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We’ve reached the time of the season when there are Mets trade rumors for 2022 swirling. Despite being one of the best teams in the National League during the first half of the season, the latest Mets trade deadline news indicates that they will be busy at the deadline.
But what exactly are the Mets’ trade deadline needs?
Mets trade rumors 2022
With owner Steve Cohen promising to win at all costs, the Mets’ trade targets could end up being some of the best players available at the MLB trade deadline. Of course, the Mets trade rumors in 2022 and the Mets trade deadline targets will depend largely on the team’s areas of need.
Let’s take a look at the positions the Mets could look to improve before the trade deadline.
Designated Hitter
Most Mets fans will agree that J.D. Davis and Dominic Smith getting most of the reps at DH is not working out as expected. While there are a few intriguing hitters at triple-A that may be worth auditioning, it’s more likely that the biggest Mets trade targets at the deadline will be power hitters who can slot into the DH spot. If they can find someone who can also play the field a little, that would be good too. But adding more power behind Pete Alonso would be huge for New York’s lineup.
At first glance, C.J. Cron of the Rockies would be a good fit, although he likely wouldn’t get many reps at first base. The same is true of Josh Bell, who would also be a good fit if the Nationals are willing to trade him within the division. That’s also a question with Nelson Cruz, who could also provide a boost and another veteran presence on a team that has championship aspirations.
High-Leverage Reliever
The Mets know that solidifying their bullpen will be essential if they hope to win a World Series. While Edwin Diaz has been a dominant closer, Adam Ottavino, Drew Smith, and Seth Lugo have all had issues at one time or another while Trevor May is currently on the IL.
If the Mets can find another lock-down reliever for the 8th inning to set up Diaz, the entire bullpen would look differently.
David Bednar of the Pirates has turned a lot of heads this year. However, he’s under team control through 2026, so he’s not going to come cheap, although the Mets would be getting a piece for the future. If the Mets want to go a more affordable route, David Robertson or Josh Staumont are also options that could lengthen the bullpen.
Lefty Reliever
While the Mets would like a top-flight reliever, one could argue that just adding another lefty is a bigger priority at the deadline. At the moment, Joely Rodriguez is the only lefty in the bullpen. That is surely something the Mets will want to change before the trade deadline, as it could be problematic in the postseason.
Gregory Soto was named an all-star for the Tigers, who will surely be open to trades at the deadline. Andrew Chafin is another lefty in Detroit who’s having a strong season and could give the Mets a much-needed boost from the left side. Joe Mantiply of the Diamondbacks is also someone to watch as the deadline approaches.
Catcher
Offensively, the catcher position has been a huge weakness for the Mets this season. Both James McCann and Tomas Nido have struggled to contribute with the bat. McCann’s struggles have been disappointing in the second season of a four-year contract. He’s also on the IL right now for the second time this season.
It seems unlikely that he will return from injury and start raking, which means the Mets could look to address their offensive needs by trading for a more offensively inclined catcher. Of course, the other side of the coin is that McCann and Nido are both strong defensively and have managed the pitching staff well, so perhaps the Mets don’t want to rock the boat behind the plate.
Meanwhile, the biggest variable in this situation is the fact that the best player available on the trade market is a catcher in Willson Contreras, who the Cubs are likely to trade before the deadline.
Contreras could give the Mets the bat they need to bolster their lineup while also adding catching depth with McCann struggling with injuries. Even if they prefer McCann and Nido behind the plate, Contreras could get most of his at-bats as the DH. The fact that Contreras is only a rental player could be a good thing with McCann under contract beyond this season, making Contreras a legitimate option for the Mets.
Back-End Starter
With Max Scherzer back from injury and Jacob deGrom on his way back, the rotation isn’t a huge need for the Mets. Keep in mind that Taijuan Walker has been one of the best pitchers in baseball over the last month. But the Mets are relying a lot on older starters like Scherzer, deGrom, Chris Bassitt, and Carlos Carrasco.
It’s not out of the question that the Mets could look for a relatively inexpensive rental starter to supplement their current rotation and protect against potential injuries.
Old friend Noah Syndergaard would actually fit that description perfectly. While he may not be the flamethrower the Mets remember, he’s had a nice bounce-back season for the Angels, who look out of contention and could be sellers.
Chad Kuhl could be another low-cost rental just in case the Mets don’t want to take any chances with their starting rotation.
