Mets: 1 trade to make and 1 prospect to promote to boost playoff odds

Mets No. 10 prospect Thomas Szapucki could be close to providing help at the backend of the starting rotation.

Of the current Mets top prospects, there aren’t many highly ranked who are considered big-league ready in 2021. The player I believe is the closest to making an impact is the team’s No.10 prospect Thomas Szapucki.

The 25-year-old lefty has spent his minor-league season at Triple-A, where he’s posted a 3.51 ERA, 1.558 WHIP, and a 9.8 K/9 ratio across 25.2 innings this season. The statistics aren’t elite, but they’re solid.

It’s been an uphill battle for Szapucki who has battled back injuries and Tommy John surgery in the beginning of his pro career. Given the nature and severity of those setbacks, seeing Szapucki perform fairly well right now is an encouraging sign for New York.

The struggles of fellow left-hander David Peterson could mean it’s possible the Mets give Szapucki a look at some point if the trends continue. Peterson performed well in his latest outing against the Cubs (6 IP, 0 ER) so it will take more of those stat lines for him to keep his spot in the rotation.

If called up Szapucki would not need to post deGrom-type numbers. The Mets could get by with serviceable-type of outings giving the team a chance to win every fifth day. That alone could put New York in great shape for October when their key players return from injury.