3 recent Mets trade deadline deals that aged well, 3 getting worse each day

NY Mets trade deadline deal looking worse each day: Javier Baez from the Cubs

The Rich Hill trade at the 2021 deadline didn’t bite the Mets. This one not only bit the Mets, it swallowed them alive.

In exchange for Javier Baez and Trevor Williams, the Chicago Cubs requested the Mets send them Pete Crow-Armstrong. The club’s first-round draft pick from 2020 was sent to the Cubs for the two-month mercenary slugging infielder and a year and a half of production out of Williams. It’s not looking good for the Mets long-term.

A World Series victory for the Mets in 2021 could have helped change the narrative around this trade. Baez was great in the regular season. Williams carved out his niche as a sixth starter and long-man out of the bullpen. Add in how important he was for them in 2022 and there was a lot to like about this trade from a Mets standpoint.

Unfortunately, the hype for Crow-Armstrong has elevated him up every top MLB prospects list. Put him wherever you want. The kid looks like he’s going to be really good.

What has made this trade age especially poor is how meaningless Baez’s strong finish in 2021 became and the lack of presence by him and Williams on the current roster. It might have been a necessary and winning trade with the end result being possible. The Mets didn’t even make the 2021 postseason. This deal has wrinkles already.