NY Mets Rumors: Verlander deflated, Steve Cohen blame, some trade buzz

NY Mets Rumors: Latest on the trade deadline

The last real reported information on Eppler’s trade deadline plans was last week, when Andy Martino suggested they could take on larger contracts if it lands them an asset. An example is Washington Nationals pitcher Patrick Corbin.

"“In conversations with league sources, Corbin’s name was the most frequently linked to the Mets. Washington owes Corbin $24.4 million this season and a stunning $35.4 million in 2024. The Mets could offer to pay all of that in exchange for a reliever like Hunter Harvey, C.J. Edwards or Kyle Finnegan. Corbin wouldn’t be an instant DFA, either. Perhaps Mets pitching coach Jeremy Hefner, widely regarded as one of the best and brightest in the sport, could salvage some level of performance from the former All-Star.”"

More recently, the Mets struggles have continued, pushing them further in the selling category. With that in mind, Max Scherzer and even Verlander become more expendable if any team is willing to take on their contracts.

As mentioned, New York is 16.5 games out of the NL East lead, and 8.5 games back in the NL Wild Card. There’s little hope of making the postseason right now. Barring a roaring July run, they will not buy at the deadline. Frankly, there’s little they can do right now without blocking younger prospects from receiving playing time.

Like most struggling, high-payroll teams in baseball, New York likely doesn’t want a complete teardown. However, trading players on expiring deals such as Starling Marte or even Scherzer (who has a player opt-out), could make sense.