Series Preview: Mets Head to Kansas City Amid Trade Deadline Fire Sale

After winning three out of their four contests against the Washington Nationals over the weekend, the New York Mets (50-55) are heading to Kauffman Stadium to go up against the Kansas City Royals (32-75) for three games. The Mets enter the series six games out of the final playoff spot.

This series victory proved to be bittersweet, as the Mets started their trade deadline fire sale in the process. As of publishing, they have parted ways with a number of notable players including Max Scherzer, Mark Canha, and David Robertson. According to Jeff Passan of ESPN, the Mets are not done yet, so there is a good chance that more moves will be made ahead of the 6 p.m. deadline on Tuesday.

While it can be deflating to see the Mets’ brass wave the white flag on the season through these trades, these upcoming games can be approached with the motive of evaluating talent for next season. With a number of vacant roster spots, it would be smart for the Mets to allow young players such as Brett Baty, Mark Vientos, and Ronny Mauricio showcase their talent and accumulate MLB experience by placing them in the lineup frequently down the stretch.

Tuesday, August 1, 2033: LHP José Quintana (0-2, 3.27 ERA) vs. RHP Zack Greinke (1-11, 5.49 ERA)

José Quintana, who has been mentioned in a few trade rumors himself, is set to pitch Game 1 of this series. Since returning from the injured list with a rib injury, Quintana has been solid for the Mets by allowing five runs in 11 innings between two outings. If the Mets decide to keep the southpaw, these next few starts will provide the club with an opportunity to evaluate his ability to contribute to the 2024 rotation. While he has not pitched against the Royals since 2018, Quintana has a 4.17 ERA against them in 25 career starts.

Zack Greinke will pitch for the opposition on Tuesday. Greinke, in his age 39 season, has largely struggled in what could be his final season to cap off a legendary career. In his last start, he allowed four runs over five innings with only one strikeout. Strikeouts have not been Greinke’s strong suit this late in his career, as he has only 5.8 strikeouts per nine innings this season. Greinke has a 3.49 ERA in nine career starts against the Mets.

Wednesday, August 2, 2023: RHP Kodai Senga (7-5, 3.17 ERA) vs. RHP Alec Marsh (0-5, 7.04 ERA)

Rookie sensation Kodai Senga will pitch for the Mets on Wednesday. It seems like Senga improves with each start. In his most recent outing, he tossed a stellar six innings while allowing only one run with five strikeouts. As one of the lone bright spots on this team, Senga has exceeded his preseason expectations by bursting onto the scene as a pitcher that combines velocity and finesse in an astounding way. As he continues to develop his repertoire that includes the famous ghost forkball, Senga could inch his way to the top of the rotation for years to come.

Alec Marsh will pitch foe the Royals on Wednesday, and he has largely struggled since making his MLB debut in June. In 23 innings, Marsh has allowed a staggering 18 earned runs and nine long balls. Strikeouts have been the one aspect of his game that has been satisfactory, as he has 27 strikeouts on the season. He is coming off a start in which he was removed from the game after 2 2/3 innings after allowing four earned runs.

Thursday, August 3, 2023: TBD vs. RHP Brady Singer (6-8, 5.46 ERA)

The vacant spot in the rotation that would have been occupied by Max Scherzer is on the hook for Thursday’s game. While the Mets have not recalled anyone from their minor league system, it is likely that they will pivot to David Peterson, Tylor Megill, or Joey Lucchesi to claim the spot. All three pitchers have had intermittent major league experience this season, while also spending time at Triple-A Syracuse. Since they have all experienced up-and-down seasons to this point, the gift of an opportunity could help them to elongate their Mets tenures to 2024 with a strong finish to the season. Peterson has been the strongest recent candidate with his performances out of the bullpen.

Brady Singer will close out the series for the Royals amid a disappointing 2023 campaign. While he struggled a lot early in the season, he has been better as of late. In fact, he has only allowed four earned runs in his last 11 innings pitched between two starts. He also struck out 10 batters in five innings during his last outing. One split that could benefit Singer is that his 4.58 ERA at home is much better than his 6.91 ERA on the road.