Potential trade targets for Mets at key positions of need

This story was excerpted from Anthony DiComo’s Mets Beat newsletter. To read the full newsletter, click here. And subscribe to get it regularly in your inbox.

SAN DIEGO -- About two hours after last Friday’s newsletter went to press, the Mets made their first Trade Deadline move, acquiring left-hander Gregory Soto from the Orioles. The primary question now is how much further they’ll go.

Before Thursday’s deadline, the Mets are near-certain to acquire another relief pitcher. Beyond that, they could make significant splashes in the starting pitching and center field markets… or do nothing at all. Here’s a closer look at their options:

Starting pitching
When asked about his rotation last week, Mets president of baseball operations David Stearns said he would mostly be interested in arms that raise the “ceiling” of his team. He didn’t commit to making an addition, however, expressing confidence in the Mets’ starting five of Sean Manaea, Kodai Senga, David Peterson, Clay Holmes and Frankie Montas.

What would a clear upgrade over those five look like? Probably a lot like Sandy Alcantara, the 2022 National League Cy Young Award winner who hasn’t quite been the same since undergoing Tommy John surgery. Alcantara has a 6.66 ERA, second-worst of any Major League starter with at least 100 innings. But rival evaluators believe Alcantara’s stuff is as crisp as ever, and that he could benefit greatly from a few usage and approach tweaks.

Beyond Alcantara, the most notable name out there is Dylan Cease, who wouldn’t seem like a prime trade candidate considering he plays for the contending Padres. But their president of baseball operations, A.J. Preller, is known for operating well outside the box. If Cease becomes available, he’d fit the mold of a pitcher who could increase the rotation’s ceiling.

Every other arm purportedly on the market, including Zac Gallen, Merrill Kelly and Mitch Keller, has visible warts. They might all be capable of improving New York’s rotation, but probably not by as much as Alcantara or Cease.

Center field
Assuming Jarren Duran doesn’t get traded, the big name to watch here is Luis Robert Jr. He’s an offensive mirror image of Alcantara -- a talented young player under team control who peaked multiple years ago.

In Robert’s case, he hit 38 homers during his age-25 season in 2023, earning MVP votes and a Silver Slugger. His OPS that year was .857. In two seasons since, that number has plummeted more than 200 points.

At worst, Robert is still an elite center-field glove who would shift Jeff McNeil back to his natural position at second base. But the White Sox have no reason to price Robert as a spare part. If the Mets want to acquire him, they’ll need to convince themselves that he can recapture his power potential. They’ll also have to part with significant talent, then hope Robert proves worthy of the risk.

It’s a lot to ask for a player with a checkered history, but when it comes to center field, there’s not much else out there. The Mets have been linked to old friend Harrison Bader, but league sources said the Twins' asking price on Bader is sky-high. Cedric Mullins is having a poor season in Baltimore. Byron Buxton, who has a no-trade clause in his contract, said earlier this month that “I’m going to be a Minnesota Twin for the rest of my life.” No one else would be an obvious upgrade over the Mets’ current platoon of McNeil and Tyrone Taylor.

For those reasons, center field looks like it could be Robert or bust.