The New York Mets received some devastating news when it was announced that ace right-hander Jacob deGrom had suffered a stress reaction in his scapula and would be sidelined indefinitely. The Mets, who spent big this offseason to compile a contending roster, will now have to move forward without their best pitcher. Fortunately, the Mets have Max Scherzer, who is regarded as one of the better hurlers himself. New York also has pitchers such as Chris Bassitt, Taijuan Walker and Carlos Carrasco to help round out what should remain a strong rotation. General manager Billy Eppler said that the team isn't planning on making any moves after the deGrom injury and that they will “rely on their depth.” That would mean the likes of Tyler Megill, Trevor Williams or David Peterson would be pitching quality innings this year. The Mets may not want to make any moves right now, but owner Steve Cohen has made it clear how committed he is to winning. Money doesn't seem to be an issue in Queens these days, meaning the Mets could quickly change their stance on possible moves. That said, here are three pitchers the Mets should trade for after the deGrom injury.
3 Best Pitchers Mets Must Trade For After Jacob deGrom Injury
3. Tyler Mahle
The Reds might not be interested in moving Tyler Mahle with the season set to start. Cincinnati, let their best player in Nick Castellanos walk via free agency while trading away their second-best hitter in Jesse Winker. The Reds are clearly committed to a rebuild, though it would make more sense for them to hold onto Mahle through the trade deadline. However, if New York changes their tune and looks into the pitcher market via a trade, Mahle should be one of the names they consider. The 27-year-old had the best season of his career last year, pitching to a 13-6 record with a 3.75 ERA and 210 strikeouts in 180 innings pitched. Mahle is armed with a four-seam fastball, slider and split-fingered fastball and is emerging as a rising talent at the starting pitcher position. He would make sense as a trade target for the Mets after the deGrom injury.
2. Sean Manaea
The Oakland Athletics have been rumored to be shopping Sean Manaea and Frankie Montas. The latest rumors revealed that the club was focusing on moving Manaea while deciding what to do with Montas. Montas would be the better get for the Mets, as he is younger and possesses more future potential than the older Manaea. However, New York may have to take what they can get on the trade market and Manaea is still a solid back-end starter. After some health issues in past years, the 30-year-old left-hander rebounded with 3.91 ERA and 194 strikeouts across 179 1/3 innings. Not only would Manaea make sense for the Mets, but the Athletics make sense as trade partners for the club, as the two sides executed an offseason trade involving starter Chris Bassitt. Could they agree to another deal following the deGrom injury?
1. John Means
The Baltimore Orioles are going nowhere fast. The Orioles play in one of the toughest divisions in the sport and have finished in last place in four of the last five years. Their best pitcher, John Means, just so happens to be their best trade chip in the rotation. Means, 28, is one of the more underrated pitchers in the league. The left-hander tossed a no-hitter this past season and was an All-Star back in 2019. Means has exceptional control, as he has posted walk rates below 5 percent in each of the past two campaigns, via Statcast. The lefty dealt with left deltoid tightness this past season, an injury that limited him to under 150 innings pitched. However, Means is healthy now and would be perhaps the Mets' best option to replace deGrom via trade after his injury. There's a sense that baseball hasn't seen the best version of Means yet. Pitching alongside Scherzer could help unlock his best self.
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