Mets rumored to be considering unique trade deadline approach

The New York Mets are 8-2 in their last 10 games, including a six-game win streak fueled by the unfathomable magic powers of Grimace. At 36-38, the Mets aren't out of the weeds just yet. That is fourth in the NL East, a half-game behind third-place Washington and 12.5 games behind first-place Philadelphia.

If there's a silver lining, it's the fact that New York stands to benefit from an atypically weak National League. The third Wild Card spot currently belongs to a .500 team, so the Mets are well within striking distance of the postseason conversation. Given their positive momentum, we can probably rule out a Pete Alonso trade. The Mets are here to win games with their preposterously expensive roster, as they should be. Those fans deserve it.

That said, the Mets are expected to take a rather unique approach to the July 30 trade deadline. Rather than buying across the board, the Mets could try to selectively sell off starting pitchers without tanking their competitive odds. From Mike Puma of the New York Post:

"One sense I have gotten from Mets people: they are open to potentially trading starting pitchers ahead of the deadline — and still competing for the postseason — with Kodai Senga, Christian Scott and Jose Butto, among others, seen as possible rotation adds."

That is a tightrope if I've ever seen one, but David Stearns is surely ready to put his stamp on the roster. If the Mets can restock the farm system while still cracking the postseason, that would be one heck of an accomplishment.

Mets could trade starting pitchers while still angling to compete for a postseason spot

While Puma doesn't name specific trade candidates, we can safely assume that Jose Quintana, Luis Severino, and Sean Manaea are all on the chopping block. Quintana and Severino are upcoming free agents, while Manaea has a $13 million player option for next season. The Mets are expected to overhaul the roster and seek upgrades this winter, so it makes some sense to offload expiring contracts, instead of losing key pieces for nothing.

Quintana, Severino, and Manaea would all receive plenty of interest from contenders around the league. From the Mets' division rivals in Atlanta, to the MLB's best team in Baltimore, there is a pressing need for postseason-viable starters.

The Mets obviously need postseason-viable starters too, assuming the goal is to win games in October. New York has a bit of an ace in the hole, though. Kodai Senga is due for a return in the near future, while 25-year-old Christian Scott and 26-year-old Jose Butto have both flashed major potential at the MLB and AAA levels.

New York could, in theory, get their traditional No. 1 starter back in Senga, then fill out the rest of the rotation with upstart arms capable of replacing — and maybe even improving upon — the Mets' more expensive, expiring vets.

It's a compelling thought. In an ideal world, the Mets would add all this internal growth power and upgrade via trade. But, as the Mets look ahead to the offseason, perhaps angling for a Wild Card berth and really swinging big in 2025 is the way to go.