Gregory Soto. (Photo credits: Sam Navarro-Imagn Images)

The disappointing end to the 2025 season for the New York Mets has been well documented. The team that once owned a league-best 45-24 record not only didn’t hold onto their division lead, but didn’t even make the playoffs. All despite having a clear path to do so on the last day of the season.

Following the disappointing season, a lot has been made of what exactly went wrong. One aspect that certainly contributed to things, and something that president of baseball operations David Stearns, himself, confirmed in his postseason press conference is that seemingly every move the team made at the trade deadline did not pan out.

With that being said, let’s take a look back at that July 31 trade deadline and see exactly how all players involved in trades the Mets made that day fared.

Deal No. 1

• Mets Receive: LHP Gregory Soto
• Orioles Receive: RHP Wellington Aracena, RHP Cameron Foster

Analysis:

A few days before the official deadline the Mets made their first move and went out and got much needed help for their bullpen. Gregory Soto, a left-handed reliever, was brought over from the Baltimore Orioles in exchange for a couple pitching prospects.

Soto posted a 3.96 ERA and 3.33 FIP across 36 1/3 innings with Baltimore prior to the move. However, with the Mets those figures increased to a 4.50 ERA and 3.55 FIP across 24 innings. Soto allowed 33 hits across the 24 innings and saw his strikeout rate drop from 27.5% with Baltimore to only 21.8% with the Mets to end the season.

With that being said, the left-handed reliever was tremendous with New York his first month-plus with the team. Across his first 10 appearances, he did not allow an earned run. To take it even further, over his first 14 he only allowed an earned run once. In all, he had two scoreless debut appearances in August, then a sparkling 1.64 ERA in September. At first, the trade seemed like a tidy piece of business.

However, following suit with much of the pitching staff as a whole, Soto struggled mightily in September. In 11 September appearances Soto allowed at least a run in five of them, and of those five, in three he allowed multiple runs. In all, he posted a 7.94 ERA and allowed 20 hits across 11 1/3 September innings.

On the flip side, at the time of the deal, Wellington Aracena was the 15th-ranked prospect in Metsmerized’s midseason organizational prospect top-50 update. Meanwhile, Cameron Foster was unranked.

Aracena, who had a 2.38 ERA across 64 1/3 innings with Single-A St. Lucie prior to the deal, picked up right where he left off when he joined the Orioles’ organization. After a 23-inning run with Aberdeen (Single-A), where he posted a 2.35 ERA and 24 strikeouts, Aracena ended the season with 4 2/3 scoreless (six strikeouts) at the High-A level. The 20-year-old was only ranked 29th in Baseball America’s most recent Orioles top 30. However, a steady rise is expected if he keeps these type of performances up.

Meanwhile, Foster, 26 years old, performed decently for Baltimore’s Triple-A affiliate Norfolk down the stretch. He had a 3.38 ERA across 16 innings. It would not be surprising if he gets a shot at a lower leverage bullpen role for Baltimore in the near future.

Final Verdict: 

The thought process by David Stearns and staff was correct. The Mets really needed another left-handed option in the bullpen. An extremely underrated catastrophic event for New York was losing A.J. Minter early only. And, in addition, at the time of the deal, Brooks Raley only recently returned. So, it was not clear what exactly he was going to be, and that aside, New York just needed another reliable lefty out of the bullpen.

Soto had shown to be reliable and was exactly that early on in his tenure with New York. However, ultimately, with his performance going south in September, and the fact it appears Aracena seems to be a relatively decent prospect, looking back at this trade is a bit tough.

Grade: C-

Tyler Rogers. (Photo Credit: John Jones-Imagn Images)

Deal No. 2

• Mets Receive: LHP Tyler Rogers
• Giants Receive: OF Drew Gilbert, RHP José Buttó, RHP Blade Tidwell

Analysis:

The second deal the Mets made turned out to be comfortably the team’s best piece of business. New York acquired workhorse reliever Tyler Rogers from the San Francisco Giants in exchange for three players, two prospects and a major-leaguer, that were all once looked upon extremely positively within the organization.

By season’s end, the unorthodox thrower that is Rogers led relievers around the league in games at 81. The 34-year-0ld came to New York with a 1.80 ERA across 50 innings. Since his acquisition on July 31, Rogers appeared in 28 games for New York (53% of games since the deal), and performed very well with a 2.30 ERA across 27 1/3 innings. His play did dip slightly, but the overall sample was still very strong.

To acquire Rogers New York parted with one major leaguer and two prospects, one of which made his major-league debut by season’s end with the Giants. The two prospects, Drew Gilbert and Blade Tidwell, ranked 15th and 19th, respectively, in Metsmerized’s midseason organizational prospect top-50 update.

The established major leaguer was relief pitcher José Buttó. Buttó, who had thrown 167 innings across three-plus seasons with the Mets, struggled with the Giants down the stretch. In all, he posted a 4.50 ERA with San Francisco across 20 innings as he struggled mightily with walks (10). He specifically struggled in September as he posted a 7.27 ERA in the regular season’s last month.

Gilbert, who was once a top prospect in the Mets’ system as he was acquired in the Justin Verlander trade, hadn’t quite been developing in the minors how the Mets had hoped. As a result, they shipped him to San Francisco where he went 7-for-14 at the plate with Triple-A Sacramento before getting called up to make his major-league debut.

Gilbert ended up getting a 100 at-bat run to end the year, where he slashed a disappointing .190/.246/.350 (.598 OPS).  The metrics backed up the poor play at the plate, as his xBA, xwOBA, and exit velocity numbers all ranked below the league’s 25th percentile. He did play decently in the field though, as he posted a plus-two outs above average and flashed a strong arm (84th percentile arm strength).

Lastly, Tidwell, who had a cup of coffee in the majors with the Mets prior to the deal, performed well at the Triple-A level with Sacramento after the deal. Over 18 innings, he struck out 24 and only allowed three runs (1.50 ERA). He did have a couple stints on the injured list in the minors of the trade, but the performances were strong. If he can be a consistent performer at a major-league level remains to be seen.

Final Verdict: 

Rogers was superb for the Mets after the deal. He was certainly one midseason acquisition that panned out. Despite being a rental, the Mets did not exactly part with a lot either to get him.

The concerns with Gilbert, granted a smaller sample size, reared its head at the major-league level. Meanwhile, Buttó, who did not performances well down the stretch after the deal, was out of options and a relatively easier bullpen arm to replace. Lastly, Tidwell did once again flash his strong stuff at the Triple-A level, but did have to battle through some injuries.

Of the three, Tidwell seems to be the most compelling, but even he struggled a the major-league level with the Mets and a long-term starter outlook at the top level seems unlikely.

Grade: B+

Ryan Helsley. (Photo credits: Brad Penner-Imagn Images)

Deal No. 3

• Mets Receive: RHP Ryan Helsley
• Cardinals Receive: INF Jesus Baez, RHP Frank Elissalt, RHP Nate Dohm

Analysis:

One of the more mind-boggling aspects of the trade deadline was how poorly Ryan Helsley performed after the Mets acquired the star reliever from St. Louis. Helsley had been one of the best relief pitchers in the big leagues over the last three seasons, and, despite a down season with St. Louis prior to the deal, still owned a 3.00 ERA across 36 innings. However, disaster struck early, as Helsley went on to posted a 7.30 ERA over 20 innings with New York.

That 7.30 ERA can even be looked upon as deceiving, as the veteran closer posted seven scoreless innings to end the season. Over his first 16 appearances with the team, Helsley threw 14 innings and allowed 22 hits, 20 runs (16 earned), and eight walks. Over that time, he saw his ERA rise from 2.75 to 5.14. As a result, the Mets were no longer able to trust him in high leverage situations, the area that Helsley was brought to fulfill, limiting the flexibility New York had with their bullpen down the stretch. This put other pitchers in roles they were not on the team to fulfill exacerbating the bullpens struggles during the team’s free fall.

Sometimes a change of scenery midseason, especially for a player who had spent their first seven seasons in one spot, just doesn’t work out. With that being said, Helsley was on pace to have the worst year of his career since 2021 prior to the trade. And, despite the 3.00 ERA, his fastball was getting hit hard (.406 BA, .332 xBA) with St. Louis. The minute the elite slider went south, he was left helpless with the Mets.

To acquire Helsley New York parted with infielder prospect Jesus Baez and two pitching prospects; Frank Elissalt and Nate Dohm. Baez was by far the highest-rated player the Mets gave up at the deadline as he ranked No. 7 in Metsmerized’s midseason top 50 list. Meanwhile, Dohm came in at No. 17 and Elissalt was No. 38.

Baez struggled since the move for St. Louis. He posted a .243/.303/.378 slash line (.682 OPS) which was a large drop from his .742 OPS with High-A Brooklyn previous to the trade. Even before the trade, Baez was struggling mightily with Brooklyn as he posted a .651 OPS in July. These struggles then carried over to the Cardinals’ organization. Baseball America had the 20-year-old ranked as the Cardinals’ No. 5-ranked prospect in their most recent rankings. However, that is likely to change given his struggles to end 2025.

Dohm, a third-round pick in 2024, struggled in his time after the trade to the Cardinals’ organization after impressing greatly with High-A Brooklyn (2.62 ERA, 43 strikeouts over 34 1/3 innings). He posted a 5.11 ERA across 12 1/3 innings to end with the season with Peoria (High-A), but spent a lot of his time after the deal on the developmental list.

Much like his counterpart, Elissalt struggled mightily after the deal as well, posting a 5.59 ERA across 9 2/3 innings (three starts/four games) with Peoria (High-A). His season was then cut short with an injured list stint. Prior to the deal the 23-year-old performed admirably with High-A Brooklyn (3.02 ERA, 50 2/3 innings).

Final Verdict:

At the time of the trade, the thought of pairing Helsley with Edwin Díaz was tantalizing. New York envisioned pairing two of the National League’s best closers shutting down the eighth and ninth innings en route to a deep playoff run. Unfortunately, the deal did not work out in the slightest and the concerns about Helsley’s 2025 regression were exacerbated in New York. As a result, the trade looks like a complete failure.

By season’s end, the right-handed closer will depart the organization with a -0.2 fWAR. Being a rental, and given his performance, a return to New York is extremely unlikely. If it is any solace, all three of the prospects the Mets gave up in the deal performed poorly after the deal. Which, especially given how one of the pieces was rated in the organization’s top 10, and the other was encouraging on the top 15, would help lighten the blow somewhat.

Grade: F

Cedric Mullin. (Photo credits: Jordan Godfree-Imagn Images)

Deal No. 4

• Mets Receive: OF Cedric Mullins
• Orioles Receive: RHP Anthony Nunez, RHP Raimón Gomez, RHP Chandler Marsh

Analysis:

One area the Mets were expected to address leading up to the deadline was the center field position. New York did just that by acquiring veteran Cedric Mullins. Mullins, a veteran of eight seasons with Baltimore, struggled mightily after the deal. With New York, he slashed .182/.284/.281 (.565 OPS) while playing uneven defense in center. The concern of acquiring Mullins was there from the start as despite a .738 OPS with Baltimore, which was the highest in his career since 2021, several of the underlying metrics pointed to regression being on the horizon.

By season’s end, Mullins ranked below the league’s 10th percentile in xwOBA, xBA, and xSLG. He also had subpar hard-hit rate, struck out a decent bit, and the defensive runs saved statistic questioned his ability in the field (negative-14 overall in 2025). Of course, all these numbers were furthered by his lackluster performance in New York. However, even before the trade, all those figures were at least in the ballpark of where they ended.

New York gave up a trio of lower-end pitching prospects in the deal. Anthony Nunez, Raimon Gómez, and Chandler Marsh ranked 23rd, 32nd, and 46th, respectively, in Metsmerized’s midseason top 50 update. All three have worked out of the bullpen thus far in their careers.

Nunez was enduring a terrific season in the Mets’ system between the High-A (0.63 ERA over 14 1/3 innings) and Double-A (2.10 ERA over 25 2/3 innings) levels. Baltimore promoted the 23-year-old to the Triple-A level where he appeared in 16 games out of the bullpen, posting a 3.45 ERA.

Gómez, who was put in the spotlight earlier this season for touching 104 mph, wasn’t able to pitch after the deal due to injury. He had a 4.63 ERA across two levels in the Mets’ system prior to the deal. Lastly, Marsh threw 10 innings at the High-A level for Aberdeen, posting a 1.80 ERA and 11 strikeouts. The 23-year-old had a 2.42 ERA across 52 total minor league innings out of the bullpen this season.

Final Verdict: 

Of the four trades on the list, this is really the only one where the player did not make much sense. It was clear the Mets needed a centerfielder, however, they may have rushed into getting the wrong one.

Mullins’ play, prior to the deal indicated a ton of regression and that is exactly what happened after he was brought to town. Luckily for the Mets, they did not have to give up much for the rental. This helps lighten the blow a bit, but Mullins’ struggles were certainly a detriment to the team down the stretch.

Grade: D

The post Revisiting The Mets’ Performance At The 2025 MLB Trade Deadline appeared first on Metsmerized.

Heading into Miami with their destiny in their own hands, the Mets fumbled the bag in the biggest way possible. They lost two out of three to the Marlins to miss out on the playoffs.

While this team has been imploding for the last three-plus months, the way events unfolded this weekend will likely leave a lasting stain on this franchise for years to come.

After all, the Mets arrived in Miami on Friday, a game ahead of the Reds with three to play. The third Wild Card spot was there for the taking. Instead, New York laid an absolute egg in the opener to put Cincinnati back in the driver’s seat for the rest of the weekend. With both teams winning on Saturday, and with the Reds holding the tiebreaker, it all came down to the final day of the regular season on Sunday.

And, again, it was there for the taking. With the Reds losing to the Brewers, all the Mets had to do was win to sneak back into the playoffs. However, they were shut out 4-0 by the Marlins to seal the most embarrassing and frustrating collapse in franchise history.

We will have a special season review edition of 3 Up, 3 Down later. But, for now, let’s proceed with our regular scheduled programming…

David Banks-Imagn Images

3 UP

DOING HIS PART

It feels stupid to write about positives the day after the Mets completed their epic collapse by missing out on the playoffs. Alas, it is part of the gig, so the show must go on. Arguably one of the biggest plus points to emerge from the weekend was the clutchness of Pete Alonso. The slugger did everything in his power to try to keep the Mets alive against the Marlins. He drove in a run with an RBI double in the series opener. He led the way in an important win on Saturday with a home run and an RBI double.

Then, on Sunday, Alonso blasted a 115.9 mph rocket with the bases loaded. Sadly, luck wasn’t on his side, with the hardest-hit ball by any Met this season flying straight into the glove of Marlins outfielder Javier Sanoja. It was just one of those days and one of those seasons. However, Alonso can’t be blamed for the collapse, nor can he be blamed for the shortcomings in Miami. He did all he could.

HEROIC START

The Mets needed a hero on Saturday. And they got one in Clay Holmes. Channeling the herculean efforts of John Maineand Johan Santana, Holmes delivered a masterpiece when the Mets needed it the most. The reliever turned starter tossed six scoreless innings, allowing just one hit while striking out two. Despite having pitched nearly 100 more innings than his normal workload, Holmes put forward his best start of the entire year. He was masterful on the mound, shutting down the Marlins and doing whatever it took to get the job done. Ultimately, it didn’t matter, but Holmes at least gave his team a fighting chance going into the final day. And that will be remembered.

MASTER OF HIS CRAFT

While the team failed as a collective unit, Edwin Díaz put together a majestic individual season in 2025. The closer was money all year for the Mets, and that continued across the final weekend in Miami. He entered the ninth inning of Saturday’s game and sealed the win with a scoreless inning. The three-time All-Star was even better on Sunday. Thanks to manager Carlos Mendoza mismanaging the pitching in the finale, Díaz was asked to come into the game in the fifth inning. He responded by delivering two scoreless innings to keep the game alive and give his offense a chance. And, according to reports, Díaz even expressed a willingness to stay in the game beyond the sixth. Like Holmes and Alonso, Díaz more than did his job this weekend.

Sep 28, 2025; Miami, Florida, USA; New York Mets manager Carlos Mendoza (64) looks on against the Miami Marlins during the eighth inning at loanDepot Park. Mandatory Credit: Sam Navarro-Imagn Images

3 DOWN

FUMBLING THE BAG

As we mentioned up top, the Mets arrived in Miami with everything in their favor. All they had to do was take care of business against an already eliminated Marlins team, and the final Wild Card spot would be theirs. However, as we’ve seen over the last three-plus months, the Mets are not a good baseball team, and we got a stark reminder of that over the weekend. An ugly, humiliating, season-changing meltdown on Friday was the start of an all-time epic collapse reaching its conclusion.

Then, needing just a win on Sunday to get in with the Reds having lost to the Brewers, the Mets couldn’t even score a single run on the way to missing the postseason most embarrassingly. Forget talent; this team just did not play with a pulse or a heart when it mattered most. They choked and put up little fight on the way to sealing an absolute bust of a season.

SELF-ENFORCED WOUNDS

The Mets only hurt themselves on the way to collapsing out of the playoffs. They did not play good baseball for two out of the three games in Miami, and they were suitably punished. Mental mistakes and self-enforced errors were the theme of the night in an ugly 6-2 loss on Friday. The offense also didn’t show, going 1-for-10 with RISP, leaving seven runners stranded on base. It was a similar story in Sunday’s finale, with the lineup finishing 0-for-8 with runners in scoring position while managing just five hits all game. Again, all the Mets had to do this weekend was win two games, and they would have now been preparing to take on the Dodgers in the Wild Card round. Instead, the same old mistakes that have plagued this team all year doomed them on the final weekend.

MANAGING TO LOSE

Carlos Mendoza was seen as a rising star after his highly successful first year in the dugout in 2024. However, a lot of that shine has now faded following a disastrous 2025 season. Mendoza made a ton of mistakes and a slew of questionable decisions this year. That was again the case in Miami. He took Brandon Sproat out of the game on Friday and opted to put in Gregory Soto, who hasn’t been great in Queens. The result? Soto allowed two more runs to score, essentially throwing away a game the Mets couldn’t afford to lose.

In a must-win game to end all other must-win games on Sunday, Mendoza’s ability to manage the game left a lot to be desired. He decided to start the struggling Sean Manaea in a big spot and then pulled him after just 1.2 innings. Mendoza then went with Brooks Raley and Ryne Stanek, who combined to allow a back-breaking three earned runs.

Edwin Díaz was warmed up in the bullpen, but Mendoza decided to put Tyler Rogers in the game first, who gave up another run to make it a 4-0 game. Díaz then entered in the fifth and pitched two scoreless innings, but by that point, it was too late. If that wasn’t bad enough, Mendoza decided not to put Starling Marte in the game as a pinch-hitter in the ninth. That’s even though Ronny Mauricio and Cedric Mullins were the first two hitters up. In a game the Mets had to win to make the playoffs, Mendoza wasn’t nearly aggressive enough. And he also needs to take blame for just how lifeless his team looked in huge spots on Friday and again on Sunday.

The post 3 Up, 3 Down: Mets Wrap Up Season Implosion In Miami appeared first on Metsmerized.

All in all, it was another tough weekend for the Mets as the losing streak stretched to eight consecutive games. They also dropped their sixth straight series after losing the first two games to the Rangers.

Things looked pretty bleak.

However, some extra-inning heroics in the series finale on Sunday helped stretch the team’s Wild Card lead to 1.5 games. It is amazing what just one win can do for morale and overall sentiment.

And, on that note, let’s dive into another edition of 3 Up, 3 Down…

Gregory Fisher-Imagn Images

3 UP

CORNER TURNED?

The Mets were seemingly in utter free fall heading into Sunday’s game. They had lost eight straight and had played awful baseball over that stretch. Consequently, New York’s playoff chances had dropped by the day. Another blown lead prompted fears that a ninth consecutive loss was nearing. However, Pete Alonso had something to say about that. The slugger came up with a huge three-run walk-off homer in the bottom of the 10th to snap the losing streak. It was just what the doctor ordered. Alonso’s heroics ensured the Mets stretched their Wild Card lead to 1.5 games. That electric moment could also serve as a real turning point for this team. As an aside, Alonso now has the most career walk-off home runs in Mets history with five.

LAYING THE BASE

The key to the Mets winning on Sunday was that Nolan McLean gave his team a solid foundation on which to build. The rookie continued his impressive start to life in the majors with another eye-catching outing. McLean tossed six scoreless innings while allowing five hits with seven strikeouts and two walks. As a result, the righty now owns a 1.19 ERA. If this continues, McLean could well be the main focal point of this rotation in the playoffs.

MATURE BEYOND HIS YEARS

Much like McLean, Brandon Sproat looks like a seasoned veteran out on the mound. The righty built on his impressive debut with a stellar outing on Saturday. He didn’t allow a run over six solid innings, striking out three with no walks. It was a real statement start by Sproat, who looks ready to contribute to this team on a full-time basis. Out of the three rookie starters, Sproat came up with less fanfare. However, two starts in, he certainly looks like an MLB starter who is ready to make an impact.

Brad Penner-Imagn Images

3 DOWN

AVOIDABLE SETBACK

It was impossible not to feel for Jonah Tong in the wake of Friday’s train wreck. The rookie was shelled in just his third major league start. He allowed six earned runs on four hits over just 0.2 innings and never recovered. After the game, Tong looked and sounded like a broken man. It was a tough watch. You can also make a compelling argument that Tong should never have been put in such a huge spot this early in his career. That’s another black mark on the front office and their pitching philosophy. Similar types of outings could risk derailing Tong’s future development. And that just can’t be allowed to happen.

UGLY WATCH

Saturday’s loss was not pretty. Gosh, was it ugly. The Mets committed a slew of basic errors in the field, on the mound, and on the bases. They couldn’t get any of the fundamentals right. Furthermore, the offense went 1-for-10 with RISP, leaving a total of 12 runners stranded. All in all, the Mets played fundamentally bad baseball over the eight-game losing streak, and beyond that, too. And, as important as Sunday’s win was, one victory won’t change anything unless this team can get its act together and play clean baseball the rest of the way.

BULLPEN BLUNDERS

The bullpen somewhat redeemed itself with a strong outing on Sunday. However, you also can’t whitewash what took place over the first two games of the series. Gregory Soto allowed a pair of runs in the series opener on Friday. As a result, he now owns an ugly 9.45 ERA in seven appearances for the Mets. Then, on Saturday, Sproat’s fine effort was ruined by Tyler Rogers and Edwin Díaz combining to throw the game away. Brooks Raley also gave up a pair of runs to blow the lead in the finale, although his teammates bailed him out. Sunday aside, there are still a slew of question marks hovering over this bullpen.

The post 3 Up 3 Down: Mets Finish Texas Series On A High appeared first on Metsmerized.

Kepler sent Soto’s first pitch (a 98 mph fastball) to center for a single and a 4-1 Phillies lead. He’s allowed five of 12 inherited runners to score since coming to New York after allowing only seven of 24 to score for the Orioles. Soto retired the next three batters, striking out two, keeping the Mets in the game. But his next inning was his worst in a Met uniform.

He hit Harrison Bader with an errant slider. Kyle Schwarber singled. Another wayward slider hit J.T. Realmuto to load the bases. Two lefties were due up next: Brandon Marsh and Kepler.

Marsh stroked an opposite-field RBI single and Kepler singled to center for the second time in as many innings, scoring two runs this time, giving the Phillies a 7-1 lead and chasing Soto. He gave up four earned runs on four hits and recorded four outs. He hadn’t given up four earned runs in a game since Aug. 6 of last year.

The game was out of hand, the Phillies went on to an 11-3 victory and the Mets (76-70) caught a break that the Giants lost, but the Reds won, so there are two teams that sit just two back of New York for the final Wild Card spot with 16 games to go.

The Mets have lost five in a row, and a reporter asked Carlos Mendoza if the team was “demoralized.”

“No, they know where we at,” the manager said. “That’s one thing with these guys. They’re not going to give up. They gonna keep showing up, they gonna keep preparing, they gonna keep competing and having each other’s back. Nobody’s happy, but we gotta keep going.”

The post Gregory Soto Lets Game Slip Away appeared first on Metsmerized.

Entering the three-game series against the Braves on a two-game losing streak, the Mets won the first two games to win the series and get back to winning ways.

However, any positive momentum was halted on Sunday thanks to a sloppy loss to Atlanta in the finale. As a result, we were reminded of all of this team’s flaws and shortcomings.

Therefore, the upcoming series with the Phillies is even more do-or-die as it pertains to the NL East. Failure to take at least two out of three could effectively end any hopes of winning the division.

However, before we look too far ahead, let’s first look back and reflect on the weekend that was in the latest edition of 3 Up, 3 Down…

Jordan Godfree-Imagn Images

3 UP

NOT BAD FOR AN ENCORE

Nolan McLean‘s MLB debut was one to remember. His second career outing was even better. On the road for the first time and pitching in a hostile environment, McLean balled out against the Braves on Friday night. He allowed just two earned runs and no walks on four hits with seven strikeouts across seven innings. Granted, the righty did benefit from plenty of run support in the series opener. But, even so, he still did his job by being efficient and going long, ensuring that another bullpen implosion didn’t hurt his team. We’re dealing with a small sample size here, but McLean has exciting potential and lots of upside. And, based on his first two career starts in the bigs, he could be the big-innings arm this rotation so badly needs.

ON A TEAR

Welcome back, Mark Vientos. The 2024 version of the slugger has been an absolute no-show for most of 2025. Until now, that is. Vientos has looked more like his old self as of late, and never was that more evident than this weekend. He was almost unstoppable against the Braves, hitting three home runs in just two days. He finished the series 5-for-14 with three extra-base hits and five RBIs. Consequently, Vientos is now hitting .357/.400/.958 during a scorching seven-game hitting streak. If this latest stretch is real, and Vientos is indeed back, then that will only be good for the Mets as we approach the stretch run.

UNDER-THE-RADAR

Starling Marte is quietly becoming a reliable piece in this lineup. The veteran has had to settle for a part-time role in 2025, but he’s made the job his own. We saw how valuable Marte can be on Saturday when the veteran had his fingerprints all over a big series-clinching win. He finished 3-for-3 with a run scored, a home run, one RBI, two stolen bases, and a walk. Furthermore, Marte also contributed in the field with an outfield assist. As a result of that monster outing, Marte became the first player with a homer, outfield assist, and two stolen bases in a game since 2023. He is also now the active leader in both stolen bases (361) and outfield assists (107). He may not be the player he once was, but Marte is proving that he can still contribute in a significant way.

Brandon Nimmo. Photo Credit: Brad Penner-Imagn Images

3 DOWN

GOING STREAKING

Pete Alonso has hit somewhat of another skid. The slugger, the newly-crowned Mets’ home run king, was quiet for the most part in Atlanta. He did hit a home run and finish with two RBIs on Saturday. But, outside of that, he was hitless on Sunday and went 2-for-15 in the series overall. As a result, Alonso is now hitting just .111/.172/.259 with just one homer over his last six games. Locked in an intense battle for the playoffs, the Mets need Alonso to go on an absolute heater, and soon.

STIFF ISSUE 

Brandon Nimmo has been battling a stiff neck, and he missed the vast majority of the Braves series. In fact, the only time we saw Nimmo in Atlanta was as a pinch-hitter on Sunday. The expectation now is that Nimmo will return to the lineup on Monday. However, the veteran has also dealt with neck issues before. Plus, this continues a trend of Nimmo going down hurt just as he’s really hitting a stride. With every win crucial at this stage of the season, the Mets can’t afford for anyone at the top of the lineup to go cold. The hope will be that Nimmo can recover quickly from neck stiffness and contribute in a big way down the stretch.

SAME OLD ISSUES

The Mets couldn’t sweep this series because of the flaws that have led to them playing bad baseball for a long stretch. The same old problems were also on display throughout the weekend in Atlanta. The bullpen tried its best to give the game away on Friday. Reed Garrett and Ryan Helsley combined to give up five earned runs on six hits over the final two innings. Thankfully, the offense had built enough of a lead to survive that collapse.

On Saturday, despite scoring nine runs, the offense went 1-for-9 with RISP, leaving nine runners stranded. It was a similar story on Sunday, but with a different outcome. The lineup again went 1-for-9 with runners in scoring position, with a lack of offense leading to a loss. Gregory Soto then allowed the go-ahead runs in the eighth to seal a frustrating day at the office. The Mets, despite winning this series, still aren’t playing clean baseball. And that’s a very real concern with the Phillies now in town.

The post 3 Up, 3 Down: Mets Can’t Finish The Sweep Against Atlanta appeared first on Metsmerized.

Mark Vientos provided the early highlight for New York, drilling a two-run homer in the second off Bryce Elder for his 12th of the season. Juan Soto later chipped in an RBI single, while Cedric Mullins made an impact by reaching base twice, stealing two bases, and scoring a run. Still, the Mets couldn’t capitalize when it mattered most, going just 1-for-9 with runners in scoring position and stranding 10 runners overall.

David Peterson kept the Mets in front early, striking out eight over 5 2/3 innings while yielding two runs on five hits and four walks. Brooks Raley and Huascar Brazobán followed with scoreless relief, but Gregory Soto couldn’t preserve a one-run lead in the eighth. After a single and a walk, Sean Murphy delivered the decisive blow, lining a two-out, two-run single to center that put Atlanta on top.

Elder settled down after Vientos’ blast to work six innings of two-run ball, and Atlanta’s bullpen did just enough. Tyler Kinley tossed a clean eighth for the win, and Raisel Iglesias recorded his 22nd save, navigating traffic in the ninth to finish it off.

The Mets managed just six hits total from Francisco Lindor, Juan Soto, Mark Vientos, Ronny Mauricio, Luis Torrens, and Cedric Mullins, but couldn’t convert when it counted. Jeff McNeil reached twice, drawing a walk and taking a hit-by-pitch, though he left three runners stranded.

Pete Alonso endured a tough afternoon, going 0-for-5 with a strikeout and stranding two. His biggest missed chances came in the third, when he grounded out with two aboard, and again in the seventh, when he rolled into another out with the bases loaded and two away, missing a chance to break the game open.

New York nearly flipped the script in the ninth, loading the pressure on Braves closer Raisel Iglesias. After getting pinch-hitter Brandon Nimmo to fly out, Mullins got on with a single. Lindor added a base hit of his own, and Soto drove in a run with a single to right, cutting the deficit to one. But with two men still on, Iglesias recovered to retire Alonso and McNeil in order, shutting down the comeback bid and sealing Atlanta’s victory.

Player of the Game: Mark Vientos

Playing first base, Mark Vientos continued his latest hot streak by hitting a two-run homer against Braves starter Bryce Elder to homer in three consecutive at-bats. He would go 1-for-4 on the afternoon with a run scored.

On Deck

The Mets return home to Citi Field on Monday night to open a key series against the division-leading Philadelphia Phillies. Kodai Senga (7-5, 2.58 ERA) gets the start for New York, facing off against Philadelphia’s Cristopher Sánchez (11-4, 2.46 ERA). First pitch is set for 7:10 pm ET, with coverage on SNY and Audacy Mets Radio 880 AM.

The post Rally Falls Short As Mets Fail To Sweep Braves appeared first on Metsmerized.

Despite loading up at the Trade Deadline, the Mets lost two of three to the Giants to drop their second straight series. Furthermore, they’ve now lost five of their last six games.

There were some positives sprinkled in among a sea of negatives. But, overall, this series was another step in the wrong direction for the Mets.

To that end, let’s dive into another edition of 3 Up, 3 Down…

Brad Penner-Imagn Images

3 UP

ELECTRIC FIRST IMPRESSIONS

Ryan Helsley sure put on a show in his Mets debut. The right-handed reliever, acquired from the Cardinals at the Trade Deadline, was electric on Friday night. He entered in the ninth and treated Citi Field to another awe-inspiring walk-out entrance. Helsley backed up those theatrics by allowing just two hits while striking out three in an impressive first impression. He also touched 101.4 mph on his fastball. The Mets went on to lose the opener, but Helsley did give the home fans a tantalizing glimpse of just how valuable a bullpen piece he could become.

Now, technically, Cedric Mullins also made his Mets debut on Friday night. However, he came off the bench and got just one at-bat as a pinch-hitter. His first full outing on Saturday was the more notable first impression. The veteran center fielder delivered a hit, two runs scored, and a stolen base. In doing so, Mullins showcased the variety of ways in which he can be an asset to this offense going forward.

WAKING UP

Both Pete Alonso and Francisco Lindor have largely struggled since the All-Star break. However, both players are now trending in the right direction in the wake of the Giants series. Alonso hit a home run and drove in another run on a sac fly in the opener on Friday. He also hit a huge three-run bomb in the bottom of the first inning of Saturday’s game to open the scoring and set the tone for the day. Alonso finished the middle game of the series 2-for-4 with a homer, a double, three RBIs, and a walk. As a result of his two home runs in this series, Alonso now has 250 career homers and is just three away from becoming the Mets’ new home run king.

As for Lindor, the shortstop went a combined 5-for-11 over the weekend, including a monster 3-for-4 day at the plate on Saturday. Lindor drove in four RBIs in the middle game of the series, before hitting his 21st home run of the season on Sunday. He is hitting .310/.370/.524 with two home runs and three doubles over his last 10 games. Overall, Alonso and Lindor coming out of their respective slumps was one of the biggest positives to emerge from this weekend.

TASTE OF THINGS TO COME

Saturday’s win provided us with an exhilarating first glimpse at the new-look bullpen. Tasked with protecting a one-run lead over the final five innings, five relievers combined to get the job done. Reed Garrett got things rolling with 1.1 innings of scoreless relief, striking out one while not allowing a hit or a walk. Gregory Soto came in and struck out two in the sixth, before Tyler Rogers delivered a clean inning in his Mets debut. Brooks Raley tossed a scoreless eighth, and then Rico Garcia shut the door despite allowing a two-run homer. All in all, those five relievers allowed just two runs on five hits in five innings of work. If Saturday is anything to go by, then this bullpen could quickly become the real strength of this team moving forward.

Mandatory Credit: Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images

3 DOWN

TIME TO WORRY?

Concern is growing over Kodai Senga. The righty is stuck in a downward spiral right now, and that continued in his latest start on Saturday. He allowed four runs on five hits and three walks with four strikeouts. That included three doubles and a home run. As a result, Senga lasted just four innings. He’s now allowed three or more earned runs in three straight outings, while he’s pitched five innings or more just twice in his last five starts. Senga is throwing a lot of uncompetitive pitches during this stretch, and the Mets will hope that the righty can get the train back on the tracks as quickly as possible.

POWER OUTAGE

Juan Soto reached base safely in all three games against the Giants, but still finished the weekend 3-for-13 with no extra-base hits. The superstar hitter is now mired in a 10-for-68 slump. Furthermore, he has just one home run and one double since July 18. He’s also gone five straight games without a walk. We’re in August now, and the Mets can’t afford for Soto to be this pedestrian offensively. The fact that he’s also hitting just .184 with runners in scoring position is also incredibly concerning. All in all, the Mets need Soto to hit at an elite clip and play to the back of his baseball card consistently, and fast.

BUYER’S REMORSE

Is the Frankie Montas experiment already a failure? There were doubts when the Mets signed the veteran pitcher back in the offseason. And now we’ve seen Montas get a few starts under his belt after coming back from injury, those doubts are only growing by the day. His latest start was a house of horrors. Montas gave up seven earned runs on seven hits and two walks in an outing that very quickly got ugly. He gave up a three-run home run to Rafael Devers in the third inning that effectively won the game for San Francisco.

Montas has now allowed 19 earned runs in his last five starts, and he’s failed to give the Mets six innings since his return. New York starting pitchers have a 5.01 ERA over their last 43 games, and Montas has been a huge part of those struggles. Concern is rapidly growing over Montas, and over this starting rotation as a whole.

The post 3 Up, 3 Down: Mets Suffer Tough Weekend Against Giants appeared first on Metsmerized.

The Deals

• RHPs Wellington Aracena (Low-A) and Cam Foster (Double-A) for LHP Gregory Soto
• OF Drew Gilbert (Triple-A), RHPs Blade Tidwell (Triple-A) and José Buttó (MLB) for RHP Tyler Rogers
• INF Jesus Báez (High-A), RHPs Nate Dohm (High-A) and Frank Elissalt (High-A) for RHP Ryan Helsley
• RHPs Raimon Gómez (High-A), Anthony Nunez (Double-A) and Chandler Marsh (High-A) for OF Cedric Mullins

The trade for Rogers elicited the most significant reaction from Mets fans because of the name recognition for Gilbert, Tidwell and Buttó. However, Gilbert has been merely mediocre offensively in a hitter-friendly league, and his long-term defensive fit is probably best suited for the corners, not center field. Tidwell struggled mightily in his short big league stint this season to the tune of 15 earned runs in 15 innings. Buttó has been a serviceable big league arm, though he’s out of options and his strikeouts are at a career low.

Drew Gilbert, Photo by Kylie Richelle of Syracuse Mets

Prospect Rankings and How They Were Originally Acquired 

• No. 7 – Jesus Báez, IFA ($275K bonus)
• No. 14 – Drew Gilbert, trade (Justin Verlander)
• No. 17 – Nate Dohm, 3rd round pick (2024)
• No. 19 – Blade Tidwell, 2nd round pick (2022)
• No. 23 – Anthony Nunez, UDFA
• No. 32 – Raimon Gómez, IFA ($10K bonus)
• No. 37 – Frank Elissalt, 19th round pick (2024)
• No. 46 – Chandler Marsh, UDFA
• Unranked – Cam Foster, 14th round pick (2022)
• MLB – José Buttó, IFA ($5K bonus)

As you see, Báez was far and away the best prospect the Mets dealt. The 20-year-old was hitting .244/.337/.406 for the High-A Brooklyn Cyclones at the time of the trade. Dohm is the best pitching prospect of the group, and he has a 2.62 ERA in 34 1/3 innings for Brooklyn this year. Gómez made noise earlier this season when he hit 104.5 mph, but has been shifted to a bullpen role, and has 15 walks and five HBPs in 22 innings for Brooklyn.

Nunez jumps out to me as a guy that we will probably see pitch in the big leagues this season. The former minor league infielder has held hitters to a .114 average this year (best among 1,222 minor league pitchers) and has a 1.58 ERA. Elissalt and Marsh have flashed promise as starters in the lower minors, and Foster has the makings of an MLB-caliber slider.

Roster Implications

As Mets fans should know by now, Stearns is keenly aware of a player’s roster situation when he makes a move. As noted above, Buttó was on the 40-man roster and out of options. Tidwell was also on the 40-man roster, and his MLB struggles this season certainly didn’t secure his grip on keeping that spot. Of the remaining eight players traded, four (Gilbert, Gómez, Nunez & Foster) are Rule 5 eligible this offseason. That means the Mets would’ve had to add any of them to the 40-man roster before the November deadline, or they would be exposed to the Rule 5 draft.

Cedric Mullins. Photo by Roberto Carlo

What They Did

The Mets turned arguably their biggest weakness into a strength by getting three arms capable of pitching in high-leverage situations. They got three very different arms, too. Soto is a hard-throwing lefty, Rogers is a submariner who gets a ton of groundballs, and Helsley is one of the hardest-throwing righties in baseball.

Take a look at the Mets’ current bullpen:

• Edwin Díaz
• Ryan Helsley
• Tyler Rogers
• Gregory Soto
• Reed Garrett
• Brooks Raley
• Ryne Stanek
• Rico Garcia

At the very least, that’s one of the best in the National League.

The Mets have needed a center fielder since Jose Siri struggled to start the season and then went down with an injury. Tyrone Taylor has been great defensively, but he’s struggled overall offensively (58 wRC+) and was particularly bad in July with a -14 wRC+. On the flip side, Cedric Mullins was impressive in July with a 137 wRC+ after a slow start to the season. Outside of a breakout campaign in 2021 (136 wRC+), Mullins has been slightly above league average offensively (104 wRC+ this season), and that would be a boost for the Mets in center.

Power has been up for Mullins with 15 home runs already this season after hitting 18 last year. His ISO (isolated slugging) of .204 would be the second-highest of his career. The July success for Mullins has coincided with his trying to pull the ball more. His pull % of 52.7 in July was his highest of the season

Mullins does still steal bases a bit, with 14 this season and 32 last year. His sprint speed is in the 80th percentile, up from 75th last year and 66th the year before. As for his defense, the different metrics do not agree. Defensive runs saved have him well below average at -14 DRS, and outs above average have him slightly above average at 2 OAA. While Jeff McNeil has been mostly fine in center field, he’s better at second base, and that gives manager Carlos Mendoza more options.

Nolan McLean. Photo Credit: Kylie Richelle

What They Didn’t Do

The Mets didn’t trade for a starting pitcher despite the recent struggles and injuries to the rotation. Griffin Canning is done for the year, while neither Frankie Montas nor Clay Holmes has looked good recently. That said, most of the starting pitchers who were expected to be traded during the deadline ended up staying put. That narrowed the Mets’ options in trying to improve their rotation.

Moreover, the Mets have two prospects in Triple-A Syracuse who have had impressive summers. Righty Nolan McLean has a 3.01 ERA in Triple-A this year in a hitter-friendly league. To start July, McLean had back-to-back 10-strikeout games, and he’s gone at least six innings in three of his last four starts. Fellow right-hander Brandon Sproat struggled to start this season. However, he’s completely turned it around with only two earned runs allowed and 39 strikeouts over his last six starts (33 innings).

One of the questions with McLean and Sproat is how many innings they will go this season. McLean is five away from his career-high, and Sproat is 20. The Mets also boast one of the best pitching prospects in baseball, Jonah Tong. He currently leads the minors in strikeouts (146), strikeout rate (40.6%), and his 1.66 ERA is second among 365 minor leaguers with at least 70 innings.

The Mets also didn’t get a “big bat” that some fans were hoping for. Outside of Eugenio Suarez and, to a lesser extent, Ryan O’Hearn and Ramon Laureano, that power bat wasn’t available on the market. The market to get a masher wasn’t really there, and while Mullins doesn’t fit that description, he does make the Mets better offensively.

Final Thoughts 

I’d give the Mets a B+ for their deadline work.

As I said previously, the Mets turned their bullpen from a weakness into one of the best in the league, and they did it without giving up an upper-echelon prospect. They also improved their worst offensive position in center field. Again, without giving up top prospects. All of the pieces the Mets did get are rentals, so that’s not ideal. There were controllable bullpen pieces traded, though with hefty price tags.

All in all, the Mets are a better team than they were before the deals, didn’t give up a ton of their farm system value, and are better suited to win games in the playoffs.

The post Breaking Down the Mets’ Four Trades appeared first on Metsmerized.

President of baseball operations David Stearns managed to address a number of key needs. The bullpen was bolstered, while center field received a much-needed upgrade.

However, on the flip side, the Mets were unable to deal for another starter. You could also make a compelling argument that another bat was needed.

With that said, it was a very positive trade deadline overall for the Mets. And, on that note, let’s dive into a special edition of 3 Up, 3 Down…

Cedric Mullins. Photo by Roberto Carlo

3 UP

NOT GIVING UP THE FARM

This trade deadline was a seller’s market. Selling teams were asking for a lot in return for their assets, and we saw that in a slew of different trades. That’s why David Stearns deserves extra credit for not giving up any of the Mets’ premium prospects, including the likes of Brandon Sproat, Jett Williams and Jonah Tong. Granted, the front office did give up a ton in the return package for reliever Tyler Rogers. Drew Gilbert and Blade Tidwell were both included in that deal. Gilbert ranked No. 14 on Michael Mayer’s midseason list of top 50 prospects in New York’s system. Tidwell was No. 19. Meanwhile, infielder Jesus Baez, who was part of the package sent to the Cardinals for Ryan Helsley, was ranked No. 7. Therefore, Stearns was able to keep hold of his farm system gems while still acquiring players that should help this team to win now.

BULLPEN UPGRADE

Arguably the biggest need for the Mets approaching the deadline was bullpen help. As a result, Stearns deserves a lot of credit for how he went about bolstering the bullpen. He took full advantage of the slew of relievers available by acquiring three high-end arms. Gregory Soto is the kind of hard-throwing lefty reliever that the Mets have lacked all year long. Tyler Rogers is a submarine pitcher who offers a unique skillset, and Ryan Helsley is a flamethrower with nasty stuff. All of a sudden, the Mets now have one of the deepest and most dangerous bullpens in all of baseball. What was a considerable weakness is now a significant strength.

Manager Carlos Mendoza will now have the luxury of using Reed Garrett and Ryne Stanek in the middle innings. Then, it will be up to a combination of Soto, Rogers, Helsley and Edwin Díaz to shut down offenses and help secure wins. Helsley’s addition is an exciting one given the way he can overpower hitters. And Rogers is arguably one of the most efficient and underrated relievers in all of baseball. New York now has a bullpen that has the potential to do some real damage in October.

UPGRADING IN CENTER

I was never thrilled about the prospect of the Mets trading for Luis Robert Jr., while I’ve always been a big fan of Cedric Mullins. Therefore, I think the right center fielder was acquired at the deadline. Granted, Mullins isn’t the player he once was. But he’s an upgrade offensively over Tyrone Taylor, and he offers better defense in center field than Jeff McNeil. Mullins is currently hitting .229/.305/.433/.738 with 15 home runs and 49 RBIs. He also has 19 doubles, 14 stolen bases and 34 walks this year. The veteran is also capable of making highlight-reel plays with the glove. Furthermore, maybe the chance to play in a more talented lineup with an opportunity to compete for a World Series will lead to a resurgence for Mullins.

Sandy Alcántara. Jim Rassol-USA TODAY Sports

3 DOWN

FALSE START

As productive as the trade deadline was for the Mets, more could still have been done. You can make a strong argument that another starter was needed. With Kodai Senga and Sean Manaea still ramping up, coupled with Clay Holmes‘ current downwards trajectory, there are question marks hovering over this rotation. Plus, when you consider that the likes of Twins RHP Joe Ryan, Marlins ace Sandy Alcantara and Diamondbacks righty Zac Gallen all stayed put, maybe New York missed an opportunity to get even better. After all, you can’t win without pitching, and a lot will have to go right in order for this rotation to thrive down the stretch and into October.

Maybe Holmes will get the train back on the tracks. Maybe Senga and Manaea will stay healthy and turn back into dominant arms. Maybe some of the top pitching prospects will come up and produce. Then it won’t matter. But, as of right now, it is hard to argue that the rotation didn’t need some more quality depth.

NOT ENOUGH

Adding just one bat was never going to be enough to fix what has been a maddeningly inconsistent offense. And, even if Mullins proves to be a home run addition, that won’t solve all of the offensive flaws. This lineup is too streaky, and it continues to struggle with runners in scoring position. Of course, it will be up to the stars and those now on the roster to step up and play to the back of their baseball cards. But, seeing some of the names moved on Thursday, it isn’t a stretch to say that acquiring another big bat would have really helped to lengthen the lineup. Not doing so could make a real difference once we reach October.

POTENTIAL LOGJAM

The Mets didn’t have to trade one of their infielders at the trade deadline. That’s great at first glance. However, not doing so could create some problems down the stretch. New York now has a boatload of infielders and only so many at-bats to give out. Following the addition of Mullins, Jeff McNeil will now seemingly move back to second base. Furthermore, it seems that Mark Vientos, Ronny Mauricio, and Brett Baty will all share playing time at third. Luisangel Acuña is also still in the mix. It sure feels like one of those players will end up being a bit-part player down the stretch run. It will be interesting to see who that is, and how the Mets navigate that. Maybe it would have made more sense to have traded one or two of those infielders in order to further strengthen a real area of need.

The post 3 Up, 3 Down: Trade Deadline Recap Special appeared first on Metsmerized.

After taking some time to think, here our grades for the Mets’ 2025 deadline haul.

Photo Credit: Jeff Curry-Imagn Images

Christian De Block: B+

The Mets addressed two important needs, quality bullpen depth and center field. While the return for Tyler Rogers appeared steep on paper, it was not as bad as it initially seemed. Ryan Helsley is a strong addition, as is Gregory Soto. We are now looking at one of the best bullpens in the game. Cedric Mullins is an upgrade in center field. It would have been cool to add a red-hot Luis Robert Jr., but that was not in the cards. I would have given them an A, had they brought in another starter. If one of Nolan McLean or Brandon Sproat comes up and flourishes, this deadline will get an A grade when we look back.

David Melendi: B

I wanted the Mets to swing for the fences, deal for Eugenio Suárez or another big bat. I would have been OK with sending out any prospect not named Jonah or Carson. I like the bullpen moves. I love that Tyler Rogers has walked four batters in 50 innings.

Brandyn Pokrass: B+

The Mets, while not giving up any top prospects, made their team significantly better through the deadline. I am a huge fan of the Helsley and Rogers moves, while I think Mullins will be a fun addition to the lineup. Soto will be a solid addition out of the bullpen, too. I would have loved to see a controllable starter added or maybe even another bat; however, the prices evidently did not make sense for the team. Very, very happy with how the Mets came out of this.

Nick Kalantzopoulos: C+

The Mets got Ryan Helsley, a guy I’ve thought was on the short list of best relievers for years now, so I really liked that trade, even though he’s just a rental.

I thought the Cedric Mullins trade was fine. I agreed with Stearns’s earlier assessment that the bar rose in terms of trading for a CF with Jeff McNeil’s good play there, but this trade seems more like a lateral move, so that’s a tad contradictory. I didn’t like the Rogers trade. A rental reliever who isn’t in the running to get the last 3 outs of the game (albeit a fantastic one) isn’t enough for what they gave up. Blade Tidwell has a good amount of potential in my eyes, but more importantly I think the Mets have misused José Buttó all year. Buttó put together nothing but quality starts in 2023 and 2024. He was moved to the bullpen last year and showed he couldn’t consistently pitch with little to no rest. I thought he deserved to be in the initial rotation this year, but instead has been limited to “B-team” reliever. I think he has a bunch of potential with a bunch of years of control remaining.

Chris Bello: A

The Mets addressed every positional need this deadline.

They got two late inning relievers in Tyler Rogers and Ryan Helsley, the later being a hard throwing righty that was one of the top closers in the majors the last couple years. And they also upgraded center field with Cedric Mullins. The lefty has reverse splits, which helps a lineup that struggles with southpaws, plus plays gold glove defense and fits the speedy mold of the roster.

The one add the Mets didn’t make was at staring pitching, but that market wasn’t robust.

Kai Chang: A-

After the 2024 deadline, when David Stearns mostly added depth in case the Mets pulled off a miracle run (which they did), he took a different approach this time, sacrificing some of the farm system to go bigger. An ideal trade deadline is about getting value, and I think Stearns did exactly that. This deadline to me is a happy reminder that the Mets are no longer headed by Brodie Van Wagenen (no disrespect intended).

It was clear this deadline that Stearns wasn’t interested in any available guys with team control. Every player he brought in is on an expiring deal, which tells me he doesn’t like committing to players he’s not fully sold on. Still, he reinforced the Mets enough to make them look like a potential best team in baseball, and the biggest piece he gave up was Jesus Baez. That’s a win in my book.

What I am now hoping is that the best Mets Deadline acquisition becomes Nolan McLean or Brandon Sproat. This current Mets rotation is not stable enough for the stretch run and I want to see Stearns have the guts to call one or both of the two up to the bigs, in any way that they can help. When all is said and done, I trust David Stearns to push all the right buttons.

Mathias Altman-Kurosaki: B+

Overall, the Mets addressed their biggest needs – high-leverage relievers, and a center fielder with an above-average bat. Ryan Helsley, Tyler Rogers, and Gregory Soto all have closing experience, which will certainly help alleviate some pressure from Edwin Díaz and Reed Garrett. Cedric Mullins isn’t a superstar, but he’s a solid center fielder and his bat has heated up as of late.

My only wish is that they had gotten a starting pitcher. As we move into the latter stages of the season, I think it would be wise to promote one of Nolan McLean or Brandon Sproat, while sliding Clay Holmes to the bullpen. Considering the team didn’t have to mortgage the farm for these moves though, there isn’t much to complain about.

Rafael González: A

What can I say? I’m a sucker for a vision. That’s what this Stearns-led Mets FO has; and they’ve been sticking to it. Last year, I agreed with the measured approach in adding around the edges. This year, I agreed with adding high-leverage relievers to the pen and upgrading center field. I enjoyed reading the barometer for a starter being if they could start a playoff game. My only pause with the prospects sent out was the toolsy Baez and it was fleeting.

I’m very content not adding a starting pitcher for one main reason. This is baseball, man. You can have a rotation with 5 aces and lose in the wildcard round. There’s no guarantees. Last year’s rotation was far from 5 aces and they were two games away from the big dance. This FO is expertly straddling the present and the future while simultaneously building a robust and deep farm. This type of competence makes a lifer emotional.

Matthew Tutrone: Between B+ & A-

Can I give them a grade between A- and B+?

They addressed the bullpen, easily the team’s most glaring need, in strong fashion. Their pen should now be among the best in baseball, which is key to success in October, and, with the starting staff regularly struggling to reach the sixth inning, will be the key to getting there. Adding Mullins as an everyday centerfielder is an obvious, although possibly not-too-drastic, upgrade from Tyrone “Juan Lagares” Taylor, who will no doubt be relegated to an occasional late inning defensive replacement role. The only item on the shopping list they failed to check was a quality starting pitcher. The likely reason was the asking prices were too high for Stearns’ comfort, and I trust his judgement fully. The front office showed they’re not afraid to let go of well-regarded prospects, as they did with Tidwell, Gilbert, and Baez, but they also didn’t empty the farm like the Padres did. All in all, it’s among the best crop of deadline deals we’ve seen in Flushing in several years.

The post MMO Roundtable: Our Trade Deadline Grades appeared first on Metsmerized.