Should the Mets be sellers at the trade deadline?

The Mets 2023 season has not gone how anybody expected. The blue and orange are sitting at 36-44 and are 8.5 games out of a playoff spot. With the trade deadline just over a month away, general manager Billy Eppler and the Mets are in a precarious position; should they sell at the deadline or stay put?

The Mets need to sell at the deadline

Yes, the Mets should sell at the deadline. Catching the Braves seems impossible, as the 2021 World Series champions have the best record in the National League and do not appear to be slowing down anytime soon. 

The Wild Card seems a little more realistic, but they’d need to outperform six teams by at least eight games. While that’s not impossible seems unlikely.

So with the playoffs looking unrealistic, the Mets need to sell, but who should they sell?

The obvious candidates

Let’s start with the two most obvious options: David Robertson and Tommy Pham.

Robertson came to the Mets this offseason on a one-year 10-million-dollar contract to be the setup man for reigning Reliever of the Year, Edwin Díaz. Díaz tore his right patellar tendon while celebrating a win during the World Baseball Classic, and Robertson had to slot in as the closer.

The 38-year-old has been excellent in the closer role, pitching in 30 games to a 1.59 ERA with 41 strikeouts and 11 saves. 

With Robertson being 38 and no guarantee he even pitches in 2024, the Mets need to capitalize on his production and get some prospects back from a team looking to add some bullpen depth.

Pham, like Robertson, also came to the Mets on a one-year deal and has far outperformed expectations. 

In 59 games, the 35-year-old has hit .268 with eight home runs and 31 RBIs while having the second-highest OPS on the team (.828). 

Pham will likely seek a multi-year deal in the offseason, and the Mets should cash in on his excellent first half rather than see him walk in the fall. 

Who else could be moved?

Anyone who is a pending unrestricted free agent could be up for grabs, but the likes of Daniel Vogelbach and Carlos Carrasco attracting a decent return seems unlikely for the blue and orange.

There have been rumblings of Starling Marte being moved, but as he is not a free agent until 2026, the Mets will likely hold onto the two-time all-star.

The most intriguing rumor has been that the Mets could trade Max Scherzer. Scherzer is in the second year of his three-year 130 million dollar contract.

The three-time Cy Young Award has a no-trade clause, but there are reports he could waive it if the “right situation” arose. Scherzer has struggled at times this year but would still bring back a haul of young talent if the Mets trade him.

Regardless of what the Mets decide to do at the trade deadline, this year’s deadline could affect the blue and orange for the foreseeable future.