With the Mets sitting at 34-38 and five games back of the final wild-card spot, the blue and orange are in a precarious position regarding the trade deadline. Do they sell, or do they buy?
Just ten days ago, owner Steve Cohen gave an interview with the New York Post, which gave us insight into how the Mets view their roster and potential plans at the deadline.
“When things get really bad, I’m not going to blow up. I don’t think that’s the proper response.”
However, if the Mets are still struggling come July 31st, there is a player on an expiring deal that could yield an excellent return for the blue and orange.
Tommy Pham could be valuable at the deadline
After eight seasons with five different teams, Tommy Pham entered free agency for the second time this past winter. The Mets snatched him up on a one-year six-million-dollar deal that has gone better than anyone could have imagined.
Signed initially as the Mets’ fourth outfielder, Pham has become a daily occurrence in the blue and orange’s lineup.
In 51 games, the 35-year-old has hit .259 with seven home runs and 28 RBIs while having the second-highest OPS on the team (.826).
Pham has been on fire offensively as of late, as in his last 16 games, he is hitting .352 with four home runs and 18 RBIs while having an astonishing 1.141 OPS.
What could the Mets get back for Pham?
The return for Pham will come down to two factors: if he can keep up his excellent offensive production for another month and which outfielders are available at the deadline.
If Pham can continue to hit as he has in his last 16 games, and some of the higher-tier outfielders are unavailable at the deadline, the Mets should have no problem getting at least a top-25 prospect from a contender and if they can entice a bidding war much more.
Who replaces Pham on the roster?
With the Mets likely being out of playoff contention, the perfect replacement could be a player that fans have been clamoring for the blue and orange to call up for a long time: Ronny Mauricio.
In this scenario, Jeff McNeil moves to left field, a position which he has played very well this season, and Mauricio would play his secondary position ( second base) every day.
If you are out of playoff contention, why not give one of your topic prospects a chance to prove himself in the major leagues