The Mets have started off tier season with a 12-14 record which is not indicative of the potential that their roster brings. The losses of Noah Syndergaard and Jed Lowrie to injury, Marcus Stroman and Yoenis Cespedes to opt-outs and the late arrival of Jared Hughes, Brad Brach, Robert Gsellman, Walker Lockett, Jake Marisnick, and others to COVID19 or injury have all hindered the Mets success. Couple that with the losses in the Mets rotation due to Steven Matz’s struggles and Michael Wacha’s ailing shoulder, and you have a very banged-up team. There are many targets for the Mets to look at before the trade deadline, but here is a narrowed list and why they fit.
Alex Cobb– RHP, Orioles, 32
Cobb is in the midst of a four-year $57 million contract that he signed in March 2018. Alex would be able to fill in the Mets rotation for the 2020 season and beyond. Due to his contract, it would be fair to assume that the prospect charge would be less than if he was on a smaller deal. In the 2020 season, Cobb is 1-2 with a 3.73 ERA and 1.18 WHIP while hurling 31.1 innings and striking out 22. Alex would help deepen a Mets rotation decimated by injury.
Matt Kemp– OF/DH, Rockies, 35
Should the Mets acquire Kemp, it would be his second rodeo in the Mets organization. The Mets signed him to a minors pact a season ago and played for the Syracuse Mets in Triple-A. Kemp was signed by the Rockies to a minors deal with an invitation to summer camp after getting let loose by the Marlins amidst the pandemic. He has enjoyed his time in Coors field so far with a .233/.333/.367 slash line with two home runs and 11 RBI’s. Kemp would add a thumping righty bat to a Mets lineup with a struggling Pete Alonso, and no more Yeonis Cespedes.
Lance McCullers Jr.– RHP, Astros, 26
Despite the Astros cheating scandal, the Mets would be wise to look at Mr. McCullers. With an impressive seven-inning effort that saw him take a no-hitter into the seventh. Lance is under team control until 2022 and would require the Mets to part with some prospects. McCullers is in his first season back from Tommy John Surgery and struggled a bit up until his last start. Lance’s immense upside and flashes of dominance can be attractive to the Mets. Through four starts, Lance has a 5.74 ERA and a 1.31 WHIP with 25 strikeouts in 31.1 innings.
Dylan Bundy– RHP, Angels, 27
The Angels spent the offseason priming for a potential playoff run and a hopeful contender. One of the many moves that they made was acquiring Dylan Bundy from the Orioles in the hopes of rejuvenating their rotation. Bundy has responded exceptionally well to the tube of a 3-2 record with a 2.58 ERA with 44 strikeouts through 38.1 innings. Dylan also ranks eighth the league in with a 0.89 WHIP. Bundy is a young former top prospect who will help the Mets beyond 2020 in a rotation that has been decimated by injury. With 34 games in 34 days for the Mets, rotation depth will be needed and the Mets would get that with an acquisition like Bundy.
Trevor Bauer– RHP, Reds, 29
Bauer, one of the great voices for baseball and a dominant social media presence, will have some dominance requested one thing side of things. One of the most dominant pitchers of 2020, Bauer has pitched a couple of complete-game gems this year granted they were only seven innings. The impending free agent has a 3-1 record with a 1.65 ERA and 49 strikeouts through 32.2 innings with a 0.73 WHIP which is good for second in the majors. If the Mets plan to go all in, adding Bauer for the stretch run would make their rotation scary good and give them an upper hand for signing him in free agency.
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