3 trade deadline sweepstakes the Mets should avoid
Your ideal New York Mets trade deadline isn’t what will actually happen or probably what they should even do. With plenty of high-quality players to rent or continue to build around, Billy Eppler will have a lot of options to explore before the 2022 trade deadline hits us on August 2.
The Mets should explore all avenues but avoid paying a ransom in these three trade deadline sweepstakes.
1) NY Mets should avoid the Andrew Benintendi trade deadline sweepstakes
Does Andrew Benintendi solve what the Mets need most? They need power. They need someone who can hit left-handed pitchers. Benintendi is neither of those. He’s a guy you want to play in left field every day and maybe win another Gold Glove.
He could make sense on the Mets if they were to move Mark Canha or Starling Marte to regular DH duties. But then we have to remember his offense and what he brings to the table. He is too similar to some of their other hitters with lighter power and a good batting average.
While not a bad hitter in his career versus lefties despite being one himself, it wouldn’t make much sense to bring him in especially when the asking price might be on the rise even with his vaccination status.
The Mets wouldn’t be affected by Benintendi’s vaccination status unless they ended up in the World Series versus the Toronto Blue Jays. By that point, maybe he’d get the shot.
It shouldn’t matter. The resources you’d trade for him would be better off going toward a different bat and maybe even a bullpen arm. He’ll have suitors. The Mets don’t need to be one of them.
2) NY Mets should avoid the Willson Contreras trade deadline sweepstakes
Pivoting to a trade for Willson Contreras makes sense only if two things happen. First, the Mets need to be sure James McCann will be out for the rest of the year or close to it. Secondly, they need to get him at a bargain.
Trading for a catcher midseason is always a risk. Having never worked with the Mets pitching staff aside from Trevor Williams briefly, there’s a huge learning curve that would need to take place in the middle of a pennant race. Contreras isn’t a bad defensive catcher but he’s also not a brilliant one either. Too much could go wrong.
One possible to scenario could be to use Contreras regularly as a DH and give him occasional starts behind the plate. This isn’t all that appealing. Because the Chicago Cubs would probably rather just try to continue their relationship with him or receive draft pick compensation if he leaves in free agency, it would be foolish of them to lower their asking price to such outrageously low levels.
Chicago is in a strange position with one of the best catchers in baseball being obviously available and so few fits aside from the St. Louis Cardinals—their biggest nemesis aside from the World Series until 2016. The Mets will probably only be able to add one big bat at the trade deadline. It doesn’t need to be at the catch spot. Load up elsewhere, then let’s go!
3) NY Mets should avoid the David Bednar trade deadline sweepstakes
It’s going to take the Jaws of Life to pull David Bednar away from the Pittsburgh Pirates. They have no urgency to trade the All-Star closer this year. The Mets have equally as little need to get themselves into a bidding war for him.
The Mets are secure at the closer spot with Edwin Diaz. This we all know. They could be in the market for a right-handed reliever and maybe even forego the rest of the season with two lefties in the bullpen. After all, when the playoffs roll around, David Peterson should be there to provide them with innings out of the bullpen in this role.
If the Mets are looking for some more right-handed security, much cheaper rentals like Daniel Bard or David Robertson would make sense for them. Bednar’s trade value is so astronomically high right now because of his awesome season and the years of control remaining. You only trade for him if you plan to use him in the ninth inning. The Mets simply don’t have that need right now.
Unlike Benintendi and Contreras who probably should get traded, the Pirates can hold onto Bednar until they get an offer that blows them away. What’s your best Juan Soto trade package? Eliminate the weakest link from that and you can get the Pirates to budge. Maybe you can take out the best player from the deal, too.
The point is: all of the leverage is in their court right now. Don’t even bother getting involved.