Small Mets trade continues to build their working alliance with the Red Sox

The New York Mets predictably made another trade with the Boston Red Sox on Saturday. It's now the fourth swap the two teams have made of the David Stearns era. Utility man Pablo Reyes goes to the Mets for the oft-traded cash considerations.

There's definitely some sense of irony here with the last trade the two teams made essentially being the exact opposite. Zack Short went to the Red Sox only to later land with the Atlanta Braves. Reyes will now join a growing list of utility players in Triple-A buying for a promotion.

A possibly meaningless trade all by itself, the deal does at least help continue a union between the Mets and Red Sox as trade partners.

The Mets and Red Sox are setting up for bigger trades in the future

A lifetime .248/.309/.349 hitter, Reyes will head to Triple-A where he has been hitting .462/.588/.692 this season. That’s over a small sample of just 5 games. What makes him a little more appealing than Jose Iglesias is the ability to play the outfield. When the Mets finally do decide they need a middle infielder, could he get the call over the veteran?

The bigger takeaway from this trade is how these two clubs have each other on speed dial. It’s actually the first time the Red Sox have “helped out” the Mets. Rule 5 Draft pick Justin Slaten going from the Mets to the Red Sox and Tyler Heineman doing the same were more helpful for the Red Sox as was the acquisition by them of Short.

The Red Sox, at 26-26, are just 2.5 games out of the AL Wild Card. They’re seventh in the American League with no separation between them and the Minnesota Twins who have the final playoff spot at the moment. Will they buy? If so, the Mets look like a team to turn to.

Ivy Leaguers David Stearns and Craig Breslow might’ve gone to rival colleges, Harvard and Yale, but it has helped connect them in the baseball world as does their Jewish faith. They’re from the same generation and in their first or second year on the job with their respective teams. Breslow never had a chance to be so friendly with Stearns in the past as his former employer, the Chicago Cubs, never would’ve been so kind to Stearns and the Brewers. It’s different now.

Look for the Mets and Red Sox to make small moves like this even more and for a trade deadline conversation to happen if we have one buyer and one seller.