The New York Mets are fully living up to expectations so far, leading the National League East with a 50-30 record. They have a top-five offense in baseball, but there is still a need for another bat, especially from a power standpoint. The Mets are 21st in the Majors with just 92 homers and outside of Pete Alonso's 22 long balls, there is a lack of pop in this lineup.
On the mound, they're essentially set. Max Scherzer is trending towards a return and so is Jacob deGrom, who hasn't pitched all season. The Mets need to focus on bringing in another guy or two who can swing it with authority ahead of the 2022 MLB Trade Deadline.
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3 top targets for the Mets at 2022 MLB Trade Deadline
It's already well known the Kansas City Royals are willing to trade Andrew Benintendi. They're essentially in a rebuild and he's in the midst of a resurgent campaign after a couple of down years. The Mets could not only use another left-handed hitting outfielder but a guy like Benintendi who is hitting .314 this season in 77 games. Although he's only slugged three homers, Benintendi is still a type of player that can come into New York and hit for average. Plus, he's hit for power in the past, even going deep 17 times last season. Mark Canha currently starts in left field but Benintendi could come in and give him competition and potentially even steal the first-string spot if he's productive enough offensively. Or, he can even become their DH. The Mets would have to give up a haul of prospects in return for Benintendi, but given the way he's playing, it may be well worth it.
Josh Bell
J.D. Davis and Dominic Smith aren't producing at DH. Josh Bell seems like the perfect candidate to step in and focus strictly on his offense for the Mets. The Nationals are in shambles and they've already cleaned house over the last 12 month. Bell and Juan Soto are their two best players and it feels like only a matter of time until they're moved. For New York, Bell fits the bill perfectly for their one weakness: Power.
In 2022, the 29-year-old is hitting .318 with 12 home runs and 47 RBI in 81 games played. He's frankly too valuable to be just playing on a Nats team going nowhere. Bell has also improved with his plate selection immensely and is striking out at a much lower rate. Washington will also be looking for a ton of prospects in return here, but Bell is a All-Star caliber player who fits perfectly in the middle of this lineup and gives the Mets another legitimate threat alongside Alonso who can go deep on a regular basis. Plus, he's a switch hitter. This is a move NY has to try and make.
Another major weakness for the Mets is the atrocious offensive production from their catchers, Tomas Nido and James McCann. Both guys are hitting right around .200 combined and it's clear the team needs an upgrade behind the dish in terms of actually getting a player who can get it done on both sides of the ball. Enter Willson Contreras, one of the best backstops in the game and a surefire trade target in August. His contract will expire this offseason and the Cubs have already made it clear they're willing to move him at the trade deadline.
While this is a possibility, it may be tough. A catcher coming to a new team midway through the season is daunting because he needs to learn a brand new pitching staff. The Mets also have a top catching prospect in Francisco Alvarez, who could get called up at some point in 2022. Nonetheless, Contreras' numbers speak for themselves. He's slashing .274 with 13 homers and 35 RBI and has an OBP of .392. It's no secret his value is being wasted in Chicago because they're clearly in a rebuild. Putting him on a Mets team who is a legitimate contender once Scherzer and deGrom are back could be worth it. Again, a boatload of prospects would be the ask from the Cubs, but we're talking about a World Series-winning catcher who has that October experience. It's worth a conversation.
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