The Mets have a number of holes to fill before August 1, some more important than others.
With the MLB trade deadline looming on July 31, the Mets find themselves in an unusual spot: right in the playoff hunt, yet undeniably flawed.
Here’s a ranked look at the Mets’ four main areas of need — keeping in mind that all have a possibility of being addressed by David Stearns at the deadline.
1. Relief Pitching
If the Mets do nothing else at the deadline, they have to address the bullpen.
While the bullpen in the past few days have been great, the bullpen still lacks the depth to hold up over a full season, let alone in high-leverage games during a playoff push. Over the past month, Mets relievers have posted a 4.81 ERA, good for 22nd in the majors. That’s not just the result of overuse — it’s a reflection of how few arms they can actually rely on.
Rotating depth options like Alex Carrillo and Justin Garza haven’t been effective, and while arms like Rico Garcia has impressed in short stints, none have shown the kind of sustained consistency needed down the stretch. The middle relief group is shaky, and the Mets are currently leaning on Reed Garrett and Huascar Brazobán as their primary high-leverage arms — a setup that clearly lacks stability.
That’s the core issue: the Mets need help in both the middle innings and the late innings. Right now, there’s no bridge between the early game and Edwin Díaz that can reliably hold a lead. Due to this, it would be best for the Mets to prioritize getting both a higher leverage arm in addition to a reliable lower leverage arm to add to their bullpen.
2. Starting Pitching
While not quite as urgent as the bullpen, the rotation still needs to be improved. Two of the Mets’ most recent losses stemmed directly from short and ineffective starts — and even Monday’s win against the Angels came off the back of 6 stellar bullpen innings. Even with a theoretical six-man group of Kodai Senga, Sean Manaea, David Peterson, Frankie Montas, Clay Holmes, and a mix of others like Tylor Megill or Paul Blackburn, the current setup is far from reliable — especially if the team wants to conserve innings or manage workloads in August.
A rotation upgrade doesn’t have to be a frontline ace. A steady innings-eater — think a traditional No. 4 starter — could bring much-needed balance. That said, there’s also a case for a more ambitious move. Adding a legitimate postseason-caliber arm could reduce pressure on the trio of Senga, Manaea, and Peterson come October, while also letting the team push fringe starters into relief roles where they may thrive.
Potential targets span the spectrum. Joe Ryan or Merrill Kelly would require a real prospect outlay, but someone like Andrew Heaney could be more affordable — and fit David Stearns’ MO of finding undervalued help at the margins.
3. Center Field
Tyrone Taylor’s offense has lagged all year (.573 OPS), but his defense in center field is critical. With Juan Soto and Brandon Nimmo both grading poorly in Statcast’s fielding run value metric (1st percentile and 42nd percentile, respectively), Taylor’s range and glove (92nd percentile FRV) are holding the outfield together.
That’s why upgrading center field isn’t as simple as it looks. Replacing Taylor with a better bat could weaken the defense enough to hurt the team overall. One soft spot in the lineup is manageable — especially when that player provides clear value elsewhere.
Still, the margin is slim. If Taylor gets hurt or regresses just a little further at the plate — and the Mets don’t believe Jose Siri can’t be relied on after his rehab — the Mets may have to explore options. For now, it’s a situation worth monitoring, not a top priority.
4. Impact Bat
The Mets’ need for another bat isn’t as glaring as it once seemed — but it’s still worth keeping an eye on.
The top half of the lineup (Brandon Nimmo, Francisco Lindor, Juan Soto, Pete Alonso, Jeff McNeil) has been doing the heavy lifting in the past month. And while the bottom third has underperformed at times — leading to a middling 99 wRC+ over the past month, 16th in MLB — there are encouraging signs that the internal options are stabilizing. Francisco Alvarez has looked great at the plate since his return, Starling Marte and Jesse Winker are set to fill the DH role in a month’s time, and Brett Baty has quietly brought his OPS up to .726 with a strong July.
Given that, it’s hard to argue the Mets need to spend major capital here — unless the right opportunity emerges. A player like Eugenio Suárez could make sense if the cost is low and he upgrades the lineup significantly. But this isn’t a situation where the Mets need to be aggressive. More likely, they monitor the market and act only if a clear, affordable upgrade presents itself.