Could the Mets use some of their infield surplus to make a move?
The Astros have inquired with the Mets about left-handed-hitting infielders Jeff McNeil and Brett Baty and the switch-hitting Ronny Mauricio, according to Joel Sherman. Whether or not there’s a fit to be found for an actual trade between the teams is a fair question.
Coming off a pair of league-average seasons as the plate, McNeil has been excellent this year, as he’s hit .248/.352/.447 with a 126 wRC+ while spending most of his time at second base and in center field with some appearances in both corner outfield spots, to boot.
Baty continues to be just alright as a major league hitter, and despite some flashes of better performance at the plate, he’s hitting just .227/.284/.404 with a 94 wRC+ in 286 plate appearances. He’s logged time at his primary position at third base, but he’s played quite a bit of second base this year, as well.
Mauricio’s switch-hitting prowess is questionable, as he has severe platoon splits. But when he’s batting left-handed, he’s dominating with a .293/.356/.554 line and a 156 wRC+.
If the Mets were to trade additional players from their major league roster after sending Jose Buttó to the Giants in the Tyler Rogers trade, their infield would make sense, as they’ve had something of a logjam of enticing-but-imperfect players in that mix all season.