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NY Post
New York Post
2 Jun 2023


NextImg:What to watch as the trade deadline starts to come into view for the Mets

Delivering insights on all things Amazin's

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Other than June’s traditional place as the month in which the standings initially become relevant, the first month of summer also brings us the first trade-deadline whispers.

The Mets will need help — probably even more than general manager Billy Eppler could have envisioned when assembling this $370 million roster last winter.

As has been witnessed over the first 57 games this season, this is a team without a true strength. It will likely leave Eppler and his staff on the lookout for improvements in all areas between now and the Aug. 1 trade deadline.

If you were prioritizing the Mets’ needs at the moment, you would start with the rotation, only because that unit has been the most glaringly disappointing, and Jose Quintana hasn’t yet thrown his first pitch for the team.

The Mets are hopeful the left-hander will return from the injured list in July and pitch to his career numbers, but neither is a given as Quintana rehabs from a bone graft after he sustained a stress fracture on a rib in spring training. A lesion was detected on the rib, prompting the surgery.

Getting Jose Quintana on the mound in July might give the Mets the kind of upgrade they may find hard to acquire in the trade market.
Corey Sipkin for the NY Post

Maybe Quintana becomes a trade-deadline acquisition of sorts, but let’s see how Carlos Carrasco — who has been superb in his last two starts — is going after the All-Star break and whether Justin Verlander and Max Scherzer are holding up physically.

The bare minimum would probably be finding a Trevor Williams-type who could shuffle between Triple-A and the major leagues and provide insurance in a way that David Peterson and Tylor Megill for the most part haven’t this season.

If the need extends beyond that — we are going to assume for the purposes of this exercise the Angels aren’t trading Shohei Ohtani — could the Mets persuade the Guardians to trade them Shane Bieber?

Shane Bieber delivers a pitch for the Cleveland Guardians.

The Guardians’ Shane Bieber is a name to monitor in the starting pitcher trade market.
USA TODAY Sports via Reuters Con

The Cubs are also worth watching, with names such as Marcus Stroman, Drew Smyly and Kyle Hendricks potentially available. On the other side of Chicago, the White Sox are reeling, and Lucas Giolito is an impending free agent. The Giants are teetering in the NL West, and have a pair of Alexes (Cobb and Wood) who could be helpful.

Any talk of upgrading the bullpen likely starts with trying to land another team’s closer, allowing David Robertson to shift into the role for which he was signed, as a setup man.

Maybe Edwin Diaz will return late in the season from the patellar tendon surgery he underwent in spring training, but the Mets certainly can’t count on that.

Diaz’s younger brother Alexis should be a person of interest. The Reds are hanging around in the diluted NL Central, but we’ll see how long that lasts.

Cincinnati Reds' Alexis Diaz yells as he walks off the mound after striking out St. Louis Cardinals' Nolan Gorman during the ninth inning of a baseball game in Cincinnati, Monday, May 22, 2023.

Alexis Diaz would be a good candidate to take over his brother’s closing duties, but the Reds may not fall far enough out of playoff contention to make him available.
AP

If the Mets want to venture into the pure rental direction, the Red Sox are reeling and Kenley Jansen is as battle-tested as anybody.

Aroldis Chapman, who is thriving with the underwhelming Royals, should be available. Emmanuel Clase (Guardians) and Camilo Doval (Giants) are among the better young closers (along with Diaz) pitching for possible non-contenders.

Adding some offensive help is never a bad idea either.

Mark Vientos could receive a shot at showing he’s a capable DH option from the right side.

Cody Bellinger gets high fives after hitting a home run for the Cubs.

Cody Bellinger might be an intriguing lefty bat option if the Cubs make him available before the trade deadline.
Getty Images

If that doesn’t materialize and the Blue Jays continue to sputter, could Matt Chapman, in the final year of his contract, become an option? Cody Bellinger, playing for the Cubs, has rediscovered his stroke and could be that option from the left side (Bellinger is currently sidelined due to a left knee injury).

It’s early. Plenty of names will be mentioned over the next two months. But make no mistake: trade-deadline season is here.

Omar Narvaez’s anticipated return from the injured list Tuesday will leave the Mets facing a potentially tough roster decision.

Francisco Alvarez will obviously stay, so will the team carry three catchers or unload Tomas Nido, who doesn’t have minor league options remaining?

The fact the Mets have gotten to this point only underscores that team officials didn’t expect the 21-year-old Alvarez to emerge this quickly, otherwise they would have passed on signing Narvaez as a free agent last winter, or at the very least decided against giving the arbitration-eligible Nido a two-year contract.

Give Alvarez credit for seizing the opportunity presented to him and showing he’s major league ready.

New York Mets catcher Tomas Nido (3) attempts a sacrifice bunt in the third inning against the Washington Nationals at Citi Field.

Keeping Tomas Nido may be a luxury the Mets choose not to afford thanks to the emergence of Francisco Alvarez.
USA TODAY Sports via Reuters Con

The Mets could very well decide to carry three catchers, but that might entail a commitment to giving Narvaez at-bats as a lefty DH — despite his poor offensive showing last season.

Also, carrying a third catcher would require clearing roster space. That would mean trimming a reliever — probably not a good idea — or moving on from Daniel Vogelbach, Eduardo Escobar, Mark Canha or Tommy Pham.

Offensively, Nido isn’t an upgrade over any of those players, but it’s possible the team values him enough for his defense to find a spot for him.

There is always the possibility an injury will emerge that would allow the Mets to delay their decision, but at the moment it appears an interesting dilemma is looming.

Want to catch a game? The Mets schedule with links to buy tickets can be found here.

Buck Showalter has mentioned on multiple occasions that baseball’s future will probably include six pitchers in a starting rotation.

On some level that idea would make sense, perhaps restoring a manager’s confidence in allowing a starter to work deeper into games.

But are teams really all that excited about reducing the number of starts for their better pitchers so a sixth starter could be inserted into the mix?

New York Mets starting pitcher David Peterson (23) reacts after giving up a three run home run during the fifth inning when the New York Mets played the Atlanta Braves Friday, April 28, 2023 at Citi Field in Queens, NY.

David Peterson’s struggles have made it difficult for Buck Showalter to arrange his pitching rotation to buy someone an extra day of rest.
Robert Sabo for the NY Post

The Mets have employed a sixth starter on two occasions this season, allowing Kodai Senga to receive extra rest, and may go in that direction again Sunday, which would be the Japanese right-hander’s turn in the rotation.

It’s here that David Peterson’s regression this season has most been felt.

Peterson’s ability to step in last season and help keep the Mets competitive with pitchers such as Jacob deGrom and Scherzer sidelined was a significant component in the team’s 101-win season.

The Peterson of last year pitching as the sixth starter this season wouldn’t even raise a question about his trustworthiness. But, as his 8.08 ERA would indicate, that hasn’t been the case this year.

Senga will have to pitch on normal rest at some point. The time may have finally arrived.