New York Mets should not trade pitching for offense

It’s very tempting, seems logical, and is definitely feasible.

My message to the New York Mets front office: Don’t trade top pitching prospects for a position player, even if he is a top prospect himself.

I know the numbers; entering their series with the Milwaukee Brewers, the Mets are ranked 23^rd in the majors in batting average, 25^th in runs scored, and 26^th in homeruns hit.

What has saved the Mets this season has been their superb starting pitching. Entering their series with the Brewers, they are ranked second in the Majors in ERA at 3.03 and saves at 15, third in in runs given up with 113 and have given up the least amount of walks (77) in all of baseball.

Yet despite their blazing start, the Mets are clearly struggling. Earlier this season they had the most wins in baseball, and a sizable lead over the second place Washington Nationals. After a four game sweep to the Cubs, they are only five games over .500 and, 4-6 in their last ten games, and one half game ahead of Washington Nationals.

It’s early in the season, but this team has weaknesses. Clearly something has to be done.

Trading from a strength to shore up a weakness makes sense. Especially considering their plethora of starting pitching in the majors and the minors.

So go for it..

Here is why I don’t think they should bite the bait.

Today’s starting pitchers are very brittle. Theories abound as to why, wish is a topic worthy of it’s own article. It seems unavoidable that at some point Jacob deGrom and Noah Syndergaard are going to need Tommy John surgery.

This means that there is always a need to have plenty of good arms available to fill in.

I know many fans will point to Wilmer Flores as the player that needs to be replaced. And he does. However, his defense has been hurting the Mets more than his lack of hitting. I think they should either bring up Mark Reynolds to play short, or trade for a slick fielding shortstop to help improve the defense.

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To shore up the offense, I think they should either trade Plawecki, since they have Travis d’Arnaud, who was playing extremely well before his injury, for a big bat, or move one of them to the outfield. I think Curtis Granderson has been underperforming, and it’s much easier to trade for an outfielder (since there are three outfield positions) than a shortstop. That along with lineup switches like the one in the Mets most win over the Brewers on Saturday will help turn the offense around.

Let’s keep everything in context. The Mets need a boost not a total rebuild. They are still in first place. Here are suggestions for how to keep it that way.

Next: Where are the Mets in our Power Rankings?

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