After weeks of speculation, Billy Eppler, Steve Cohen, and the New York Mets made their decision crystal clear; they are rebuilding. New York decided to sell most of their tradeable assets to restart the process. Eppler dealt off Eduardo Escobar, David Robertson, Max Scherzer, Mark Canha, Justin Verlander, Dominic Leone, and Tommy Pham. Other players like Brooks Raley and Omar Narváez could’ve been dealt away. Even Pete Alonso stayed put. For Eppler, this is a bold strategy to decide to cut the cord when they efficiently could’ve run it back and try again in 2024. It’s a move that, while not immediately, will eventually determine how the perception of Eppler will be.
Billy Eppler’s Prospects
Gone are the veterans; in are the prospects that could be factored in the next few years. Maybe not the vision Mets fans wanted after World Series aspirations, but it’s the direction Eppler and Cohen think is best for the club. Eppler went out and got Drew Gilbert and Ryan Clifford for Verlander. They subtracted Scherzer for Luisangel Acuna, Ronald Acuna’s younger brother. Traded Escobar for two pitching prospects, Coleman Crow and Landon Marceaux. Canha was shipped off to Milwaukee for another pitching prospect in Justin Jarvis. Miami Marlins prospects Marco Vargas and Ronald Hernandez were sent from South Beach to Flushing Meadows in the Robertson trade. 17-year-old Jeremy Rodriguez was acquired in exchange for Pham, and finally, Leone headed to Anaheim for Jeremiah Jackson.
Mets players traded:
Eduardo Escobar
David Robertson
Max Scherzer
Justin Verlander
Tommy Pham
Mark Canha
Dominic LeoneReceived:
Four top 100 MLB prospects
10 prospects on my top 35 Mets— Mike Mayer (@mikemayer22) August 1, 2023
When you add up their trades and their 2023 draft picks, it was a complete transformation of their farm system that was looked at as a weak point of the organization.
Eppler Preparing For 2025 And 2026
After the Mets made the Scherzer trade, speculation ran on what exactly was discussed between the two sides. Scherzer gave his side of the story. Saying, the Mets were aiming for 2025 and 2026 and didn’t plan to reload for 2024.
“They’re looking to compete now for 2025 and 2026. It was not gonna be a reload situation in New York. It was gonna be more of a transition in 2024.”
Max Scherzer talks about his conversations with Billy Eppler and Steve Cohen around the trade deadline: pic.twitter.com/s9hT1IsVEd
— SNY Mets (@SNY_Mets) August 2, 2023
Eppler was asked about it before the Mets 7-6 loss to the Kansas City Royals on Tuesday night, and he didn’t give much of a clear response to Scherzer’s comments other than they will field a “competitive team” for next year.
“Going into 2024, we don’t see ourselves having the same odds that we did in 2022, 2023 – but we will field a competitive team in 2024”
– Billy Eppler pic.twitter.com/24paea5Xgp
— SNY (@SNYtv) August 1, 2023
Actions speak louder than words, so we’ll see what Eppler means by a competitive team in 2024. Signing free agents for cheap will bring flashbacks to the Wilpon era, but don’t expect the Mets to be throwing around Cohen’s money around. So, the prospects they got for the veterans will be their key to success in the next few years. They are guys that Eppler is betting on and placing his reputation as a general manager on the line.
Mets fans see Eppler in a negative light after his trade deadline performance from a season ago. This year, Eppler has mostly received praise not just from fans, but around baseball. It contrasts the reaction of Eppler’s deadlines as Mets general manager just one year apart from each other. However, unlike last year, the results will be shown in time, not immediately. Who knows if Eppler will even be around to see it through, but whether he is or isn’t, what happens to the Mets in the future will have his fingerprints written all over it.
Main Photo Credits: Lucas Peltier-USA TODAY Sports
Players Mentioned: Eduardo Escobar, David Robertson, Max Scherzer, Mark Canha, Justin Verlander, Dominic Leone, Tommy Pham, Drew Gilbert, Ryan Clifford, Luisangel Acuña, Coleman Crow, Landon Marceaux, Marco Vargas, Ronald Hernandez, Jeremy Rodriguez, Jeremiah Jackson
