The New York Mets continue to work the market despite firing their general manager on Tuesday — and they’re at least inquiring about making another big trade.
According to Tim Ryder of Metsmerized, the Mets have reached out to the Cincinnati Reds regarding a trade centering around starting pitcher Sonny Gray and third baseman Eugenio Suarez.
Both players would check off noticeable remaining needs for a Mets team that also needs to find a center fielder after losing out on George Springer and more help for the bullpen.
Questions surround the legitimacy of the Mets’ depth within the starting rotation, particularly toward the bottom of the staff. Jacob deGrom, Carlos Carrasco, and Marcus Stroman — for now — are the top three of the group while the Mets added left-hander Joey Lucchesi from the San Diego Padres to join the competition for a spot that already features fellow southpaws Steven Matz and David Peterson. This while Noah Syndergaard completes his rehab from Tommy John surgery underwent in March. He is expected to return in June or July of the 2021 season.
Gray, 31, experienced a resurgence in Cincinnati after leaving the Yankees. Over the last two seasons, he posted a 3.07 ERA with a 1.115 WHIP and 277 strikeouts in 231.1 innings of work. He would immediately be in the conversation for a top-three spot in the Mets’ rotation.
Throughout the offseason, Mets president Sandy Alderson has made it known that he isn’t thrilled about his team’s defense at third base, a position that is slated to be inhabited by JD Davis.
In 110 career games at third base, Davis has a defensive runs saved mark of -19 with a fielding percentage of .953.
Suarez isn’t known for his defense at the hot corner with a career defensive runs saved mark of -1, but it’s a step up from Davis. The 29-year-old has also been one of the game’s better power hitters, smashing 49 home runs in 2019, a year after putting up 34 round-trippers.
Concerns about a plate discipline do exist, though. He batted just .202 in 2020 and led the league with 189 strikeouts in 2019.
Such a deal would come at a steep cost for the Mets — one that would include at least one of the organization’s top prospects. They already dealt Andres Gimenez, a shortstop who made his MLB debut in 2020, along with pitcher Josh Wolf in a package to acquire Francisco Lindor, so it comes down to just how much more of the farm the Mets would be willing to give up.
