Every Mets trade candidate on the MLB roster and why they could go

How many trades will the New York Mets actually make this winter? We can expect them to execute maybe one blockbuster. Along the way, there’s also a deal to dump a player probably around the corner. Then there are those kinds of trades where everyone wins or no one does.

The Mets actually have quite a few theoretical trade candidates already on the MLB roster aka candidates to open the season with the team. Not all of them will disappear into the MLB vortex. Billy Eppler should be fielding calls on each of them.

Who are they and why is each a candidate to get moved?

1) NY Mets trade candidate Darin Ruf has no place in Flushing

The most obvious trade candidate on the Mets is Darin Ruf. It’s obvious because he has no place on the roster. Ruf was an absolute fail of a trade deadline addition last year. The Mets cannot possibly retain him for another season.

The pros of trading Ruf, even for nothing much at all, far outweigh the pros of keeping him. Although he can play some right field if needed, he suits the Mets best as a mercenary piece. He filled that role as imperfectly as possible last year. Nothing suggests the plan would work out better in 2023.

The old “for a bag of balls” joke applies perfectly to his trade situation.

2) NY Mets trade candidate Daniel Vogelbach isn’t safe in New York quite yet

The Mets did pick up Daniel Vogelbach’s $1.5 million option for 2023. Does it mean he’ll be back? Not necessarily. Given the choice between that, arbitration, or cutting him loose for nothing at all, the Mets are standing their ground.

Vogelbach’s performance with them last year makes him a much more desirable trade chip for other ball clubs than his platoon partner, Ruf. He at least showed some promise of being able to produce in a platoon situation. First base-needy clubs could consider him a very affordable option.

If the Mets did trade him, the best they could probably hope to get is a minor league version of Colin Holderman, the man they sent to the Pittsburgh Pirates for him last summer. Vogelbach is better than Ruf. He’s also not a great solution for too many team’s first base or DH situation.

6) NY Mets trade candidate David Peterson can get starts somewhere else

The situation with David Peterson is similar to Megill. The difference is he hasn’t taken off as a reliever in the handful of times he has been summoned from the bullpen. As a result, the Mets have stuck with keeping him as an emergency starter.

This worked to perfection last year. Peterson bounced up and down between the majors and Triple-A. He was mostly reliable when he did start games in the big leagues.

Another team, with something to offer the Mets via trade, could offer him a little more stability. Peterson’s minor league options will eventually dry up anyway. The Mets will have to decide exactly where he fits in. Peterson is far from securing a rotation spot. A tempting offer from another general manager could send him elsewhere.

7) NY Mets trade candidate Mark Vientos is a clear favorite to get dealt

Probably the most likely trade candidate on the Mets roster is Mark Vientos. He’s a right-handed hitting power bat with no real position. Third base and first base are occupied. This current regime doesn’t seem interested in putting non-left fielders at that position either.

Vientos’ trade value isn’t anything exceptional because other squads would run into this same issue. Where do you put an all-bat, no-glove player?

Working as a first baseman/DH somewhere is the likeliest scenario for Vientos. The Mets may not trade him quite yet. Eventually, we should expect them to pull the trigger.

8) NY Mets trade candidate Eduardo Escobar is unlikely to go despite a lessening role

Eduardo Escobar is probably not going anywhere. He didn’t hit incredibly well last season so teams would be timid to take him on. He’s only a fit for “win now” teams looking to upgrade third base. Escobar’s poor defense doesn’t make him too ideal of an option anyway.

Escobar only becomes a Mets trade candidate because his role is lessening. Brett Baty should crack the Opening Day roster. This means Escobar could end up seeing much less action in 2023.

There is always a chance the Mets hold Baty back for a few months. He hardly played in Triple-A. Odds are heavily stacked against the Mets trading Escobar. You never know. He’s in the last year of his contract and there’s a top prospect right there behind him.