It’s hard to fault the New York Mets for the Adrian Gonzalez signing. The veteran first baseman was a bargain and the first base situation was unsettled after Dominic Smith scuffled last season in New York. Adding Gonzalez was supposed to be an experiment, and that experiment has failed. It’s time to move on.

Gonzalez has stepped into the batter’s box 174 times this season — fifth-most on the team. Gonzalez has a .248 batting average and .699 OPS this year, just 2-for-19 in the month of June and has just nine RBI since April ended. His offensive woes may be hidden by the slumps of others, but he’s certainly not helping his cause.

When the season started, the Mets had dreams of a playoff spot, and those dreams were only amplified by the hot start in April. At that time, it made some sense to have Gonzalez, a veteran bat, in the middle of the lineup.

But as the Mets’ record heads south, Gonzalez’s spot on the team is starting to make less and less sense. He isn’t producing, isn’t part of the team’s future, has no trade value, and costs nothing for the Mets to release. And for a team that needs an offensive shakeup, releasing Gonzalez would be the start.

One of the reasons this hasn’t happened yet is that Smith isn’t exactly tearing the cover off the ball in Las Vegas. He’s posted a .727 OPS this season, including just a .474 mark in June. Promoting Smith, though, makes sense on a a few levels. First, he’s likely an upgrade over Gonzalez. Promoting Smith and giving him another run at the MLB level (perhaps until the trade deadline), will give him a chance to show the front office what he is, while also injecting some needed youth into the team.

The second reason is to ironically aid in the development of Smith’s direct competition — Peter Alonso. With a 1.049 OPS at Double-A, Alonso has earned the right to test himself at the next level, and it’s probably in the Mets’ best interests to see what he can do in Triple-A. If he succeeds there, a fast track to the Major Leagues could immediately help plug a gaping hole at first base with a much-needed right-hand bat.

And finally, there’s the best of both worlds scenario — Smith and Alonso both hit. With no need for two first basemen of the future, the Mets could have an attractive trade chip to get another piece for the future.

To put it simply, seeing what Smith and Alonso can do at their next respective levels is of great benefit to the Mets, while continuing to play Gonzalez is of no benefit. The Mets need an offensive spark, and they need to figure out their future. There’s a chance they could do both by releasing Gonzalez.

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Steven Matz has allowed four earned runs or less in all eight of his starts so far this season. That’s the second-longest streak in the National League behind Max Scherzer. Of course, that’s where the similarities end between the two pitchers, but it begs a question that somehow we have no answer to nearly three years after his debut — exactly how good is Matz?

The numbers suggest the Mets are attempting to protect themselves against having Matz go through the order for the third time and with good reason so far. Opponents are posting an OPS of .892 against Matz his third time through the lineup, and he has a 1.069 OPS against him after he throws his 75th pitch. The 5.89 FIP and career high walk rate (3.93/9) also suggest that Matz might be getting a little lucky than his 4.42 ERA suggests.

However, while the numbers may suggest pitching Matz deeper into games isn’t necessarily the best course of action, there’s also an argument to be made that it’s time the Mets trust Matz more.

Probably first and foremost in that argument is the toll his starts take on the bullpen. Over those eight starts, Matz is averaging about 4.2 innings and 86 pitches per outing. That means that the bullpen is being asked to get nearly 13 outs every time Matz takes the hill. Robert Gsellman, Seth Lugo, and Paul Sewald are all on pace to push past 90 relief innings, and getting even 10 more pitches of Matz per start is an easy way to alleviate the wear and tear on those relief arms.

There’s also the need for a reliable third starter. The Mets have to find some one they can trust after Jacob deGrom and Noah Syndergaard. Matt Harvey, Zack Wheeler, and Jason Vargas have all been given that chance, but Matz has not to the same extent. He’s been asked to throw over 90 pitches just twice all year. Even in his best start (6 IP and 1 ER against Colorado), he was pulled after 88 pitches.

This ties into the last part of the equation — Matz’s confidence. It’s no secret that the mental aspect of Matz’s game is an area that has received scrutiny in the past, as it’s seemingly played a role in his long injury history. A pitcher like Matz is no doubt aware of the quick hook the team has had with him all season, and knowing you could be pulled at any second figures to add pressure to each pitch.

In the best stretches of Matz’s career during 2015 and 2016, he was regularly asked to go above 100 pitches. A period of time where Matz looked most comfortable on the mound. Of course, part of the early departures is to avoid the injuries that he’s faced over his career and to preserve his arm for the future, but is a 4.2 IP pitcher with a 4.42 ERA really what the Mets want to preserve at this point?

In the last few seasons, the Mets have taken the kid gloves off all of their young starters and pushed them at some point to make them prove their worth. With the Mets needing a third starter to make a legitimate postseason push this season, it might be time to do the same with Matz.

The post It’s Time To Let Steven Matz Sink or Swim appeared first on Metsmerized Online.

Photo by Ed Delany

When the New York Mets signed Jay Bruce in the offseason, it seemed to spell the end of the Brandon Nimmo era in Queens. Sure, Nimmo was good in limited action during 2017. But, with Bruce and Yoenis Cespedes locked into contracts until the end of the 2020 season and Michael Conforto not set to hit free agency until the conclusion of 2021, where and when Nimmo could play was still to be determined.

In what seemed strange at the time, the Mets essentially refused to trade Nimmo or Juan Lagares during the offseason despite the outfield logjam, and they are probably pretty happy they prioritized their depth. Despite the Bruce signing looking like the end of Nimmo as a Met, the first month of the season seems to indicate that it instead could be the beginning.

But there’s always a domino effect. In order for Nimmo (or Lagares for that matter) to have a role on the Mets, a long-term spot needs to open. Now it’s looking like defense, age, and health might necessitate a move for Bruce to first base before his three-year contract is up. With Adrian Gonzalez producing enough, that won’t happen now, but it could later this season and may even be the likely scenario for 2019.

But, if Bruce is at first base through the 2020 season, even part-time, that seems to spell the end for another first-round pick — Dominic Smith.

The Smith era is over before it really started if you agree with these two sentences: 1) The Mets view Nimmo as a bigger part of their future than Smith, and 2) The Mets will not trade Bruce.

Let’s start with the first point. The Mets don’t appear very high on Smith anymore. Their comments this offseason were less than flattering, and they brought in a reclamation project (Adrian Gonzalez) at first base instead of giving him a chance to win the job. Of course, a .198 average in 183 PA didn’t exactly do Smith any favors either. Meanwhile, the Mets can’t seem to say enough good things about Nimmo lately, and he fits the team well.

As for trading Bruce, it seems unlikely. A productive Bruce last year could barely fetch a return on an expiring contract. An under-performing and older Bruce on a longer deal almost certainly won’t either. Maybe if the Mets eat a ton of money, but that is not exactly the front office’s style.

There’s also a third factor that comes into play here — Peter Alonso. The 2016 second-round pick is coming quick. Alonso sports a career .922 minor league OPS and boasts a 1.079 OPS so far this season in Double-A. Not only does he have the look of the team’s potential first baseman of the future, but because he’s a right-hander, he also fits a platoon role much better than Smith — a need that may arise soon as Wilmer Flores is a free agent after the 2019 season.

So as the trade deadline approaches and the Mets are looking for a piece to add, don’t be surprised if the Mets dangle Smith to fill a position of need. Of course, other teams may want Nimmo or Alonso and force the Mets to make tough decisions, but Smith is still just 22-years old and lit up Triple-A last year. If things continue to progress the way they are, his best chance of having a successful major league career might be outside of New York.

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Michael Conforto is the New York Mets’ best hitter. He led the team in OPS+ last season, and while he’s off to an average start in 2018, his OPS (.796) is significantly better than any other member of the starting outfield. Yet since his return from the disabled list, Conforto has been given more non-injury off days than any starter on the team outside of the catchers and Adrian Gonzalez.

Clearly, the Mets have a logjam in the outfield and their most often solution to remedy that problem to this point has been sitting Conforto against lefties. While Conforto is a much better career hitter against right-handed pitching, his recent history has been favorable against lefties. He had a respectable .729 OPS against southpaws last season and is 3-for-9 against them with an .844 OPS in 2018.

He’s often been benched for Juan Lagares, who is off to a strong start at the plate this season and on another team could be playing regularly. However, Lagares, despite being a right-handed batter, has been worse against lefties than Conforto since the start of 2017. Last season, he posted .604 OPS against them, and this year he’s 3-for-11 against them with a .701 OPS.

But Lagares is an elite defender, so it makes sense to try to play him at least once a week while he’s a threat at the plate, but not at the expense of Conforto — the team’s best hitter, who at 25-years-old needs to be trusted against lefties eventually (ex: choosing him over Jose Reyes to pinch-hit against a lefty). Instead, the player that must sit more often is Jay Bruce.

It is Bruce, and not Conforto, that warrants hitting the pine against lefties. He had an OPS of .718 against them last season and is largely matching that with a .713 OPS against them this season. Add to that Bruce is a worse defender than Conforto.

However, what makes this the right move — especially in the short-term — is that Bruce has been struggling through foot problems since spring training. Giving him sporadic time off will likely help him in the long run. If you want to take it a step further, a quick DL trip for Bruce to get some extended rest might even make sense given the team’s desire to give Lagares and Brandon Nimmo more plate appearances. Moving Gonzalez to the bench and having Bruce play first base full time is another way to remedy the solution, but while Gonzalez is hitting fairly well that doesn’t seem to be an option.

Whatever the solution is at this point, the lack of full trust in Conforto against lefties should come to an end. This obviously isn’t anything new, as he would essentially a platoon player to start last season. But great players should play every day, and Conforto has been a truly great hitter though the majority of his MLB career. Writing Conforto into the lineup should not be a question at this point.

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The New York Mets catch a lot of flack for getting things wrong, and in many cases, those criticisms are self-inflicted. From misdiagnoses of injuries to errors in player development to head-scratching managerial and roster decisions, the Mets have earned the recent reputation of a team that often does the wrong thing.

However, when we give criticism for bad moves, we also must be willing to give criticism for good moves. So far this offseason, the Mets are doing the unthinkable — they’re getting things right.

Jumping back to the beginning of the offseason, the Mets had a choice of whether to retain Terry Collins or not. He was, of course, just a year removed from back-to-back playoff berths and two years removed from a World Series run. Still, there was plenty of writing on the wall that a change was needed in the clubhouse, and the Mets opted for some fresh perspective by choosing to not offer Collins a contract. Before we even jump ahead to his replacement, this decision was likely the correct one.

Next we turn to the much-maligned training staff of the Mets. There is so much blame to go around it’s unclear where the root of the Mets’ injury problems begins.

However, regardless of where you point the finger, there’s a stigma around the organization and MLB that the Mets don’t know how to handle injuries. The Mets could have opted to do nothing, trusted their staff and attributed some of the injuries to just bad luck. Instead, whether it was for optics or not, they fired trainer Ray Ramirez and are reportedly committed to re-evaluating their training of players. Whether it’s Ramirez’s fault or not, the mere willingness to acknowledge the problem is a win.

The Mets then turned their attention to another issue that has consistently plagued the team — their Triple-A affiliate. Since a long-term relationship with Norfolk, the Mets’ Triple-A team has bounced from New Orleans to Buffalo to Las Vegas. The first and third of those sites have proven to be logistical nightmares for the franchise. So this offseason, the team finally committed itself to ending this game of minor league musical chairs by buying the Syracuse franchise. A long-term, nearby home gives the franchise minor league stability for years to come. It’s another smart move for the Mets.

Finally, we turn our attention to the manager spot. The Mets had six main candidates for the job — Manny Acta, Mickey Callaway, Mark DeRosa, Kevin Long, Alex Cora, and Joe McEwing.

Credit is due for the Mets in making the harder choice. Long might have been the frontrunner, but his ties to the organization gave a limited fresh perspective. Acta, meanwhile, had experience but also had little success. That left three managers with little attachment to the franchise (besides McEwing’s playing tenure), and they chose the one who has been tutored by Terry Francona, perhaps baseball’s best manager. This wasn’t a familiarity or a money thing, they seemingly chose their best candidate. That’s another win for the franchise.

Of course, all of this could mean nothing if the Mets don’t invest in the roster. The offseason could be a bust and the 2018 season could be more of the same.

However, if the Mets do bounce back and become a consistent winner over the next few years, it will be important to look back to October 2017. Those series of decisions could prove to be a critical point in turning around the franchise.

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Recently there has been a swell of support among some of the beat writers for the Mets to give Juan Lagares the everyday job in center field next season. As one might expect, the argument in support of this is essentially that Lagares is a whiz with the glove and provides value to the team even if he doesn’t hit.

However, there are also many reasons Lagares should not be the everyday center fielder for next year’s Mets team. They are explained below:

1. Lagares cannot hit

Over the course of five seasons, Lagares has posted a .667 career OPS. He has shown no power (19 career HR) and doesn’t steal bases (35 career SB). He also doesn’t hit for average (.259 career mark) or walk (.299 career OBP). There is literally not a single thing you can point to in Lagares’ offensive game that adds anything to the Mets lineup.

Even in a platoon role, Lagares is not much of a boost to the lineup. He has a .727 career OPS against lefties. This season he sports a .670 OPS against them. That’s not enough to justify playing around half the games.

2. You cannot hide his bat

The comparison has been made between Lagares and Rey Ordonez, and in many ways they are similar. They are so good defensively that you try to figure out a way to get them into the lineup. Here’s the big difference, though: When Ordonez was at his peak, the Mets had deep lineups. You could get away with batting Ordonez eighth because everyone else could hit.

That’s not the case for this version of the Mets. Barring some offseason magic, the lineup may be thin again (Travis d’Arnaud, Asdrubal Cabrera, etc.). It’s just not a situation where the team can sacrifice offense for defense. There are already too many easy outs in the lineup. A true contender like the Dodgers or Astros might be able to play Lagares everyday and get away with it. A fringe playoff team like the Mets? Not so much.

3. You cannot rely on him

Due to various injuries, Lagares has played only about half the season in both 2016 and 2017. His career-high in games played over his career is 143. The Mets have been burned too many times banking on injured players, and they cannot make the same mistake with Lagares or the team will soon be playing Brandon Nimmo everyday in center.

4. His absence is not the reason the pitchers have struggled

Led by their pitching staff, the Mets made the playoffs in 2015 and 2016. In both of those seasons, Lagares was not the full-time center fielder. The Mets’ pitching struggles in 2017 are not because Lagares has been out of the lineup. Sure, Lagares helps, but health is priority No. 1. If the pitching staff is healthy and at their best, it won’t matter who is playing center field. That’s why the organization has been content with offense-first players in center.

5. Center fielders who hit and field well do exist

Part of the support for Lagares’ in center field has to be partially because the Mets have played the likes of Yoenis Cespedes, Curtis Granderson, and Michael Conforto in the center over the last three seasons. Watching these offense-first players play out of position has been ugly at times, which has only heightened the call for defense in center.

However, there’s no need to go to the opposite end of the spectrum either and go defense-first with no bat like Lagares. There are center fielders that do both across the league. A guy like Lorenzo Cain is a free agent. Others might be available in trade. There are options out there.

The Recap

Lagares is a really good defensive center fielder, and brings something to the table for the Mets. But he is such a negative offensively that the Mets cannot afford to play him every day. Maybe if Brandon Nimmo continues to get on base at such a high clip, there could be a platoon option. Maybe. But the best course of action is for the organization to go out and get a real center fielder for once and keep Lagares as a fourth outfielder. There are just too many other holes on this team to play an incomplete player like Lagares.

The post Why Juan Lagares Shouldn’t Be Starting in 2018 appeared first on Metsmerized Online.

With a plethora of looming free agents entering 2017, it was inevitable that the Mets 2018 lineup was going to look a lot different than it did this season. New York has some money to spend in free agency and could navigate the trade market, but before that, they will need to decide who to retain for next season.

Here’s a breakdown of which Mets’ hitters should return, and which could see their status in limbo:

LOCKS TO BE ON NEXT YEAR’S TEAM

Yoenis Cespedes, Michael Conforto, Amed Rosario, Dominic Smith, Wilmer Flores and Juan Lagares

While the Mets will likely add at least one player to the mix, they are most stable in the outfield where Cespedes and Conforto are guaranteed starting roles. Lagares should make the team based on defense and contract, although he’s probably more of a reserve.

On the infield, the team clearly is counting on Rosario and Smith to man starting roles. It’s conceivable that the team could trade Flores if the right deal comes along, but he seems like he’ll almost certainly be used again in some super-sub role for the Mets in 2018.

ON THE BUBBLE

Travis d’Arnaud, Asdrubal Cabrera, Jose Reyes, David Wright, T.J. Rivera, Brandon Nimmo  and Kevin Plawecki

Let’s start with the probable returnees. The Mets will almost certainly look to upgrade at catcher, but given the league-wide state of flux at the position and the lack of market for d’Arnaud, he will probably be back. Cabrera has the player option, but it’s relatively cheap and he could start at second or third base for the Mets next year, so he’s probably closer to a lock than being bought out.

Now the trickier ones. Reyes is a free agent, and there seems to be mutual interest in him returning in a bench role. Considering the price tag would be low, it could happen. If healthy, Wright and Rivera will be on the 25-man. That’s a big “if,” of course. September is likely an audition for Nimmo to show if he belongs on the team. At this point, it could go either way. The Mets will probably sign a veteran catcher similar to Rene Rivera, but if not, Plawecki has looked better at the plate and could possibly be the backup.

WON’T BE AROUND

Gavin Cecchini, Matt Reynolds

The Mets are somewhat deep in the infield, and neither of these players have done much of anything to warrant a spot in New York. There’s a slim chance either player could latch on as the team’s 25th man, but it’s more likely they’ll be in Las Vegas.

RECAP

That leaves six locks on the Mets’ current roster to be part of next year’s team. Last year, they opened the season with 13 position players, so that means there are seven spots to be filled.

Some of those will still be filled internally, while others will be acquired through free agency and trade. The Mets will need to figure out catcher, second base, third base and at least one outfield spot. There’s also room for some bench additions.

When all is said and done, the offense to start 2018 might look something like this:

C – d’Arnaud, free agent/trade

1B – Smith

2B – Free agent/trade

SS – Rosario, Reyes

3B – Cabrera, Flores

OF – Cespedes, Conforto, Free agent/trade, Lagares, Nimmo

While the market isn’t exactly robust this offseason, the Mets need to look outside the organization to fill a couple or roles, particularly on the infield and outfield. As it currently stands, this lineup is probably lacking at least one big bat, and acquiring that player will be one of the biggest tasks of the offseason.

The post Projecting a 2018 Offense for the New York Mets appeared first on Metsmerized Online.

Mets fans are split when it comes to David Wright. Some want him to come back so they can cheer him on again, while others want him to call it quits and retire already. We can all love the Captain while being torn about whether or not we want to see him in uniform at Citi Field again. Before proclaiming your belief that Wright should retire, however, it is important to have all the facts.

David Wright, his contract and its insurance

As explained by Adam Rubin of SNY, “if Wright never appears in the Majors again, the Mets would be reimbursed for $15 million of the $20 million owed to him this season. If Wright does reach the Majors and heads back to the DL, the deductible clock starts again and the Mets would be on the hook for 100 percent of his salary during the next 60 days. Therefore, an emotional but fleeting return for the captain to the Mets would be incredibly costly for the organization.”

To that, there’s only one reply – who cares?

The Mets are a Major League baseball team playing in the largest market in the league. Their payroll flexibility should not live and die by whether Wright’s contract is covered by insurance. With good reason, years and years of cost-cutting moves has jaded the perspective of the Mets fan. Look no further than the Jay Bruce trade.

Because of this philosophy, Wright has somehow become the villain for wanting to play in 2017 and the financial ramifications that might come with that. Wright, though, should be viewed as anything but. He’s perhaps the greatest position player in franchise history. He’s also refused to give up on his career despite a series of debilitating injuries. Wright has absolutely nothing to do with the economic philosophies of the front office and he should not be blamed for such.

The Mets, who again play in New York City, have just two players on their 40-man roster (Wright and Yoenis Cespedes) making over $10 million this season. Prior to recent trades, that number was still only four players (Neil Walker and Curtis Granderson). The Washington Nationals have eight such players.

At the end of the day, the Mets’ payroll should not depend on whether or not Wright’s contract gets insurance. Unfortunately, by the team allowing that perception, it has caused great ambivalence among the fanbase about Wright’s return.

Who’s on third?

Part of the negative perception around Wright’s return has been the Mets’ lack of willingness to seek a long-term answer at third base. If the team was committed to another option at the position, then fans wouldn’t view Wright’s health as holding the position hostage.

Instead, the team has seemed to be content to use stop-gaps at third base while hoping Wright can return healthy. Let’s not forget that the backup plan to Wright at third base this year was Jose Reyes. Since that time a lot has happened. Most notably in this context, Wright has struggled to just throw a baseball in his rehab let alone play third base.

As for who’s playing the hot corner, Asdrubal Cabrera and Wilmer Flores have emerged as the latest stop-gap third basemen. Needless to say, it’s going to be a tough sell for the Mets to go into 2018 with Cabrera at third base considering they were and probably still are essentially willing to trade him away for free. As for Flores, he’s hit well lately but has never posted above a .788 OPS for a full season and plays a shaky third base. Translation: both these players have had their shot and aren’t long-term answers.

Rather than save a spot for Wright, the Mets only need to worry about where to play him when that situation arises. If there’s a logjam at third base one day, address it then. Playing in just 75 games since 2014, Wright cannot continue to be counted on, and even if he does come back, he probably can’t play every day anyway.

Finding a new third baseman would signal the end to the Wright era as we know it, and that’s probably a better idea than continuing to pin the hopes of the fans and organization on a player that simply cannot be an everyday third baseman anymore. It would take the pressure off Wright and allow the fanbase to appreciate him fully again before it’s too late.

The post Dissecting the David Wright Dilemma appeared first on Metsmerized Online.

Among the decisions that will need to be made for the New York Mets front office next season will be how to revamp the starting rotation and the bullpen. But before Sandy Alderson and crew decide who to bring in, they need to first decide who to bring back and how many holes will be left to fill.

Here’s a breakdown of which Mets’ pitchers should return, and which could see their status in limbo:

LOCKS TO BE ON NEXT YEAR’S TEAM

Noah Syndergaard, Jacob deGrom, Steven Matz, Jerry Blevins, AJ Ramos, Paul Sewald, Jeurys Familia

This is a pretty clear cut group here. The Mets won’t turn over their entire starting rotation, and while anything is possible, the Mets figure to hope the one-two punch of Syndergaard and deGrom can anchor an improved staff. While Matz has been up-and-down this year, he’s still young, talented, and perhaps most importantly, a lefty. If he’s healthy, it would be a real shock to not see him on the opening day roster.

As for the bullpen, the Mets will hope Familia and Ramos can shorten games, although there’s still a good chance they’ll add another power arm back there given Familia’s injury history and Ramos’ shakiness. Meanwhile, the Mets seemingly made it clear that they view Blevins as a part of next year’s roster when they didn’t trade him in July. Finally, Sewald has probably shown enough this season to factor into next year’s plans given his youth and consistency.

ON THE BUBBLE

Matt Harvey, Seth Lugo, Zack Wheeler, Robert Gsellman, Erik Goeddel, Hansel Robles, Josh Smoker

There’s probably not a scenario where Harvey, Lugo, Wheeler and Gsellman are all off the team in 2018, but each find themselves on shaky ground. Injured and entering the last year of his deal, Harvey could be dealt if there are any takers. Lugo’s health would seem to jeopardize his 2018 status. The same could be said for Wheeler, although he probably is most likely to be a part of the team’s plans. Gsellman might have wrote his ticket out of town by ticking off Alderson.

In the pen, Goeddel is a maybe because he’s actually pitched pretty well in his Mets tenure, but the front office has never been high on him. Robles and Smoker seem to have endless supply of second chances. Each bring enough potential to the table to be in the mix for a 2018 bullpen spot.

WON’T BE AROUND

Chris Flexen, Rafael Montero

If the Mets do their job this offseason, there isn’t really a fit for either of these arms on the roster. Flexen would probably be better starting in Triple-A, and Montero — who knows? One would think he’s done nothing to be considered a piece for next year, but that’s been said before.

THE RECAP

What we’ve got here is seven locks, and as mentioned earlier, it’s likely that at least one of those four bubble starters is in the 2018 team. So that’s eight spots filled. The team opened 2017 with 12 pitchers on the opening day roster.

They’ll need one more starting pitcher and acquiring a veteran innings eater seems likely. That leaves three bullpen arms to fill, one of which will almost certainly be a lefty and another will be some one that can give them some length. The final bullpen spot could and probably should be another power arm at the back of the pen.

It might look something like this:

SP – Syndergaard, deGrom, Matz, Wheeler/Harvey, Free Agent/Trade

RP – Familia, Ramos, FA/Trade, Blevins, Sewald, Smoker/FA, Lugo/Gsellman

All in all, the Mets probably need to spend money or trade for a starter and another power bullpen arm, while they could potentially fill the long reliever and lefty reliever spots from within. With some health and some smart acquisitions, pitching can again be a strength.

The post Projecting a 2018 Pitching Staff for the New York Mets appeared first on Metsmerized Online.

Assuming the New York Mets are now content to keep Asdrubal Cabrera for next season, the team has one last trade piece — Curtis Granderson. Thriving since May, it would seem that Granderson could be a nice, veteran outfield piece for a contender to have down the stretch, but the market has been slow to develop for him.

Here are some teams that can and should make a move for Granderson, especially since it won’t cost much to get him:

Baltimore Orioles

Left for dead just a few weeks ago, the Orioles have climbed themselves back into the playoff race. A struggling Mark Trumbo at DH combined with a lack of outfield depth makes them a nice landing spot for Granderson. The Orioles and Mets have discussed outfielders in the past.

Kansas City Royals

The Royals are content on making one final playoff push, and could use another outfielder to get there. The team has an up-and-down Jorge Bonifacio in right field and Alex Gordon in left field, who has been one of baseball’s worst hitters this season. Granderson doesn’t exactly fit the team’s contact-first hitting approach, but he would upgrade the outfield group.

Minnesota Twins

Once sellers, the Twins have managed to stay alive and are now in the thick of the Wild Card race. While Minnesota has a clear starter at each outfield spot, they lack a strong outfield bench bat. Considering they can get him cheap, adding Granderson to this young group would be a worthwhile investment.

Pittsburgh Pirates

With yet another injury to Gregory Polanco, the Pirates have a hole in right field that Granderson could fill. While it makes sense on paper, the biggest issue is probably that the Pirates are 4.5 games back of the NL Central lead and may soon view themselves as out of contention.

Seattle Mariners

A rash of injuries has Seattle trending in the wrong direction lately, but the Mariners are one hot streak away from surging back to the top of the Wild Card race. The team is solid but unproven and often injured in the outfield. Granderson would give Seattle some stability and at worst would be a good bench bat.

Tampa Bay Rays

Since the July 31 trade deadline, the Rays have mostly slipped in the Wild Card race but are still alive. An injury to Kevin Kiermaier and the abrupt “retirement” of Colby Rasmus has left them thin in the outfield. Granderson could be a reserve at all outfield spots or even start if the Rays move things around. He’d also give this young team a veteran who has been through a playoff race.

Washington Nationals

With Bryce Harper going down, this makes the most sense, but it’s probably the least likely scenario. It would be a shock to see the Mets willing to help the Nationals without receiving a good prospect in return. That’s not something Granderson will fetch.

Granderson is hitting .228/.331/.473 with 18 home runs and 48 RBIs this season. He has a 111 wRC+ and 1.6 WAR in 110 games and will be a free agent when the season is over.

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