Mets Acquire High-Upside Lefty Reliever From NL Contender

Primarily pitching in the minor leagues, Gage has made 16 appearances in the majors (all with the Houston Astros across the last two seasons) and has a 1.83 ERA, a 1.07 WHIP, and a .188 opposing batting average. This season, the southpaw has pitched in 20 games with the Oklahoma City Baseball Club (the Triple-A affiliate of the Dodgers, formerly known as the Oklahoma City Dodgers), and has a 1-3 record with a 4.29 ERA, a 1.38 WHIP, a .215 opposing average, and 27 strikeouts against 12 walks.

Gage's pitch mix includes a four-seam fastball, a cutter, a slider, and a sinker. Judging from his limited data on Baseball Savant (in his two MLB stints), he has a good whiff rate on his pitches, while inducing soft ground balls when hitters make contact. Both of these are great attributes for pitchers, so the Mets could possibly have a useful piece in the bullpen.

Even if Gage is merely on the roster for depth purposes, the Mets' primary goal before the deadline is to improve their relief corps; they have been linked to multiple relievers on the market, while closer Edwin Diaz has also returned from his 10-game suspension. During the Diaz suspension, New York's bullpen had an 8.37 ERA.

The Mets are aiming to return to the playoffs after a one-year absence, and are only 2.5 games behind the St. Louis Cardinals for the third Wild Card spot in the National League. This first trade for Gage, who looks promising, should be a harbinger for New York's deadline plans.