Why The Mets Have Emerged as Winners of the Trade Deadline

It has been a busy trade deadline for these Mets, but they have done enough to solidify themselves as winners.

When it comes to winning the trade deadline, the New York Mets have led the way. They have done a lot to address their weaknesses. Credit goes out to President of Baseball Operations David Stearns for stepping up big time for the organization. He knew there was a lot of pressure coming from the team’s front office. Aside from the front office, he was also facing immense pressure from the fan base that has been critical of him. Stearns acted immediately and went out in full aggressive mode.

He went out and acquired RHP Ryan Helsley from the St. Louis Cardinals, who has been known as one of the dominant closers in the National League. Additionally, Stearns also traded for RHP Tyler Rogers from the San Francisco Giants to strengthen their late-inning options. But there’s more than that. He also acquired OF Cedric Mullins from the Baltimore Orioles to help fix their outfield woes. What’s even more interesting about these moves, is that New York didn’t have to give up a large haul of prospects for these players.

Comparison To Other NL Contenders

What makes this Mets trade deadline stand out even more is how it compares to the rest of the National League contenders. The Mets are trailing by a narrow half game in the NL East and backed it up with aggressive deadline moves, proving they’re fully committed to getting on top. The Philadelphia Phillies responded with impactful additions of their own, signaling they’re still firmly in the race and shouldn’t be counted out. Their recent acquisitions are RHP Jhoan Duran, RHP Matt Manning, and OF Harrison Bader. Philadelphia is proving they’re committed to winning, too. The Atlanta Braves, another rival, have fallen out of contention this season as injuries continue to derail their roster.

How about the other contenders outside of the NL East? The Chicago Cubs, another threat to the Mets, did not make aggressive moves that many people expected. Instead, they went for small moves. They went out and acquired UTL Willi Castro, SP Michael Soroka, RP Andrew Kittredge, and RP Taylor Rogers. These moves feel kind of fine but not better after all.  Secondly, you have the Los Angeles Dodgers, the defending world champions. Known for aggressive pursuers, Los Angeles chose to go with a cautious path. Despite being hit hard by injuries, the Dodgers opted for smaller moves at the deadline — a surprising decision. Still, expectations remain high for a deep October run, though questions linger about how strong they’ll actually be by then. Last but not least, the San Diego Padres. You got to give General Manager AJ Preller some credit on the approach he chose during this deadline.

Preller was aggressive, which was no surprise. He went all in to fill out some missing holes on the team. He went out and got 1B Ryan O’Hearn and OF Ramon Laureano from the Orioles. Even better, he traded for RP Mason Miller to add to an already stacked bullpen. Of all the teams mentioned, the Padres might pose the biggest test for the Mets if they meet in October after all.

Impact of Each Acquisition Player on the Roster

The latest acquisitions that Stearns has acquired prior to the deadline provides a flexibility to the Mets roster. Ryan Helsley instant upgrades the back end of the bullpen. His high-velocity fastball and swing-and-miss stuff make him an ideal bridge to CP Edwin Diaz, potentially creating an elite late-game duo. Then you also have a Tyler Rogers. With this addition, New York may have found their perfect reliever who starts off the seventh inning before heading off to Helsley and Diaz. He is a submarining reliever who has been dominant for his entire career. What makes him a standout reliever is how he gets opponents out by his delivery rather than his speed. It would be interesting to see how New York manages his appearances as he gets settle in with his new team.

To cap it off, newly acquired CF Cedric Mullins brings a lot of electric stuff with him that interests the Mets. The former All-Star adds much-needed speed, defensive range, and left-handed pop to an already stacked lineup. His speed and on-base ability give the Mets a spark at the top or bottom of the lineup. He also brings playoff experience and gritty versatility for October. All three additions should fit right into the Mets clubhouse. Helsley and Mullins already played even in Friday night’s game.