The New York Mets saw a need for support in the outfield and their pitching ranks and parlayed one of their top minor league prospects to address those needs in their most recent trade.
According to Robert Sanchez of SNY, the Mets acquired right-handed pitcher Adrian Houser and outfielder Tyrone Taylor from the Milwaukee Brewers in exchange for minor league righty Coleman Crow. Sanchez laid out the nature of the trade:
“The deal helps clear money for Milwaukee as Houser is projected to make $5.6 million in arbitration and Taylor $1.7 million in 2024, per MLB Trade Rumors,” Sanchez said.
Does Houser Have the Firepower to Help the Mets Bring Down Their Collective 4.30 ERA?
Houser retired 96 hitters in 2023 behind a .412 ERA and 1.392 WHIP. His 3.99 FIP marked his lowest since 2019.
Had he been on the Mets this past season, Houser would have owned the third-best ERA among all starting pitchers who saw at least 50 innings on the mound and finished the year on the roster.
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Taylor’s Unblemished Fielding Resume A Major Plus For the Mets’ Defense
In the outfield, Taylor posted a perfect fielding percentage across 65 starts, 47 of which came in right field. Taylor has never committed an error in the entirety of his five-year career in the majors. His reliability, particularly in his last two seasons where he’s played 192 of 300 career games will be a breath of fresh air for the Mets’ defense.
Taylor also stole nine bases and sported a .713 OPS, showing versatility on offense as well. His 10 home runs in 81 games put him on pace for 20 homers over a full 162-game schedule, which would have trailed Brandon Nimmo for fifth on the Mets in 2023.
In exchange, the Mets relinquished Crow from their minor league ranks. The third-year prospect graduated to AA in 2022 and put up a 1.88 ERA in 2023. The Mets found it more advantageous to invest in Houser over further cultivating Crow for a call-up to the big leagues.
The Mets will enjoy the services of two reliable veterans who are now looked upon to offer support in the middle of their respective ranks and help the franchise return to the playoffs in 2024.
