3 NY Mets trade candidates to keep unless the offer is too good to be true

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It’s been a while since the New York Mets were trade deadline sellers. The year was 2018 and much like this ongoing season, the club suffered a debilitating June which confirmed our worst fears: the team wasn’t any good.

From 2019-2022, the Mets bought at the trade deadline. They’re going to end the streak this year. There hasn’t been enough signs of life from the players to say some sort of tremendous comeback is going to occur.

Every free agent-to-be should be on the trade block as should some of those veterans with contracts extending beyond 2023. Core pieces like Pete Alonso, Jeff McNeil, and any of the Baby Mets should stay put. The same goes for these three more realistic trade candidates who shouldn’t get dealt anywhere unless the offer Billy Eppler receives is too good to be true.

1) NY Mets should hold onto Brooks Raley unless they get a sweetheart offer

Here’s a new oxymoron for you: a good 2023 Mets pitcher. Brooks Raley has delivered out of the bullpen for the Mets this season. The main southpaw for Buck Showalter was picked up in a trade with the Tampa Bay Rays in the offseason and has, for the most part, met expectations. He’s one of the handful of Mets relievers we can put faith in.

Raley’s contract includes a $6.5 million team option for next year or a $1.25 million buyout the Mets don’t have to worry about. The price tag on Raley for 2024 is pretty spot on for what he should get. If he can survive the trade deadline, Raley would be a nice piece to have back in next year’s bullpen.

The Mets may blow up a portion of the roster but don’t look to see a major reset. They have more than enough trade chips on expiring or even overpriced contracts. The second they trade Raley is the second they already begin to scout his replacement.

Unless someone comes along and offers the Mets a deal too good to pass on, Raley should stay put.

2) NY Mets shouldn’t dump Adam Ottavino unless they get something they really like back

A little less popular of an opinion, Adam Ottavino isn’t necessarily someone the Mets should send packing. He has been much less effective this season than he was last year. Who really thought he’d have a 2.06 ERA again? He’s much closer to the pitcher he has been throughout his career. With Ottavino, there are highs and lows. The end result can sometimes be a place in the middle.

A lot of the same points about Raley are true for Ottavino. Set to earn $7.25 next season on a player option, the tricky part here is the power is all in Ottavino’s hands. Does he opt out? He hasn’t pitched like a $7.25 million reliever this year. Another year closer to 40, it could end up as the best contract available.

Ottavino is a New York native and someone who returned to the Mets last offseason after one year. As long as everything is copacetic behind the scenes, Ottavino is a candidate to opt into the contract.

Whether to hold onto Ottavino or not past the trade deadline has a lot to do with where the Mets feel he’ll lean come free agency. If he’s leaving, he should be traded. The same is true for every player on an expiring deal.

But if the relationship is good and opting into the second-year of his deal is bound to happen, Ottavino is a guy who should stick around. The difference is he shouldn’t begin the year as a setup man. Ottavino is probably of better use to the Mets going forward as a sixth or seventh inning guy.

3) NY Mets shouldn’t rush to trade Starling Marte unless the deal is perfect

Starling Marte has been one of the bigger Mets busts this season. How was it that only a year ago he was days away from being an All-Star? The Marte free agent signing was no question worth an A grade last year. This season has knocked it down to something closer to a C. There are two more seasons left of it.

Marte is an expensive corner outfielder whose defense is on the decline. His bat hasn’t been great but he can still run and there’s a ton of value in stealing bases with the new MLB rule changes. Until Marte loses a step there, he can have a place on an MLB roster.

The Mets should try hard to trade Marte and have a willingness to eat a portion of the salary to get something of value back. However, if they don’t feel like the deal is perfect, holding onto Marte is fine.

The offseason is the time to trade Marte if the Mets can’t get something done now. Even then, Marte can bring something to the Mets. Their bigger issue is how the ball club is made up of too many guys without much power. Marte’s home runs are trending way down and for a club without a single true power hitter in the outfield, it’s going to negatively affect the offense.

Marte seems like a guy who might end up seeing his season end early with surgery. Offseason core surgery, groin tightness, and a bunch of hit by pitches to the hand; Marte has a lengthy resume of being hurt since joining the Mets. The perfect trade involving Marte might not necessarily include a strong prospect haul as much as it clears space for a better and less-beaten player.

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