Bullpen Upgrades

[Gwreck]

What should the Mets be offering to Cleveland for Emmanuel Clase?

This is the guy the Mets should target: not only because he’s the best possible upgrade to the ‘pen, but also because he’s under contract for 2026, plus $10M club options for each of 2027 and 2028.

Not only does he offer the best opportunity among potential reliever upgrades to add to the Mets win total this year, when Edwin declines his 26/27 options at the end of the year, the Mets have a potential replacement already available if they don’t want to meet Edwin’s price.

[Johnny Lunchbucket]

I will tell you in a headline

CLASE CLOSED

Mets grab Guardians' stopper for Acuna, Vientos, Williams, and 2 ****** relievers

[ashie62]

Cleveland has closed six games on the Tigers who can't seem to win at the moment so maybe they don't sell

Mets and Cleveland have done a trade like this proposed one before

Wouldn't Cleveland jump on that. Jett Williams is even healthy

[Centerfield]

I have a hard time believing David Stearns will give up Jett Williams for a relief pitcher. Even one as good as Clase.

This trade deadline has me all sorts of confused. I think they'll upgrade the pen, but not with someone as good as Clase.

I don't think they'll upgrade the rotation, unless they decide to add a back end starter and move Holmes to the bullpen.

The lineup is even harder to figure out. Considering McNeil has been ok at CF, what options are there that are necessarily better than him out there?

[Johnny Lunchbucket]

I don't really believe in trading Jett Williams for a relief pitcher either but who knows if he makes it through this deadline

[Centerfield]

For the lineup, let's say we have five possible spots where we can upgrade:

1. Catcher. Not happening. No one is better.

2. Centerfield. Lots of guys better than Taylor. Are any better than McNeil/Nimmo/Taylor? Not for nothing, but Drew Gilbert has like a .900 OPS his last 30 days at Syracuse. Maybe he's finally healthy?

3. Second Base. Is anyone available that's better than Baty/McNeil? Baty is up to a .723 OPS overall. It's not great, but not terrible. He's been doing the every other month thing. Bad April, torrid May, ice cold June, hot July.

4. Third Base. There's Eugenio Suarez. Are we willing to give up a top prospect to get him? I guess this is where we can see the most improvement. Both Mauricio and Vientos are in the mid 600s OPS.

5. DH. Lots of options here, I guess. But we also have Winker and Marte coming back. How many of the options are better than them?

And if we keep everyone, how do we figure out playing time?

[Gwreck]

On the offensive side, there are no concerns about playing time at all, since the DH slot is open for the taking. Winker hasn’t been able to stay on the field and Marte, while a nice guy who hits a lot of singles, has no power. They need to get the best possible hitter they can and they can figure it out afterwards. If that’s Suarez (my preference), play him every day at either DH or 3B, and fill in around him with the versatility the team has.

The Mets are 8th in the NL (14th in MLB) in offense, behind all the teams they’re likely to need to beat to win the WS (LA, CHC, MIL, PHI, DET, TOR, NYY). They need more offense anywhere they can get it.

[metirish]

Very curious to see what Stearns pulls off here

[smg58]

Clase has 3.5 WAR over the past season and a half, according to Fangraphs. You don't empty your farm system for that. Yes he's under team control, but a pitcher who throws over 100 is not a safe bet to stay healthy indefinitely.

Stearns has a history of going for value plays where the pen is concerned, and it hasn't turned out poorly. (Hell, it wouldn't surprise me if we see Phil Maton again.) I would expect two or three moves involving prospects we won't expect to miss for pitchers who aren't splashy but do all right.

[Edgy MD]

Put another way, Luisangel Acuña was acquired for Max Scherzer AND a big chunk of Max Scherzer's salary.

[Centerfield]

On the offensive side, there are no concerns about playing time at all, since the DH slot is open for the taking. Winker hasn’t been able to stay on the field and Marte, while a nice guy who hits a lot of singles, has no power. They need to get the best possible hitter they can and they can figure it out afterwards. If that’s Suarez (my preference), play him every day at either DH or 3B, and fill in around him with the versatility the team has.

The Mets are 8th in the NL (14th in MLB) in offense, behind all the teams they’re likely to need to beat to win the WS (LA, CHC, MIL, PHI, DET, TOR, NYY). They need more offense anywhere they can get it.

 

I think this is right. But of the guys who are available, other than Suarez, which guys are better than what we have?

[Gwreck]

According to The Athletic’s “Big Board” of potentially available players:

-Boston outfielders Jarren Duran and Wilyer Abreu

P

-Tampa 2B Brandon Lowe

-Cleveland OF Steven Kwan

-Baltimore 1B/DH Ryan O’Hearn

Link here:

https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/6507691/2025/07/23/mlb-trade-deadline-big-board-top-50/

My preference remains Suarez. I’d also call the Twins about Byron Buxton (not on The Athletic’s list). But there are other possibilities too.

[smg58]

Duran and Abreu might be sneaky options in center. They are both excellent corner outfielders.

You have to give Suarez a serious look. The D-Backs just traded Josh Naylor, so they appear to be selling.

[ashie62]

Heyman says Mets not in on Suarez but in on a potential SP or CF

I picture Suarez getting here and turning into a lesser version version of Eduardo Escobar

[smg58]

Stearns has a history of going for value plays where the pen is concerned, and it hasn't turned out poorly. (Hell, it wouldn't surprise me if we see Phil Maton again.) I would expect two or three moves involving prospects we won't expect to miss for pitchers who aren't splashy but do all right.

 

And it appears the first of these moves has been made.

[Gwreck]

Soto (does he have a “G. Soto” on his uniform?) is a good start for bullpen upgrades.

[Frayed Knot]

Clase came in vs the Royals today with a one run lead and the ghost runner on 2nd in bottom 10 and went: Walk, Pick-off (2nd), Walk, 3R game-losing HR (Jonathan India)

So 3 runs (2 earned) in 1/3 of an inning and retired none of the three batters he faced.

Just sayin'

[Gwreck]

Ok. Let’s pivot and offer those prospects to Minnesota for Jhoan Duran instead.

[Gwreck]

Clase has now been put on non-disciplinary administrative leave in connection with an MLB gambling investigation. So Duran (or Ryan Helsley) it is?