Resetting The Trade Market For New York Mets With One Week Before The Deadline

Major League Baseball’s non-waiver trade deadline is just over a week away, and the New York Mets are firmly locked in as sellers. The Mets have underwhelmed this season, entering play today six games below .500 and 10 games out of a wild card spot, and are fully prepared to move any veterans on expiring contracts to try and reload their farm system a bit. This isn’t a complete tear down situation, so don’t expect the Mets to try and move Jacob deGrom for a haul of prospects, but they should still be very busy in the next week or so. Here’s a look at the latest on some of their trade chips and the potential destinations they may end up:

Addison Reed:

Teams Interested: At least six, including the Washington Nationals, Los Angeles Dodgers, Milwaukee Brewers, and Seattle Mariners

Odds of Being Traded: 100%

The one Mets’ player most likely to get dealt is Reed, who has drawn a ton of interest prior to the deadline. At least six teams are interested in Reed’s services, so the Mets will likely wait until the last possible moment to deal Reed in order to maximize their prospect return. There had been reports that the Mets weren’t willing to trade Reed to the Nationals, but it remains to be seen if they change their mind if Washington is willing to overpay.

Asdrubal Cabrera:

Teams Interested: Cleveland Indians, Seattle Mariners, Boston Red Sox

Odds of Being Traded: 70%

The Mets are highly motivated to deal Cabrera to open up a spot on their infield for Amed Rosario, and it looks more likely that will happen. Cabrera has done his part to boost his trade value by being willing to play third base, a prospect that makes him more attractive to contenders in search of a utility player. The Boston Red Sox have been linked to Cabrera as a potential third base option, but the most likely fit is a return to Cabrera’s original team, the Cleveland Indians. The Indians need a second baseman for a few weeks with Jason Kipnis on the shelf, and Cabrera could play there and then be a super sub once Kipnis returns.

Lucas Duda:

Teams Interested: New York Yankees, maybe the Seattle Mariners

Odds of Being Traded: 50%

The odds of Lucas Duda finding a new home appeared to take a hit when the Yankees landed Todd Frazier from the Chicago White Sox, shifting incumbent Chase Headley over to first base. Headley hasn’t played well in a while, so the Yankees are reportedly still willing to look for a first baseman. That means there could be a match for Duda, which would allow the Mets to get a mid-level prospect for him while opening first base for Dominic Smith. There don’t appear to be many teams outside of the Yankees who need a first baseman, however, so the Mets’ options are limited.

Jay Bruce:

Teams Interested: Cleveland Indians

Odds of Being Traded: 40%

Bruce appears to be one of the Mets’ more attractive trade chips, having a strong year and batting .263 with 25 homers and 65 RBI’s, but there isn’t a strong market for corner outfielders. Industry consensus is that the Detroit Tigers got very little in return for J.D. Martinez, netting three low level prospects for a player many considered a similar talent to Bruce. One team that has demonstrated interest in Bruce is the Indians, with FanRag’s Jon Heyman reporting that he could fit one of several areas Cleveland is looking for. There is sentiment within the organization, however, that the Mets could consider keeping Bruce with an eye towards re-signing him. WFAN’s Mike Francesa has said in recent days that the organization likes Bruce and believes that they may be better off making him a qualifying offer, allowing them to get a draft pick that may be more valuable than anything they get in a trade.

Curtis Granderson:

Teams Interested: None reported at the moment

Odds of Being Traded: 40%

The Mets are apparently more keen on trading Granderson than Bruce, but there hasn’t been much chatter linked to him at the moment. Granderson has had a decent season, batting .220 with 13 homers and 37 RBI’s, but has seen his playing time dry up in recent days as Michael Conforto has come out of the All Star Break hot. The Mets may not get a ton for Granderson, but he should offer some value to a contender as a strong clubhouse presence and a left handed bat off the bench. Granderson has also been a very good citizen for the Mets over the past four years, so they may try to do him a favor and put him into a pennant race while recouping a prospect for their efforts.

Neil Walker:

Teams Interested: None at the moment

Odds of Being Traded: 20%

The wild card in the Mets’ trade plans is Neil Walker, who is working his way back from a hamstring injury. Walker is currently on a rehab assignment with Triple-A Las Vegas and should rejoin the Mets at some point during their upcoming West Coast road trip, possibly as soon as Thursday in San Diego. Prior to his injury, Walker was playing well, batting .270 with nine homers and 33 RBI’s. If Walker can come back and show he is healthy the Mets could make a push to trade him, but the more likely scenario is that he sticks around for a while longer. The Mets have shown interest in keeping Walker beyond this season, offering him a contract extension in spring training, and that move could still be in the cards if he can show he is healthy. Walker also has a decent chance of getting through waivers in August, giving the Mets another window to deal him while letting Walker continue to prove his health.