Entering play on Monday the Mets vaunted rotation, which they felt would be a massive strength for them in 2019, is currently dead last in the National League in starters ERA with an ugly 5.64 mark.
Defending Cy Young winner Jacob deGrom, and fellow righties Noah Syndergaard and Zack Wheeler have all had stretches of dominance which should lead the club to believe they’ll ultimately settle into more consistent performances. And while Tuesday’s outing completely snowballed out of control on Steven Matz, the Mets do feel confident the lefty can be a productive back of the rotation hurler.
But New York has a major problem after that.
Fifth starter, Jason Vargas, is quite arguably not even a Major League caliber pitcher anymore, and the organization’s rotation depth is not exactly inspiring. Corey Oswalt was hit hard in relief of Vargas in Atlanta last week, Chris Flexen got hammered in a spot start against the Cardinals, and while Drew Gagnon did a decent job of saving the bullpen during Matz’ debacle a few days ago, he didn’t exactly make a strong case for himself as a viable option moving forward.
At this point we all know what makes the most sense. New York should sign Dallas Keuchel. I know it, you know it, and the team should know it. Hell, Keuchel and his agent Scott Boras know it. And they should seriously look into a former Boras client, Gio Gonzalez, as well.
But here’s another option I think makes a world of sense.
The Mets should trade Dominic Smith to Toronto in a deal for Marcus Stroman.
Bob Nightengale of USA Today reported last Wednesday that both the Mets and Phillies had inquired about Texas ace Mike Minor, so we know the willingness to fill the need via a trade is on the table. And while the Rangers are understandably hesitant to move their best asset this early in the year, the Blue Jays have already shown they are willing to deal.
Toronto expressed a clear desire to rebuild over the last year, moving on from aging veterans Troy Tulowitzki and Josh Donaldson, and they quite obviously intend to build their next core around Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and Bo Bichette. Since the regular season began three weeks ago, the Jays have already traded DH Kendrys Morales to Oakland and center fielder Kevin Pillar to the Giants, and more moves are assuredly coming. Free-agent to be first baseman Justin Smoak will almost certainly finish the season in another uniform, and Stroman himself is someone the Blue Jays were actively willing to move in the right trade all winter.
In his first five starts this season, the veteran has pitched to a stellar 1.76 ERA in 30.2 innings, while striking out almost exactly a hitter/frame and not surrendering a single home run. He has clear ties to New York as he grew up on Long Island and actually attended the same high school as Matz before pitching at the collegiate level at Duke. And most importantly for the Mets, if they were to use an asset like Smith in a deal to get him, Stroman is under contract through next season and would offer the Amazin’s protection in the event Wheeler departed as a free-agent.
Trading Smith, whom the Mets selected in the first round back in 2013 would be a bit of a tough pill to swallow, particularly now since he’s become the top bench bat for the big league club, but the emergence of Pete Alonso at first base has certainly made his presence more of a luxury than a need. And the impending returns of veterans Todd Frazier and Jed Lowrie will more than make up for his absence on the big league roster.
For the Blue Jays, Smith would immediately become their first baseman of the future, and would take over the position the moment Smoak is inevitably moved to a contender. Smith’s defensive prowess would shift Rowdy Tellez, who is currently projected to become Smoak’s successor, into a more appropriate DH role, and if he can realize his full potential at the plate, he’d give Toronto a legitimate third young core position player.
Personally, I’ve always been a Smith fan and believe he will be a productive everyday player at the game’s highest level, but you have to give something to get something, and it’s time for the Mets to trade from a surplus to address a position of need. Could a one-for-one trade go down? It will probably take a little more than just Smith, but that’s where the conversation should start for Stroman. In the four team gauntlet the NL East is shaping up to be, every game counts, and New York cannot continue to operate with an inept fifth starter and not much behind him in the event one of their more crucial starting pitchers misses any extended amount of time.
