As the Mets get ready to return to action on Tuesday with a doubleheader against the Marlins, Brodie Van Wagenen talked to reporters extensively on a variety of different topics.

In-House Deadline Acquisitions 

When asked about how Brodie would treat the trade deadline this season, he noted that getting pitchers David Peterson and Michael Wacha and outfielder Jake Marisnick back from the injured list would be trade deadline type acquisitions.

Peterson has been on the IL since August 18 with left shoulder fatigue, Wacha went on the IL on August 9 with right shoulder inflammation, and Marisnick suffered a left hamstring strain that landed him on the IL in late July.

Four Additional People Stayed in Florida

In addition to the player and staff member that tested positive for Covid-19, four members of the Mets that were deemed to have close contact with them, stayed in Florida as well.

Van Wagenen noted that those four individuals have repeatedly tested negative and are in the process of returning to New York.

Dull Trade Deadline?

Van Wagenen doesn’t believe that teams will be as aggressive this years around the August 31 trade deadline. He noted that more teams will be in the playoffs, return for rental players will be less given fewer games, and the uncertainty of the season.

BVW noted on several occasions that team control would be an important factor in any trade talk even more so this year give the reasons mentioned above.

Pitching TBD

The Mets now have nine game in the next six days – doubleheaders on Tuesday, Friday, and Sunday – which creates and even bigger issue for a team short on pitching.

With Peterson and Wacha still on the IL and very few optionable pitchers (Drew Smith, Edwin Diaz, Seth Lugo, Robert Gsellman) on the Mets active roster, the Mets will have to get creative with how they eat up innings.

Van Wagenen said that the Mets current rotation is TBD and that they will look at creative ways to manage the extra innings in a short period.

Infected Individuals Still Recovering

Van Wagenen did the right thing by saying he would not identify the player and staff member that have Covid-19, he did say that both of them showed symptoms but are starting to feel better.

Both are still in Florida as they recover. BVW doesn’t think that the positive tests were a result of any kind of breach of conduct.