3 realistic Mets trade targets to replace Jake Diekman on the roster

The New York Mets designated Jake Diekman for assignment after the left-handed pitcher could not produce the results expected at his signing. Diekman posted a disappointing 5.63 ERA with little control on the mound, with a ratio of 6.8 walks per nine innings.

One of the compelling reasons for not continuing with Diekman is that this left-handed pitcher's contract had a vesting option for 2025 of $4 million that would be achievable by completing 58 appearances this year. The Mets have decided to go with internal options, but if necessary, these three options in the trade market would be more realistic considering the team's approach this season.

1) T.J. McFarland

The Mets could benefit from low-cost rental player options with good performance on the mound. That is the case of veteran T.J. McFarland of the Oakland Athletics.

The 35-year-old veteran is having a good season with the A's after two seasons with an ERA above 5.40. This pitcher's recent success is due to his ability to limit hard-hit contact this season, decreasing this by almost ten percentage points compared to 2023.

Additionally, his command has improved this season, showing better control of his pitches and decreasing his walk rate by almost three percentage points. Likewise, the left-handed pitcher continues to induce a considerable amount of ground balls, exceeding 60% of the hits allowed in this way.

The improvement in his repertoire is one of the reasons for McFarland's success. The sweeper, which he uses almost 40% of the time, keeps hitters at an expected slugging rate below .300, something considered elite.

The advanced metrics show that McFarland has been an unlucky pitcher and that these parameters explained above support an improvement in the immediate future of this pitcher showing an xERA of 2.81, located in the top 8% of the league. His performance and a contract cost of just $1.5 million make this pitcher an under-the-radar reliever with the ability to generate value at a relatively low price.

2) Jalen Beeks

The Colorado Rockies are one of the few teams that are clear sellers heading into the trade deadline. Despite not causing much noise in the market due to not having big names, the team has pieces that could impact any team's roster.

Jalen Beeks is one of those under-the-radar options that could help the Mets bullpen right now due to his ability to go multiple innings and efficiently retire left-handed hitters. Indeed, Beeks has managed to retire left-handed batters with 15 strikeouts in 15 innings and limit contact with a WHIP below 1.10, with only one home run allowed, an important aspect for a pitcher who plays at Coors Field in Colorado.

Beeks' ERA at Coors has been more than decent in 2024, below 4.00, allowing just two home runs in more than 28 innings pitched. This is possible thanks to the fact that this left-handed pitcher manages to induce a considerable number of hits by ground ball, more than 45% of the time.

At 30 years old and with a contract worth just $1,675,000 heading into free agency, the cost for Beeks' services would be quite low. The Mets would acquire a pitcher with enough MLB experience, a prospect pedigree, and a pitcher with positive results in one of the most difficult stadiums for pitchers in MLB.