Ranking the 5 best trade targets for the Mets to pursue at the deadline

The New York Mets were as many as 11 games below the .500 mark at one point, but they enter Tuesday's series opener against the Washington Nationals just one game under .500. The NL East is out of the question, but they're just 2.5 games back of the third Wild Card spot putting them right in the thick of the postseason race.

Barring an epic collapse over the next couple of weeks, this Mets team will be buying. No, they won't be in conversations for players like Luis Robert Jr. or Vladimir Guerrero Jr., but they'll be looking to improve their team, and most importantly, won't be trading guys like Pete Alonso and J.D. Martinez.

What's abundantly clear about this Mets team is that their offense is fine. Sure, it'd be nice to have an upgrade at second base over Jeff McNeil, but McNeil is the only regular with a wRC+ under the league average of 100.

What this Mets team needs is pitching. Relief pitching, in particular. Fortunately, there are several strong options for David Stearns to consider with these five being the best of the bunch.

5) Trevor Richards would add a lot of versatility to the Mets bullpen

Trevor Richards is not a name that would get Mets fans excited, but he'd be a great fit in their bullpen for a couple of reasons.

First, despite being right-handed, he has been dominant against left-handed hitters thanks in large part to his change-up. Lefties are slashing just .155/.208/.239 against him this season with one home run in 78 plate appearances. The Mets lost Brooks Raley for the season and Jake Diekman has struggled as the team's primary lefty in his place. They could use a guy like Richards to pitch against the elite left-handed bats.

Second, he can pitch in a variety of roles. He has been operating in more of a late-game role recently, but can pitch in long relief if needed and has even been used as an opener twice this season. He has recorded more than three outs in 13 of his 39 appearances, and has gone as far as 3.1 innings in an outing.

Richards is on an expiring deal, so if the Toronto Blue Jays sell he's going to be available. Since he's on an expiring deal he wouldn't cost much to acquire as well. It wouldn't be flashy, but he'd be a major upgrade for a bullpen that needs it.

4) Carlos Estevez would be an underrated addition

The Los Angeles Angels are predictably one of the worst teams in the league, but that doesn't mean that everyone on their roster is bad. Carlos Estevez is proof of that.

He had a rocky first season as the closer for the Angels but has been outstanding this year, posting a 2.89 ERA in 28 appearances, and has been getting better as the season has progressed. Estevez just won the AL Reliever of the Month in June after allowing just two hits in his ten innings of work. He did not walk a batter, struck out ten, and did not allow a run. He was as close to perfect as a reliever could get.

The Mets have Edwin Diaz penciled in as the team's closer, but he's had his ups and downs this season. Adding a proven late-game arm in Estevez to work as a set-up man or even take some save opportunities on days Diaz is unavailable would be great. The fact that he has issued just four walks in 28 innings of work this season is an added bonus given the Mets bullpen's inability to throw strikes.

3) Erick Fedde's contract is too good to ignore

Erick Fedde is a pitcher that Mets fans are awfully familiar with dating back to his days with the Nationals. Fedde has a 6.51 ERA against the Mets in his career in 17 appearances (12 starts). As bad as that looks, it's important to note that he's not the same pitcher now with the Chicago White Sox that he was with Washington.

Fedde spent the 2023 season in the KBO, pitched really well, and signed a deal with the White Sox this past offseason (with the Mets squarely in the mix). That deal has aged wonderfully, as Fedde has posted a 3.13 ERA in 18 starts and 106.1 innings of work.

The Mets shouldn't be desperate to add a starting pitcher, but Fedde makes sense given the fact that he's under contract for the 2025 campaign as well. With Luis Severino, Sean Manaea, and Jose Quintana all potentially headed to free agency at the end of this season, the Mets could use arms for next season as well, not to mention the fact that he'd be an upgrade for their stretch run.

What makes Fedde a slam dunk target is the fact that he's set to make just $7.5 million next season. Even if he isn't the 3.13 ERA guy he has been this season, he'd almost certainly be good enough to be worth $7.5 million as a starting pitcher.

2) The Mets should consider bringing David Robertson back

Bringing back a player from the 2023 Mets might not sound great, but David Robertson is not the reason why the team underperformed. In fact, he was one of the best players on the team.

The right-hander was used a ton and often for more than three outs while serving as the team's primary closer in Edwin Diaz's place. All he did was post a 2.05 ERA in 40 appearances and 44 innings of work and convert 14 saves (in 17 tries) while tacking on seven holds. He struggled down the stretch of last season with the Marlins, but has been a reliable late-game arm for the Texas Rangers this season.

Robertson has a 3.11 ERA in 36 appearances and 37.2 innings of work. He's done a better job at limiting walks this season, and his 37.3 percent strikeout rate is a career-high. Like Richards, Robertson has also excelled against lefties despite throwing with his right arm, holding them to a .115/.194/.213 slash line in 67 plate appearances. Robertson has always fared well against left-handed hitters, and this season has been no exception.

He might be 39 years old but he's been great for the Rangers, comes with postseason experience, and has a mutual option worth $7 million for next season that might just get picked up. He'd be an excellent fit, but is just shy of the No. 1 spot.

1) Tanner Scott is a perfect fit for this Mets team

The pitcher who should be David Stearns' top option happens to pitch in the NL East. As annoying as that is, Tanner Scott is good enough to warrant being at the No. 1 spot.

The 29-year-old had a rough go of it in his first five seasons with the Orioles but in his last two seasons with the Miami Marlins, he has been one of the best left-handed relievers in the game. There is no disputing that.

Scott played a huge role in the Marlins sneaking into the postseason last season, and despite their putrid record in 2024, he has been dominant as their closer. He has a 1.42 ERA in 37 appearances and 38 innings of work, allowing just two home runs all season and converting 13 of his 15 save opportunities.

He can lose command of the strike zone on occasion, but has held the opposition to a .142 batting average. While that might seem flukey, he has given up just two home runs and ranks in the 100th percentile in average exit velocity, the 96th percentile in hard-hit rate, and the 96th percentile in xBA according to Baseball Savant. In other words, in addition to his tremendous stuff, he generates extremely soft contact.

Scott is a free agent to be, meaning that the Mets wouldn't have to part with any of their blue-chip prospects to acquire him. Improving the bullpen is the best way for this team to win, and there's a very good chance Scott will be the best reliever available. If the Mets can get him, they'll be in good shape.