For the first two months of this season, the focus from Queens has been on winning and contending for the postseason in 2024.
I believe in this team,” Cohen told SNY just 10 days ago. “I fully expect us to make the playoffs.”
David Stearns, Cohen’s head of baseball operations, echoed similar sentiments. “I think we have a good team,” he told reporters. “We have a talented group that has a run in it, and we probably haven’t played our best baseball yet.”
Since then, however, the New York Mets have gone 3-7, dropping to a 22-30 record for the season. They now trail the first-place Philadelphia Phillies by 14.5 games and are six games behind the Atlanta Braves. Fangraphs now gives them just a 12.8% chance of making the playoffs, down from 25.3% when Cohen made his comments on May 16.
With 110 games left in the regular season, the Mets’ fortunes could change, but some rival executives believe that playing in the same division as two top teams and relying on a patchwork pitching staff, including an injured ace in Kodai Senga, could force the Mets into sell mode.
“If Senga is out, there’s not enough pitching to make up for the offense,” said one NL evaluator.
Should the Mets decide to sell, they have several players who could attract interest from other teams:
– Pete Alonso: If the Mets aren’t contending and can’t reach a long-term deal with Alonso before the deadline, he could be a major name on the trade market, offering an immediate power upgrade for potential suitors like the Astros, Tigers, Guardians, and Cubs.
– Luis Severino: The 30-year-old starter has been effective early this season with a 3.22 ERA in his first 10 starts and could be a valuable addition for teams seeking starting pitching depth.
– Sean Manaea: Pitching on a one-plus-one contract, Manaea has performed well with a 3.16 ERA over his first 10 starts and could be coveted in a thin market for starters.
– Starling Marte, J.D. Martinez, Harrison Bader, and bullpen pieces like Jorge Lopez, Jake Diekman, Adam Ottavino, and Reed Garrett could also be potential trade assets for the Mets.
Regardless of their trade deadline decisions, shedding a significant portion of their payroll going into next year will give the Mets flexibility, allowing Stearns to decide whether to bolster their prospects or augment payroll space with deadline acquisitions.
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