MLB Rumors: Braves-Mets trade, Jack Flaherty buzz, Padres targeting Red Sox

MLB Rumors: Could Mets trade David Robertson, Brooks Raley to rival Braves?

The rivalry between the New York Mets and Atlanta Braves is one of the most heated in baseball — it has been and the heat has been turned up with the spending and success of the NL East foes in recent years.

While the bad blood is flowing freely, though, there’s a chance that the Mets and Braves could actually help one another at the MLB Trade Deadline.

Two of the most likely candidates to be dealt by the Mets, perhaps whether they sell or make a last-ditch effort to push for a playoff spot, are relievers David Robertson and Brooks Raley. The former has a 2.06 ERA and 1.02 WHIP while Raley is sporting a 2.30 ERA and 1.21 WHIP for the year. And it just so happens that the Braves need bullpen help.

So New York has what Atlanta is likely targeting at the deadline. But the key is that the Braves can also offer what should be highly interesting to the Mets.

The best trade assets that the Braves have are some still-young and controllable starting pitchers with minimal and mixed results in the majors, such as Jared Shuster or Dylan Dodd, while they could also offer an upgrade in the lineup with a controllable player like Vaughn Grissom or a more immediate help in DH/catcher Travis d’Arnaud.

Again, it remains to be seen if the two rivals would actually go into business together at the trade deadline. But based on needs and the respective deadline plights of the Braves and Mets, there is definitely a match to be made.