New York Mets Willing to Take on Bad Contracts at Trade Deadline

The New York Mets don't want to give up any top prospects.

According to SNY's Andy Martino, the Mets are seeking bullpen help and are unwilling to part with their prospects.

That said, the Mets are willing to take on an expensive contract from another team so that club can spend elsewhere.

League sources gave Martino examples of high-priced players the Mets can trade for in order to acquire a desirable pitcher.

Washington Nationals: Patrick Corbin, Stephen Strasburg, Trevor Williams

Martino says league sources linked Corbin's name to the Mets most frequently. Corbin is owed $24.4 million this season and $35.4 million in 2024. If the Mets pay all of that it could land them a reliever such as Hunter Harvey, C.J. Edwards or Kyle Finnegan.

Per Martino, Corbin might not be an instant DFA either, as Mets pitching coach Jeremy Hefner could try to work with him in order to revitalize his career.

Williams almost re-signed with the Mets and is only playing on a two-year, $13 million deal, which wouldn't be too expensive for Steve Cohen.

Strasburg is owed $35 million per year through 2026. That contract might be too expensive for the Mets to take on.

New York Yankees: Josh Donaldson, Giancarlo Stanton

The Yankees, of course, are not going to be sellers at the trade deadline. But they do owe Donaldson $21 million this year. If they are willing to give up a controllable bullpen arm like Ian Hamilton, this could free up money for them to spend at the deadline and remain under the luxury tax threshold.

Martino says the Mets would cut Donaldson, but not Stanton, who could be their DH. The MLB insider believes if Cohen offers the Yankees a way out of the $118 million owed to Stanton from 2024-2027, that would be worth even more than Hamilton.

Donaldson would be more realistic than Stanton.

St. Louis Cardinals: Steven Matz

Once upon a time, the Mets almost re-signed Matz, but Cohen got used by his camp. Now, struggling and moved to the bullpen, the Mets could offer the Cardinals a way out of the $35.5 million they owe the lefty over the next three seasons. In return, the Mets could potentially receive hard throwing arm Jordan Hicks.

Kansas City Royals: Salvador Perez, Scott Barlow

MLB insider Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic first floated the possibility that a team could take on Perez's and/or Barlow's contract to acquire Aroldis Chapman.

But Royals GM J.J. Picollo has said he is not interested in trading Perez, who is owed $20 million this year, $20 million in 2024, $22 million in 2025.

Martino believes Barlow ($5.4 million this year, and a projected raise in final year of arbitration) and Chapman ($3.75 million) paired together in a trade would transform the Mets' bullpen. But a league source tells Martino that Kansas City wants prospects if they trade those pitchers.