OPINION: Mets Must Become Deadline Dealers

With the July 31st non-waiver trade deadline approaching, the flailing New York Mets must soon decide to become deadline dealers or acquirers. With a lousy record of 31-38 and in the wake of losing five of their last seven games – as of June 19 – the Mets are in no position to make the playoffs and should focus on rebuilding a farm system in need of a few tools.

Now, nothing is impossible and, as Mets GM Sandy Alderson noted over the weekend, the Mets only have to surpass two teams in order to get a Wild Card spot – he failed to note that the Mets are 12 and a half games out of that Wild Card spot. The Mets, with the condition of the injured Noah Syndergaard‘s return and about a dozen other miracles, could make the playoffs. But Alderson is a realist and realistically, this team has no chance.

With several decent players scheduled to hit free-agency this winter, the Mets have plenty of pieces to trade away. Both Jay Bruce and Lucas Duda could serve as potential treats for teams intent on making the final push to the playoffs. Additionally, at least in Duda’s case, the Mets are more than prepared to fill his spot in 2018. Currently, Triple-A first baseman Dominic Smith is projected as the number one prospect at his position. While the Mets don’t have a viable option at first if Duda is traded during the 2017 season, Wilmer Flores has spent a decent amount of time at the position and would fill in fine as the Mets stumble towards the season’s finish.

Alderson’s original plan for the team had them becoming contenders in 2016. They missed the mark, in a good way, and made an appearance in the World Series in 2015. While 2016 only resulted in a Wild Card loss, the rash of injuries the team experienced during the season seemed a valid excuse. But the Mets have been hit with even worse luck this season and whatever plan Alderson had for the next decade of Mets’ baseball has seemed to be thrown into the wind – his future ace, Zack Wheeler, spent two years on the DL and has a long way to go before even becoming a solid number 2, his fill-in ace, Matt Harvey, has proven himself to be a dud, his catcher of the future Travis d’Arnaud can’t hit, or catch, for that matter. Alderson even failed to plan for the emergence of his true ace in 2017, 2014 Rookie of the Year winner, Jacob deGrom.

In light of all that, it’s time for a new plan.

The Mets have used up their minor league pitching reserve, as is evident by the lackluster fill-ins in the wake of injuries to Syndergaard, Steven Matz, Seth Lugo, and Harvey. Now would be a great time to get a pitching prospect, be him a starter or an even more needed reliever. The Mets could also use a second baseman, having traded away their top second base prospect Dilson Herrera in the trade that brought Bruce to New York in 2016. With current second baseman Neil Walker headed for free agency this winter, now would be the time to find a viable replacement.

The pieces are all there. The Mets have obvious holes to fill and have the pieces necessary to take the steps to fill them but it starts now, over the next month of baseball. The Mets need to admit to this failure of the season, regardless of whose fault it is, and plan for 2018. With a healthy pitching staff, a new first baseman, an improved bullpen, and the Amed Rosario era in full swing, the Mets can, and will, be contenders once again – and after only one short half of a year of rebuilding.