3 Mets trade deadline predictions one month before the clock strikes 6pm

The MLB trade deadline is officially one month away. On July 30, 2024 at 6pm, the chance to significantly improve your roster from outside of the organization disappears. Well, there’s always the Los Angeles Angels placing everyone on waivers to help out, too. The New York Mets cannot count on that to happen again. We’re a true month away from this team being whatever the best version can become.

What will the Mets do at this year’s trade deadline? Positioned much better to buy than to sell, they still feel like a team that’ll do very little. They’ll be active in some ways, but to expect any blockbuster trades might be a bit too unrealistic.

Expect the Mets to attack the trade deadline with paper cut moves rather than aiming directly at the jugular.

1) The Mets will trade for a lefty reliever with sick splits

A lefty reliever seems like a natural trade deadline target for the Mets. Ever since they lost Brooks Raley for the year, the team has relied on Jake Diekman and a group consisting of Danny Young, Josh Walker, and a few others who’ve popped up along the way. Diekman is the “best” of the bunch and unfortunately he is far from reliable.

Left-handed relief pitchers are constantly getting moved at the trade deadline. We should expect the Mets to search high and low for someone new and a little more trustworthy.

A southpaw with some sick splits against left-handed hitters seems to fit what this front office would try to add in. It’ll probably be a player who, when used in the right situations, can perform well. It might even be a guy who is currently in Triple-A for a future trade deadline seller. Someone of the T.J. McFarland ilk is probably the best the Mets would be willing to buy.

2) The Mets will trade Jose Quintana and pay only half of his remaining salary

The Mets will subtract from the roster at the trade deadline. Recent speculation about them trading a starter will come to pass. It’ll be Jose Quintana they execute from the starting rotation.

In the eyes of some fans, Quintana and Sean Manaea are probably about level. The only difference is Manaea seems to have the greater upside. In a big game, Manaea feels more likely to get out of a jam by striking out the side—albeit after walking the bases loaded—than Quintana would. As an inherited player, Quintana has that strike against him, too.

Trading a starting pitcher might not have much to do with improving the current roster. It’s about subtraction in order to clear a spot for Christian Scott and/or Jose Butto. Let’s not forget Kodai Senga who’ll be promoted as “like adding a player at the trade deadline” whenever he finally does throw his first pitch for the Mets.

When the Mets do trade Quintana, they’ll pick up about half of his remaining salary. That’ll be around $3 million. It’ll give them a little more wiggle room to make the additions they do make. Unfortunately, this year’s Mets team is on a financial constraint and we shouldn’t expect this to change even if a playoff berth is there for them to take.

3) The Mets will add a left-handed hitting infielder with minor league options

The only thing the Mets could really use on the offense is a left-handed hitting infielder. They should’ve had one with Jeff McNeil but his performance has left us all feeling…what’s the word…disgusted?

DJ Stewart and Ben Gamel are the two lefties they have available off the bench. Neither plays the infield. Instead, the Mets are relying on Jose Iglesias as the backup shortstop, third baseman, and occasional starter at second base in place of McNeil.

Recalling Brett Baty seems underwhelming. The best move the Mets can probably do is add a super utility player who can hit from the left side. Ideally, make it a switch hitter.

Those types of trades tend to fly way under the radar yet they feel all too common at the trade deadline. We should expect this to be a player with minor league options available as an alternative to Stewart and even Gamel if he isn’t cutting it at the big league level.

Brandon Nimmo is the only trustworthy left-handed hitter the Mets have right now with Francisco Lindor as the next closest thing swinging from both sides. For a fuller roster, a small trade deadline deal for some added depth is something to expect. One name to keep an eye on is Nicky Lopez of the Chicago White Sox. All three minor league options left plus a king of the sacrifice bunt, the Mets can stash him in Syracuse until he’s actually needed.

This article was originally published on risingapple.com as 3 Mets trade deadline predictions one month before the clock strikes 6pm.