Where Things Stand for New York Mets Ahead of Trade Deadline
In this story:
With eight days to go until the August 2 trade deadline, there certainly has been plenty of buzz in the rumor department.
For the Mets, they have been doing their due diligence on number of potential targets, as expected, and have shown interest in several names, who could possibly upgrade their club.
Although they acquired DH Daniel Vogelbach from the Pittsburgh Pirates on Friday, the Mets are still looking for a bat that can hit left-handed pitching, as well as high-leverage bullpen help.
As reported by Inside the Mets, and others, here's where things currently stand as of this date.
Bat Options:
Baltimore Orioles 1B/OF/DH Trey Mancini: Seen as the best fit and potential top option for the Mets, perception amongst rival National League executives. Mancini's positional versatility fits what the Mets value the most. Although the Orioles are in the AL Wild Card race, Mancini is still expected to get dealt, given he is a rental.
Washington Nationals 1B/DH Josh Bell: Mets have presented at least one trade offer to Washington, but no deal is believed to be close.
Boston Red Sox DH J.D. Martinez: Mets are among the teams monitoring his availability, as are other clubs.
Colorado Rockies 1B/DH C.J. Cron: They are Interested, but the Rockies might not deal him.
Relief Options:
Chicago Cubs RHP David Robertson: Mets have been scouting him. The 37-year-old rental option is seen as an ideal fit. Holds both New York and postseason experience, but will be in high-demand.
Baltimore Orioles RHP Jorge Lopez: The Mets are one of several clubs interested, but Baltimore is leaning towards keeping Lopez and their other relievers, given they are in the AL Wild Card race.
Detroit Tigers LHP Andrew Chafin: A reliever that looked like an ideal match for the Mets during free agency this past offseason. Has a $6.5 million player option in 2023, which could see him become a free agent again if he declines it. He is the perfect fit for a Mets bullpen that lacks lefties, and the 32-year-old could help any contending club. The Tigers are likely to be sellers as they reside in the basement of the AL Central once more. Chafin is an arm of interest for the Mets.
Arizona Diamondbacks LHP Joe Mantiply: Speaking of lefties, the Mets have looked at the first-time All-Star. However, Mantiply has really struggled lately with a 5.17 ERA across his last 15 appearances for Arizona.
Trading Block:
While it was a bit surprising that the Mets traded a young, talented reliever, with multiple years of team control, Colin Holderman, New York had to "rob Peter to pay Paul," as general manager Billy Eppler said on Friday in terms of their deal for Vogelbach.
Now, the focus remains on shopping Dominic Smith, with J.D. Davis also being a candidate to get moved. This DH platoon has not worked out well for the Mets this season, which is why Vogelbach was acquired, and why another bat is being sought after.
Smith has been drawing interest from at least two teams in the Boston Red Sox and Chicago Cubs as of this date. He is currently on the IL with an ankle sprain, but it is believed to be a very minor ailment.
Many teams around the league feel that Smith hasn't gotten a fair shot in Queens, granted he has been blocked by cornerstone franchise star and fellow first baseman Pete Alonso. Smith is still seen as a high-upside bat, with Gold Glove caliber defensive skills at first base. The 2013 first-round pick was a top prospect and is still just 27-years-old. A breakup will likely be beneficial for both sides, and there appears to be some trade value there.
Michael Marino provided additional reporting in this story.
Read More:
- Mets Among Teams Monitoring J.D. Martinez's Availability
- Mets Discussed Trade Offer With Nationals for Josh Bell
- Jacob deGrom to Make at Least 1 More Rehab Start Before Mets Return
Follow Pat Ragazzo on Twitter (@ragazzoreport), be sure to bookmark Inside The Mets and check back daily for news, analysis and more.
