Thursday Thought: It's time for the Mets to trade for a pitcher

The New York Mets have had some trouble with their starting rotation this season. Not in terms of performance, but health. Tylor Megill was put on the injured list for the second time this season, and he’ll probably miss another six weeks at least. Carlos Carrasco was also pulled from his start at Houston in the third inning with lower back tightness. 

Of course, the two aces are on the injured list as well. Max Scherzer should be back within the next week, possibly even this weekend at the Marlins, after his solid rehab outing on Tuesday. deGrom seems to be progressing as well, but he’s further away. He threw a live batting practice session on Tuesday, and reportedly looked “sharp,” with the expectation of another this weekend before being sent on a rehab assignment.

The problem is, the Mets’ pitching depth is starting to dwindle. It would behoove them to acquire another starter, like Chad Kuhl.

About a month ago, I wrote about how Chad Kuhl could be a potential option if the Mets were looking to make a pitching move to replace Max Scherzer.Kuhl has continued to be a useful arm, having made 12 starts and pitched 63.1 innings. He’s given up 63 hits, 26 earned runs, 27 walks, and struck out 49 batters. His ERA is 3.69, his WHIP is 1.421, and his FIP is 4.09.

Kuhl is not a dominant pitcher by any means, but frankly, the Mets don’t need that. They need a guy who can eat innings while others are on the shelf. Kuhl averages more than five innings per start and he hasn’t missed one yet. Consistency like that would be more than welcome. As an added bonus, the Mets could move Peterson or Williams back to the bullpen as long relievers. 

With the Rockies being in one of the most challenging divisions in the league and also being in permanent win-later mode, there’s no point in him staying there. He’s also a free agent this winter, so they might as well get something for him before he signs elsewhere for nothing. Kuhl would be a great option to round out the Mets rotation.