Why Mets Need to Consider Trading Francisco Alvarez

Mead has had a good year, batting .254 with 17 homers and 48 RBI with an .852 OPS, but this is a significant jump in performance from a player who had underachieved early in his career. The fact that Washington was able to turn a good half from Mead into a pitcher who started in the Wild Card series for Boston last season is evidence that the Mets may have a significant asset to move in Alvarez.

To be clear, the Mets shouldn't move on from a 24-year-old catcher for a collection of prospects. If the goal is to land talent in other areas of the roster that can help them win in 2027, Alvarez may represent the best chance to do that.

Let's use the Minnesota Twins as an example here since they will likely move Ryan Jeffers before the deadline. While the Twins do have Victor Caratini and Alex Jackson as a serviceable platoon there, the Mets could see if they would have interest in Alvarez as a piece in a potential trade for ace Joe Ryan.

Ryan is a free agent after next season, meaning the Mets would have an ace on board with the potential to extend his contract this winter. That move would also mean the Mets could use some of their prospect capital to call the Baltimore Orioles for a potential Adley Rutschman trade to be their new starting catcher.

Rutschman, like Ryan, can be a free agent after next season and may not be a priority for the Orioles to keep since they have a younger catcher in Samuel Basallo on a long-term deal. Having Ryan and Rutschman on the team instead of Alvarez could make the Mets better in 2027 than simply holding onto Alvarez, especially if a team in desperate need of a catcher is willing to overpay in a deal.

With Hunter Goodman unlikely to move at this deadline, Alvarez could be the second-best catcher on the board after Jeffers. If the price is right and the Mets can make a significant upgrade to another area of their roster, they would be irresponsible not to consider trading Alvarez.