A Mets trade offer to make the Marlins for Tanner Scott before the second half begins

Relief pitchers are going to cost a lot and for a team like the New York Mets who could use a couple of improvements, they’ll need to choose wisely. A popular man over the next couple of days will be the star closer of the Miami Marlins, Tanner Scott. A left-handed rental with a 1.34 ERA this season, he has some of the nastiest stuff and weakest contact against him. He’s exactly the type of pitcher the Mets should look to sell off a big piece for.

Of the Mets top prospects who fall into the league’s 100 best, no one feels expendable enough for a relief pitcher they could lose in two months. What’s more, if we compare a possible trade to last year’s David Robertson swap, it shouldn’t necessarily cost the Mets a top 100 prospect anyway. Marco Vargas and Ronald Hernandez are good younger prospects and despite the inflation on arms and an even hotter one like Scott, the Mets should be able to put a package together good enough to entice the Marlins.

What the Mets should offer the Marlins for Tanner Scott before the All-Star Break ends

Here’s the trade offer to make:

The Marlins get one of two former top 100 prospects in this deal which shouldn’t be taken lightly. Brett Baty was the number 21 prospect in all of baseball at one point back in 2023. Although he hasn’t progressed as desired, teams should still want him in exchange for a rental.

The Marlins get their choice of him or Ronny Mauricio, another once top 100 prospect. Mauricio hasn’t played enough in the majors to lose his rookie status. An injury which has knocked him out for all of 2024 will put a hold on what he does next. It shouldn’t scare off the Marlins or anyone else enough to not consider adding him in a deadline deal.

Keeping things fair and just, the next best prospect in the deal is another position player. Miami has a knack for developing pitchers anyway. Wilfredo Lara is the sacrifice here. The 20-year-old has played a lot of shortstop and third base as well as the outfield in his young career. Considered the number 24 Mets prospect according to MLB Pipeline, he’s someone who the Mets don’t immediately need but has value.

To make sure the Marlins budge, they can have a pitching prospect (or hitter), but no one within the team’s list of the top 30. Grab a young guy they believe in. You want Kade Morris? He’s yours.

Is this enough to make the Marlins greenlight a trade? If needed, the Mets might have to change the “non-top 30 pitching prospect” into someone a bit better. As fantastic of a pitcher as Scott is, he’s one man and a guy who won’t even be closing for the Mets. If the Marlins don’t want to play with this trade offer, David Stearns can take his chips elsewhere.