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Playing GM for the Mets: Three MLB trade deadline moves for New York with NL East title within reach

Playing GM for the Mets: Three MLB trade deadline moves for New York with NL East title within reach

This doesn’t need a lengthy discussion: The Mets are buyers. They are in playoff position, they went to the NLCS last season and just signed Juan Soto to a gargantuan contract this past offseason. This is the window of contention for a team that hasn’t won the World Series since 1986 and carries with it a fan base starving for another title. 

What’s more, the Mets had the best record in baseball earlier this season but have been awful for more than a month. Specifically, they are 12-20 since June 12. And yet they sit just half a game out of first place in the NL East and hold the second wild-card spot, behind only the Cubs (-554 to make the playoffs, per Caesars).

A plethora of pitcher injuries have left the Mets short on arms at times. Griffin Canning is done for the season while Paul Blackburn (shoulder) is on a rehab assignment and Tylor Megill only just started working his way back from an elbow injury. Sean Manaea, Kodai Senga and Frankie Montas have returned to round out the rotation with Clay Holmes and David Peterson. 

There are some concern areas on the position-player side, such as catcher, center field and perhaps another infielder. They could certainly use more bullpen arms, too (who couldn’t?). 

In order to grab everything the Mets might need to make a deep playoff run, they’ll need more than three moves. We can try to count on things like Mark Vientos hitting in the second half like he did last year and Francisco Alvarez figuring things out on a long-term basis behind the plate (and at the plate, obviously). 

That leaves these three moves the Mets should make. 

1. Trade for Cedric Mullins*

Mullins is set to hit free agency after the season and would provide the Mets with an everyday center fielder. He’s capable of being a well-above-average hitter as he was in 2021 and he still is flashing a nice power-speed combo with 13 homers and 13 steals. 

Tyrone Taylor has taken most of the center field reps this year, but he’s more suited for a utility outfielder role and Jeff McNeil could move back to the infield, where the combination of Mark Vientos, Brett Baty and Ronny Mauricio have yet to establish themselves at second and third base so far.

In a perfect world, the Mets are able to get big-name players at catcher, third, center and maybe even second, but that isn’t all going to happen. The best chance for everything to fall into place is to grab a center fielder and look for better from Alvarez, Vientos, Baty, Mauricio et al. Injury returns from Starling Marte and Jesse Winker also provide more depth with the DH spot. 

*Then again, they could just trade for Eugenio Suárez instead to play third and shuffle the others around wherever else they’re needed on any given night. He’s the type of bat to inspire that sort of shuffling. The problem right now is the D-backs are likely too close to a playoff spot to justify selling, but that can change quickly.

The Mets simply cannot count on their five starters to stay fully healthy and productive the rest of the season. There are too many injury concerns with the group and you also have to factor in Holmes, in his first season as a starting pitcher, already exceeding his career high in innings by a mile. Grabbing someone who has shown the ability to eat innings and pitch like a frontline starter works well. 

Enter Keller. He has a 3.48 ERA (123 ERA+) this season and it’s 2.32 in his last seven starts. He’s good for over 190 innings this season and, as a bonus, is signed through 2028. Even though he’s been good with the Pirates, it also feels like there would be another gear in there for a front office better suited at dealing with pitchers. That is to say, he’s a great change-of-scenery candidate. 

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After an atrocious 2024 season, Bednar has bounced back and looks like his old All-Star self this year. He’s a free agent after next season, so this would, again, be buying more than a rental. 

3. Acquire Jake Bird from Rockies

I just mentioned changes of scenery and how about freeing Bird from the Rockies? His slider-heavy approach this season has him missing more bats than ever and he looks like he could thrive with a winning organization. 

And maybe Bird doesn’t strike many as a huge-name addition, but he could well be an under-the-radar winner here. Just picture the Mets’ bullpen with Edwin Díaz in the ninth, now being setup by Bird, Bednar and Reed Garrett.

They’ll need to also grab a left-handed reliever, but this would potentially be a lockdown bullpen — instead of a mediocre one — after these moves. The name of the season is success in October at this point and that’s one of the ways you win there.




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