3 reasons the Mets trade proposal by Bo Porter for Shohei Ohtani is nonsense

It has been a frustrating season for the New York Mets and yet, they're still linked to trade Los Angeles Angels star player, Shohei Ohtani if he is available at the trading deadline. If you're a baseball expert, you know that the primary reason why he's been linked to the Mets in a possible trade with Anaheim is due to the fact that their general manager Billy Eppler, was also general manager when he was with the Angels from 2015-2020. And sure enough, Bo Porter, a former MLB player now an analyst for MLB Network proposed a mock trade for Ohtani to the Mets that has some people, wondering if it's really a good trade for both sides to make.

The proposed trade that Porter thinks would work best for both sides was not only Ohtani coming to Queens but would also include, third baseman Anthony Rendon, outfielder Hunter Renfroe, and relief pitcher Chris Devenski. In return, the Angels would get Mets prospects Ronny Mauricio, Kevin Parada, Blade Tidwell, and Dominic Hamel along with infielders Brett Baty and Eduardo Escobar, outfielder Starling Marte and starting pitcher Tylor Megill. This is a massive trade package and one that I really don't think makes sense for both sides. Here are three reasons why this trade is total nonsense.

1) NY Mets would be giving up their future to rent Shohei Ohtani

This trade is massive and I get you're getting a once-in-a-generation player in Ohtani, you're still only trading him on a contract season and there's no guarantee you can bring him back for the long haul. Now the Mets would be idiots letting him leave in free agency, say he does leave the team at the end of the season, you're talking about the future of your ballclub you're giving up for Ohtani and a couple of other veteran players.

Baty has a chance to be the next David Wright over at the hot corner at third base and we still have not seen Ronny Mauricio at the big league level I'm sure Mets fans are waiting for him to get the call due to all the success he is having right now in the minors. And for Marte, I get that he's not having the same All-Star year he had in 2022, he is still a great outfielder with a great arm and can still run and steal bases at age 34. And even though Tylor Megill was recently sent down to the minors, I still think with a little more development, he can be really good. This trade includes too many of the Mets future stars and veteran players that I think can help build a contender in Flushing, Queens.

2) NY Mets need to stay away from injured and expensive Anthony Rendon

It's not just Ohtani who's included in this trade proposed by Porter, it is also third baseman Anthony Rendon and Mets fans are very familiar with Rendon who spent his first six seasons in the major leagues from 2013-2019 with the Washington Nationals. Rendon opted to leave the Nats after winning their first World Series in team history to sign a lucrative 7-year, $245 million deal with the Angels.

The contract so far has not worked in favor of the Angels as Rendon has suffered multiple season-ending injuries only playing 58 games in 2021 and 47 in 2022. Even though he's been able to stay healthy so far in 2023, trading for Rendon with all of the injury history he's had is a very risky move for this team to make. Plus, they will have to take on the remaining years of his current contract and the Mets have past experience of taking on veteran players' remaining contracts like Robinson Cano's most recently.

Also, do the Mets really need Rendon on their team? I do not see any place on this roster for Rendon to fit with this team. The Mets already have their third baseman in Brett Baty and I guess you could possibly fit him in the DH spot, that's still a spot I don't see him fitting on this roster with other emerging players like Mark Vientos and Mauricio just to name a few. I just don't think adding Rendon to this team is a smart move, especially with the injury history he has. It just doesn't make sense.