Mets trade for Darin Ruf feels like bad news already

This was the deal we’ve been refreshing Twitter all day to see? The New York Mets made a swap with the San Francisco Giants with a little over two hours to go before the MLB trade deadline. In exchange for minor leaguers Nick Zwack and Carson Seymour plus Thomas Szapucki and J.D. Davis, they got Darin Ruf.

That’s it. That’s the trade.

What is going on?

Did the Mets actually upgrade the roster with this move?

J.D. Davis for Darin Ruf already feels like a downgrade. Ruf is 35 and limited to first base and right field. That’s not to say Davis is any better at defense or a true third baseman. At least he can play the position in an emergency.

It’s understandable what the purpose of this trade was. The Mets wanted a different righty to pair at the DH spot with Daniel Vogelbach. However, it’s hard to claim Ruf is the solution. He is already 35 and while signed to a modest $3 million through next season, isn’t having a particularly good year. Against left-handed pitchers, he is batting .252/.364/.523. It’s good. It’s just not great.

As an added ounce of pain, the Mets also gave up a pair of prospects plus Szapucki who could have had a chance to turn his career around as a left-handed reliever. One would have to think there was a better deal out there to make. Are the Mets that married to their prospects?

The Mets roster now has what is essentially three first baseman on it. Dominic Smith has yet to get traded although we can feel confident he’ll either spend the rest of the year in Triple-A or get dealt in the next few hours.

That’s not what feels so painful right now. The Mets got even less versatile right now. They gave up quite a ton for a role-player. And we all thought Colin Holderman for Vogelbach might have been slightly too much. This deal, at least initially, it aches!