How Should the Mets Address the Rotation at the Trade Deadline?

Written by Anthony Walsh

Published on July 29, 2024

Kodai Senga’s high-grade calf strain leaves the Mets with a big question at the trade deadline, which is fast approaching on July 30th. How will this team recover from losing their ace? While an argument can be made that they’ve made it as far as they have without Senga, it was widely believed that his return would kickstart the team after the All-Star break. Now, they’ll need to fill that void, especially with Christian Scott sidelined. In this article, we’re going to explore three options that would help while being realistic about what David Stearns would be willing to part with from the farm system.

1. Erick Fedde. Fedde is not someone who you would’ve expected to be on this kind of a list even just a year ago, but his performance this season with the Chicago White Sox has been far too good to ignore. At 7-3 with a 2.98 ERA and 104 strikeouts, he’s almost guaranteed to be moved from the team with the worst record in baseball. This past winter, Fedde signed with Chicago for just two years, $15 million, another reason he’ll be highly sought after. You may be wondering what leverage a team like the Mets would have then, considering all of these factors. The fact is that the year that Fedde is having right now is unique to any other season in his seven year career. Before this season, his lowest ERA was 4.29 in the shortened 2020 season. It got so bad for Fedde that he ended up leaving Major League Baseball after the 2022 season. However, after pitching to a 2.00 ERA in the KBO in 2023, he got his second chance in Chicago. The point is that Fedde’s stock may be high now, but context matters. You have to give to get, but the Mets could hold onto their top prospects while getting a valuable addition to their rotation if they choose to make a deal with the White Sox.

2. Tyler Anderson. A deal for Tyler Anderson could be made much easier by Steve Cohen’s checkbook. The 34-year-old lefty is earning $13 million this season and next season, and if David Stearns decides that this is a worthwhile investment for the Mets to make, it’s hard to imagine Steve Cohen saying no to taking on that contract. This would make it much easier for the Mets to have leverage in a deal, meaning they wouldn’t have to give up nearly as much as a team that wouldn’t be willing to take on the rest of Anderson’s contract. If you’re not familiar with Anderson, he’s had an impressive season. With a 2.91 ERA in 123.2 innings, he achieved his second All-Star nod of his nine-year career this season. Given Jose Quintana’s inconsistency, a lefty like Anderson would be useful to pair with Sean Manaea.

3. Jack Flaherty. Despite having a rough last couple of seasons, Jack Flaherty has emerged as a strong option for contending teams. He’s posted a 2.95 ERA in 18 games and has reminded everyone of how effective of a pitcher he used to be with the St. Louis Cardinals. Despite being in the big leagues for eight seasons, Flaherty is still just 28 years old. In addition, he’ll be a free agent at the end of this season, which helps keep to the requirement of only choosing options that keep the Mets farm system intact. If a deal does end up getting done, where else would it be better for Flaherty to jumpstart his career back up than in New York?

 

Featured image by Anthony Walsh