In a trade with the Seattle Mariners, the New York Mets brought in Robinson Cano and Edwin Diaz to show that they are still trying to compete. Bringing in a former all-star and a blossoming superstar closer is an excellent start but it cannot be the only thing the Mets do. If the Mets want to be competitive then they must add a catcher and one more bat to their lineup. With an excellent starting rotation and some good offensive pieces, the mets are close to being playoff caliber team.
Offensive Help
With the addition of Robinson Cano, the Mets are well on their way to upgrading their offensive output from a season ago. Although there are some question marks surrounding what the Mets can expect from Cano. After the suspension, is he still a player who can be relied upon to produce? If the Mets can get 15 home runs from Cano then acquiring him is a successful move. This is the case because the Mets need runs and Cano can help them get them.
Peter Alonso is the Mets number 2 prospect with superstar potential. The first baseman can hit and has hit everywhere he has played in the minor leagues. With 36 homers in AA and AAA a season ago, the Mets need to commit to Alonso and let him grow at the major league level. Alonso is a part of the long-term plans for the Mets and he needs to contribute and play every day this season if the team wants any chance of competing.
Catchers
One of the most glaring needs that the mets have is the catching position. The current catchers for the Mets are Kevin Plawecki and Travis d’Arnaud. A catching tandem that is quite frankly not good enough on a playoff team. d’Arnaud is an oft-injured player who was limited to 15 at bats a season ago and can no longer be relied upon to catch 130 games a season.
There are two ways in which the Mets can approach updating the catching position. That is either through a trade or via free agency. The most attractive trade candidate at the position is J.T. Realmuto who is the current catcher for the Miami Marlins. Last season Realmuto hit .277 with 21 home runs and 74 runs batted in. The asking price for a team to acquire Realmuto is extremely high and it makes teams really consider his value.
The second way the Mets can address the catching position is through free agency. There are two free agent catchers that the Mets can target. Those players are Yasmani Grandal and Wilson Ramos. Both these players are really good and can help the Mets compete. Both of these players will cost the Mets less then Realmuto would, and play as well as Realmuto.
Bullpen
After the acquisition of Edwin Diaz, the Mets have their superstar closer. But that does not mean that their bullpen is complete. The Mets still need to add a few bullpen arms. This can be done via free agency and trade. The team should add a few arms heading into spring training and then re-assess. The team can add pieces via free agency and then wait and see. The Mets should also make trades mid-season if they are competitive. This is the best way for the team to acquire players and not hurt the franchise.
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