3 NY Mets trades to make after losing out on Carlos Correa

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To all my fellow New York Mets fans, the band-aid has finally been ripped off and we saw Carlos Correa spurn the Mets for the Minnesota Twins in one of the most incredible free-agency twists in baseball that I can ever remember. Now that both parties have moved in separate directions it's time for the Mets to move forward with shoring up their roster going into Spring Training.

While currently, the trade market isn't as robust now that Boston Red Sox third baseman Rafael Devers also recently reached a long-term extension, the Mets will have to get creative in identifying potential targets to upgrade their offense. Don't forget that Owner Steve Cohen publicly proclaimed that Correa seemed to be the final piece the Mets needed to be a legitimate force next season.

While the Mets may not find a superstar like Carlos Correa currently available on the trade market, there are three players that catch my eye that may potentially be available to be had from their current teams for the right price. Let's take a look at three trade options that the Mets can potentially explore to add another bat to the starting lineup.

1) NY Mets trade target: Outfielder Bryan Reynolds

If there is one star player that is actively being shopped around by his current team it's Pittsburgh Pirates outfielder Bryan Reynolds. While it's hard to believe that the Pirates would ship out one of their sole established contributors on their roster, it seems over the last several weeks they are fielding offers from multiple Major League front offices.

For an organization in the Pirates that seems to be in a never-ending rebuild, they seem content to let Reynolds go this offseason who by the way is a career .281 hitter with a .361/.481/.842 slash line and 13.2 WAR, for a haul of prospects. It is well-known around baseball it is going to potentially take a haul to pry Reynolds away from the Pirates, and it has been reported they are looking for high-end pitching prospects in return.

The upside of acquiring Reynolds outside of his fantastic play is the Mets would have team control of Reynolds for a few more seasons as he's not scheduled to be a free agent until 2026. Reynolds would fit nicely in the Mets outfield rotation with Brandon Nimmo, Mark Canha, as well as Starling Marte, and it could be argued that the Mets would have one of the top outfields in baseball with those four.

2) NY Mets trade target: Outfielder Anthony Santander

if the Mets front office is looking for another legitimate power bat to add to their starting lineup that could play both in the outfield, as well as regularly slot into the designated hitter role, they should give Baltimore Orioles General Manager Mike Elias a call on Anthony Santander.

The switch-hitting Santander is coming off a huge year in which he popped 33 home runs and 89 RBIs and he would make a nice consolation prize for a bat in the middle of the lineup as protection for Pete Alonso. Santander would profile as a corner outfielder on the Mets and similarly to Bryan Reynolds, he would fit nicely as the much-needed fourth outfielder that the Mets are currently seeking.

A big reason I believe he could be available is for the sole fact that the Orioles currently have a glut of young outfielders on the roster, and I can see them potentially dealing one prior to Opening Day to free up some roster space and potentially address another need they may currently have. The Mets would also have a few years of control on Santander as well as he is not scheduled to hit free agency until 2025.

If the Mets were to move forward with a deal for either Anthony Santander or Bryan Reynolds it would quickly put to halt the whispers of potentially moving Brett Baty to the outfield and allow him to grow into his position at third base moving forward.

3) NY Mets trade target: Third baseman Yandy Diaz

One last interesting name I wanted to throw in the ring in terms of potential names the Mets could look into would be current Tampa Bay Rays third baseman Yandy Diaz. Diaz is coming off of a phenomenal 2022 campaign where he hit .296/.401/.423 with 9 home runs and 71 RBIs over 137 games played. He also walked more than he struck out with 60 strikeouts to 78 walks.

While obviously, the power numbers don't immediately jump out, the 31-year-old Diaz is regarded as one of the best pure hitters in baseball. Diaz's name has recently been floated around as a name that could hit the trade block sooner rather than later as Diaz is approaching his second year of arbitration and will see a significant pay raise that could approach close to $6 million.

As we all know, the Rays are notoriously known to trade Major League talent that doesn't comfortably fit their price range no matter how much of a contributor they may have been the previous season. The Rays could be looking to sell high on Diaz, who isn't a free agent until 2025, and receive some younger talent in return.

Diaz would be another option for the Mets in the infield at third base, first base, as well as at designated hitter. He would also make for an ideal leadoff hitter as he is one of the most patient hitters in baseball at the plate as he rarely strikes out.

Plain and simple the Mets have some potential options they can explore to make their present ballclub better prior to Opening Day and I have a feeling General Manager Billy Eppler has been working the phones since the minute they stepped away from the Correa deal.

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