3 Mets trade targets who move up the wish list with Corbin Burnes possibly off the block

There's still some quality talent out there for David Stearns to acquire.
Wild Card Series - Texas Rangers v Tampa Bay Rays - Game One
Wild Card Series - Texas Rangers v Tampa Bay Rays - Game One / Megan Briggs/GettyImages
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3) Dylan Cease

Glasnow and Soto are both set to hit free agency at the end of the 2024 season, but Dylan Cease is a pitcher with more team control. This right-hander is under team control through the 2025 season, making him a more attractive candidate for a team like the Mets but also one that will presumably cost more prospect-wise.

The White Sox dangled Cease at the deadline and at times it truly felt like they'd move on (they should have) but they wound up holding onto him. With the White Sox stuck in no-mans land, new GM Chris Getz could steer them in the direction of a rebuild by trading Cease this offseason. He should, at the very least, be available for teams to ask about.

Cease took a major step back following his breakout 2022 season, posting a 4.58 ERA in 33 starts and 177 innings pitched. That ERA obviously isn't great, but he did have a 3.72 FIP suggesting he was a bit unlucky on the mound, and he was fifth in the American League with 214 strikeouts. There's every reason to believe he'll be much better next season, even if he's not a Cy Young finalist.

The Mets would get two guaranteed years of Cease at the top of their rotation and could easily choose to extend the 27-year-old if the fit is right. This team needs pitching, and acquiring a controllable arm entering his prime seems like a great first move for David Stearns to make.

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