As the New York Mets near the halfway point of the 2024 season, they find themselves between sell and buy mode before the trade deadline. Although New York has a record well below .500, the Mets are only a few games away from a wild card spot. A simple trade could get them over the hill. Here are two player they Mets could let go should they decide to sell, and two they can pursue should they decide to buy.
Two Buy and Sell Targets for the Mets at the Deadline
Sell: J.D. Martinez
This offseason, the Mets signed J.D. Martinez to a late one-year contract. Martinez has been pretty good for New York so far, but he only has so much time left in the MLB as a 36-year-old. Plus, the Mets only signed Martinez for this season. At his age, Martinez most likely will not get a long-term contract; teams also might not pay for Martinez and hope for the best from him. Some teams trying to fight their way into contention could use him, especially teams with good pitching but lackluster offense. With his solid performance this year, the veteran could attract a decent haul in a trade.
J.D. Martinez’s numbers/underlying analytics were off the charts last year even at 35 years old. Had an .893 OPS.
If #Mets are out of it by the deadline, can just flip him for a likely nice return.
Nice work by Stearns. https://t.co/F6NmhuJqPc pic.twitter.com/XB6yzE6JBk
— James Villani (@jvillani08) March 22, 2024
Sell: Jeff McNeil
Although many teams might not be willing to risk it for Jeff McNeil, some might still believe in the former National League batting champion. Just two years ago, McNeil was essential to New York’s success. The Mets were able to put together a magical season in 2022, where they went 101-61. Jeff McNeil has shown signs of breaking out and looking like his old self again, but the Mets have grown tired of his struggles. With Jose Iglesias and Brett Baty having a chance at second base, McNeil is not guaranteed the job. The Mets will likely not bring in a big haul by trading him, but they might let him go to lessen the stressful situation in the infield.
Buy: Luis Robert Jr.
Although this is certainly wishful thinking, the Mets lineup 1 through 9 is pretty good, and if a trade were to happen and the Mets wanted to buy, they would not want to trade for a mediocre player. They would much rather trade for a star. Even though the Mets have Starling Marte, who is expiring, the Mets could still trade away outfielders and acquire Luis Robert Jr., who would almost certainly push the Mets to success. Luis Robert Jr. could bring many prospects back to Chicago, something that the Mets seem to have. This would help the White Sox build for the future.
Buy: Jose Altuve
Judging by the situation at second base, the Mets could use a good second baseman from a team that might sell. Jose Altuve is a long-time Houston Astro, but is 34 years old and can bring in a large haul. The Astros, like the Mets, can still grab a wild card, but in the American League, the Kansas City Royals and Baltimore Orioles are among the teams they must compete with. If the Astros were to sell, they would probably trade one of their older players like Altuve. The Mets could, of course, use Jose Iglesias and Brett Baty for second base if McNeil cannot come around, but the Mets also might want some more power, which Altuve provides.
Overall, if the Mets were to buy or sell, they would look to either improve for the future or try to improve now. A trade in either direction for the Mets could bring them to a whole other level this season or maybe even the next few seasons to come.
Photo Credit: © Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports
