The New York Mets may have lost in extra innings last night, but other than having to suffer an ungodly bedtime during the team's current West Coast road trip, it's still a good time to be a Mets fan. The Amazins have won eight of their last 10 games to sneak back ahead of the Phillies for first place in the division, and in a crowded National League playoff picture, they're undoubtedly one of the favorites.
David Stearns didn't go crazy at last year's trade deadline, because quite frankly, it was still impossible to tell if the Mets were real contenders or not. Last year's club seemed to run purely on vibes, and against all odds, that magic lasted into late October even though the only trades of significance were the acquisitions of Jesse Winker and Ryne Stanek.
We've seen enough to know by now that this year's team is for real. In fact, in the last calendar year, the Mets have the best record in baseball, which is a wild stat for a franchise that was supposed to be suffering through a transition year last year.
Last year's run, and this offseason's signing of Juan Soto, raised expectations to the point that merely making the playoffs isn't enough anymore. The Mets have an all-in commitment to being one of the best teams in baseball on a yearly basis, and even though Soto hasn't fully hit his stride yet, it hasn't hindered the team in the win column.
The Mets are now 61 games into the season, which means there are 101 left. June is already here, and before we know it, the All-Star Game and the trade deadline will be, too. The fact that the Dodgers, Cubs, Phillies, and Padres are all looking formidable is proof that if the Mets hope to make another run to the NLCS or even beyond, they're going to need to make some moves.
Stearns has earned Mets fans' trust enough that whether he decides to go big or small, we have faith that he knows what he's doing. Just in case he's looking for some ideas though, here are three that could help put the team over the top.
Garrett Cleavinger is the lefty setup man the Mets need
The Mets' pitching this year has been unbelievable. I don't use that word the way most people do, to just mean improbable or unlikely. No, I mean actually unbelievable, as in how in the name of Tom Seaver do the Mets lead the majors in ERA with this group?
Stearns has worked his magic again, just like he did last year in getting signature seasons out of Luis Severino and Sean Manaea. Clay Holmes has made a seamless transition from the bullpen to become a front-of-the-rotation starter, Griffin Canning has put together a career year, and two of the most important offseason signings, Manaea and Frankie Montas, have yet to even throw a pitch.
Kodai Senga is at the top of the National League Cy Young race with a 1.60 ERA, David Peterson and Tylor Megill have been superb, and the bullpen has been lights out even with a near-total lack of left-handed options after AJ Minter went down.
Brooks Raley faced live batters this week for the first time since last year, but the Mets can't put all their eggs in his basket. Nor can they expect Jose Castillo and Brandon Waddell to hold down the fort all year long.
The Mets desperately need a premier lefty bullpen arm before everyone else turns into a pumpkin, and Tampa Bay's Garrett Cleavinger might be the best option available. Through 21.2 innings of work this year, the 31-year-old is putting up career bests in ERA and strikeout-to-walk ratio. He's been the definition of dependable, and he'd slot in perfectly in the Mets pen.
Trading for Cleavinger would also have the added benefit of keeping him away from the Phillies. Cleavinger made his first major league appearance as a Phil in 2020, and they'll almost certainly be looking to get him back in light of the 80-game suspension that the commissioner's office handed down to Jose Alvarado for PED use. If the Mets can get him first, it would be a major step toward winning the division.
Zac Gallen is a high-upside, buy-low rental
Quality starters are hard to find at the deadline in the expanded Wild Card era, as all but the dregs of the league have convinced themselves that they still have a shot at the postseason. There are exceptions though, such as when a pitcher and his team are both underperforming in his contract year.
Such is the case with Zac Gallen, the Diamondbacks' former ace. Gallen is set to become a free agent this winter, and unfotunately for him, he's had an uncharacteristically rough time of it as he's pitched to a 5.13 ERA. He was great in back-to-back starts against the Mets in early May, but he's fallen off a cliff after that, and so have the D-Backs.
Until Gallen gave up just one run in seven innings to the Braves last night, he had allowed at least four runs in four straight starts. His start against Atlanta was encouraging, though, as he outdueled Spencer Strider to get the win.
Arizona is only two games under .500 after the win, but with Corbin Burnes now on the IL with inflammation in his throwing elbow and the team losers of nine of their last 12, it doesn't look like Snakes Alive is going to come true this year. Even if the D-Backs get hot in the second half, they're looking at third place at best in the NL West behind the Dodgers and Padres, and the Giants are looking like no picnic to pass, either.
As mentioned above, the Mets lead the majors in ERA. In fact, they're the only team under 3.00. Still, the injuries to Manaea and Montas prove that you can never have enough pitching depth. Clay Holmes is one start away from setting his personal high in innings pitched, and we've all seen how fragile Kodai Senga can be.
At his worst, Gallen could be an innings eater to keep the rest of the rotation fresh for October, but he also has sizeable upside as a bounce-back candidate. Since he'll be a free agent this offseason, Arizona might let him go for cheap if they decide to sell.
Jarren Duran would be an enormous outfield upgrade
Our first two trade deadline targets are pure rentals. It's time to think bigger now. Jarren Duran is an electric player, and one who Mets fans would absolutely love. Last year's All-Star Game MVP can hit for power, and his speed would transform this lineup. He can also cover a lot of ground in the outfield. He could be our new Lenny Dykstra.
I like Tyrone Taylor, and I think he's a fine player, but he's no Jarren Duran. Center field is the position that the Mets could most stand to improve in, and though they've been linked to the Orioles' Cedric Mullins, I would take Duran over him any day of the week.
Why would the Red Sox let him go? There are a couple of reasons. For one, Boston was hoping to contend this year, or at least that's what they sold their fans this offseason. At five games under .500 and mired in fourth place in the AL East though, that plan hasn't come to fruition. That could precipitate a sell-off.
There's also the matter of Roman Anthony, the top prospect in baseball, preparing to make his major league debut any day now. Red Sox fans have been anticipating a full-blown youth movement for years, and with Kristian Campbell and Marcelo Mayer already called up, there's no better time than the present to see what all the pups can do.
Even if the Sox do deem Duran expendable, he's not going to be cheap. Stearns will have to decide which prospects he's willing to part with, but that's the advantage of having a suddenly strong farm system. The Mets could deal a prospect or two and still be in good shape, and they could turn center field from a liability into a strength.