Mauricio offers even more versatility than before. His ability to play shortstop and second base offers important movements to remain in the daily lineup, being able to even play as a designated hitter or even left field, being able to move players like Tommy Pham, Mark Canha, Eduardo Escobar and Jeff McNeil on defense depending on the pitching matchup.

Mauricio's movement would imply that the Mets would have to look for trade partners or DFA'd one of Luis Guillorme or Daniel Vogelbach, with the first being the most likely. Faced with a scenario like this, the Mets would maintain a better balance in their lineup with more power and contact.

3) The Mets should trade Luis Guillorme plus a PTBNL for Cubs reliever Michael Fulmer

Luis Guillorme is a player with no pending minor league options and no room in the Mets' lineup. After having two consecutive seasons of good offensive numbers, Guillorme is in his worst production in a long time.

The value that Guillorme brings to the team has been his defense and versatility to play multiple positions, something that is not very useful with the presence of Eduardo Escobar as a player with the ability to play in the infield. Likewise, his drop in contact due to an increase in his strikeouts makes him a marginal player in a lineup that seeks to compete in the playoffs.

If the Mets decide to bring up Ronny Mauricio, they should look for options where to sell Guillorme, who still has two additional years of arbitration, making him at least a player that attracts attention. In this case, the Cubs will seek to sell their rental players, Michael Fulmer being one of them.

Fulmer is a well-known pitcher to Mets fans, being a key player in the trade that brought Yoenis Cespedes to the Mets in 2015. The Cubs pitcher had a good couple of years with the Detroit Tigers until he saw his career go off the rails due to injuries. However, in recent years he has put up good numbers.

A starting pitcher turned reliever hasn't fared well this year with an ERA above 5.00, but the metrics indicate he's a better player than the numbers tell. He's putting up the best numbers of his career when it comes to the strikeout category, and while his walks are still an issue, he's inducing weak contact that ranks in the top 5% of the league, which is a pretty good result.

With a bullpen in need of reliable arms and depth, Michael Fulmer can complement this team and build an elite group of relievers in the league without overpaying. Luis Guillorme would be useful on another team where he can find enough space to play more often, and he along with a player to be named later, should be enough to get this pitcher's services.

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