The New York Mets entered the trade deadline with several needs to address, but none felt bigger than the bullpen. Well, David Stearns acquired Gregory Soto on Friday and has now added another reliever, this time Tyler Rogers, in a deal with the San Francisco Giants, a surprising seller, according to FanSided's Robert Murray, in exchange for two prospects and reliever Jose Butto. This deal came shortly after his twin brother, Taylor was traded to the Pittsburgh Pirates as part of the Ke'Bryan Hayes deal.
The San Francisco Giants are receiving Blake Tidwell, Drew Gilbert and another player from the New York Mets for reliever Tyler Rogers, according to sources familiar with the deal.
— Robert Murray (@ByRobertMurray) July 30, 2025
The Mets were linked to just about every high-end reliever that's known to be available, so it should come as no surprise to see Stearns zag and acquire a reliever nobody linked them to.
Rogers doesn't throw as hard as guys like Ryan Helsley or Jhoan Duran, but he's been a high-end bullpen arm for a half decade now. He's an ideal addition to a bullpen that badly needed a set-up man for Edwin Diaz.
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Mets' Tyler Rogers addition completes strong bullpen
He's not flashy, but Rogers simply gets the job done. So far this season, he's made a MLB-leading 53 appearances and has posted a 1.80 ERA in 53 innings of work. He doesn't strike many guys out, but has issued a total of four walks all season and has a 64.4 percent ground ball rate.
What makes Rogers so appealing is that this season is far from an anomaly. Rogers has a 2.74 ERA since the start of the 2021 campaign, more than any other reliever in the sport. They acquired a workhorse who, more often than not, is lights out.
Rogers is an ideal fit who should be nothing but as advertised in Queens, but the Mets certainly paid a hefty price. If they win the World Series, it won't matter, but the package could certainly come back to haunt them. It's a lot to give up for a rental, to put it lightly.
Grade: B
Giants make most of bad situation in Tyler Rogers trade
The Mets sent reliever Jose Butto along with Blade Tidwell and Drew Gilbert, New York's No. 10 and 12 prospects, respectively, per MLB Pipeline. The Giants didn't expect to be in a selling position after acquiring Rafael Devers, but they certainly got a haul for a couple of months of a 34-year-old reliever.
Butto, once a starting pitching prospect, has been a reliever for most of his MLB career, and a pretty good one at that. He was a critical member of New York's bullpen last season, and while his 2025 campaign hasn't gone quite as smoothly, Butto has a 3.64 ERA in 34 appearances and 47 innings of work. The Giants get five years of control with Butto and can either use him as a reliever, a position he's had a good amount of success at already, or convert him back to a starter.
Butto alone wouldn't have been an atrocious return, but the Giants got two very intriguing prospects in addition.
Blade Tidwell has been overshadowed by guys like Nolan McLean, Brandon Sproat and Jonah Tong in the Mets' system, but he's got great stuff and has already made four (underwhelming) appearances at the MLB level. He can join the Giants' rotation right now if they want him to. I'm not fully sold that he'll be a starter long-term, but he certainly has talent, and is a worthwhile add for the Giants.
Drew Gilbert was the centerpiece of the deal that sent Justin Verlander to the Houston Astros at the 2023 trade deadline. His development has had its ups and downs, but he was playing as well as he had in the Mets organization leading up to the trade. Parting with him now, especially on top of Tidwell and Butto, is pretty interesting, especially given New York's underwhelming center field play this season. Gilbert could be a call-up candidate down the stretch, or, at the very least, be part of the equation in 2026.
It makes sense for the Mets to be aggressive in pursuit of one of the best relievers on the market, but it feels like they parted with a lot more than they had to for a rental. The Giants deserve to be ridiculed for being in this position to begin with, but Buster Posey deserves nothing but praise for the return he got for Rogers.