Mets should target these five players at the upcoming trade deadline

Yahoo

15-07-2025

In a little more than two weeks, the Mets' clubhouse could look dramatically different than the one that entered the All-Star break.
With the trade deadline slated for 6 p.m. on July 31, the hiatus provides an opportune time for the front office to assess where the team stands heading into the most important three months of the season.
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Injuries have hit the Mets' pitching staff hard in recent weeks, with Griffin Canning sustaining a season-ending Achilles injury, Dedniel Nuñez suffering the same fate with an elbow injury and Max Kranick awaiting his own fate with a right flexor tendon strain. Tylor Megill and Paul Blackburn are also on the shelf.
All those sidelined players make adding pitching depth a priority heading into the deadline in two weeks. There is also the potential to add some run scoring potential near the bottom of the lineup.
With three needs in mind, here are five names who the Mets should consider targeting at this year's trade deadline:
Starting pitching depth
Zac Gallen
Arizona Diamondbacks pitcher Zac Gallen pitches during the first inning against the Chicago White Sox on June 25, 2025, at Rate Field.
The top of the Mets' starting rotation is getting healthier following the return of Sean Manaea, but the major question for the front office will be whether they believe it holds the same firepower of some of their top competition in the Dodgers, Phillies and Giants.
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Beyond Manaea, who excelled last postseason, Kodai Senga and David Peterson have made a combined three playoff starts.
Acquiring a pitcher like Zac Gallen would help bolster the depth in the starting rotation down the stretch, while bringing in a starter who made six starts on the Diamondbacks' run to the World Series in 2023.
Gallen was once consistently viewed as one of the top starters in the National League before falling on tough times this season. He is 7-10 with a 5.40 ERA and 1.37 WHIP, with 110 strikeouts in 115 innings. He's shown some encouraging signs, holding the Padres and Giants to one combined earned run in 13 innings in two starts in July.
Bullpen help
David Bednar
The Pirates' two-time All-Star closer had a rough start to the 2025 season that culminated in him being sent to Triple-A Indianapolis.
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Since he returned in mid-April, Bednar has reclaimed the form that placed him among the top closers in the game two seasons ago. He is 12-for-12 in save chances while posting a 2-3 record with 44 strikeouts in 31 innings, 1.74 ERA and 1.00 WHIP since his return.
There are questions about the Mets' high-leverage options ahead of Edwin Diaz, and Bednar would bring some stability in that area. He also provides a different look than many of the Mets' relievers with a high-90s fastball and curveball as his secondary pitch of choice.
Kyle Finnegan
Washington Nationals pitcher Kyle Finnegan pitches against the Arizona Diamondbacks on May 30, 2025, at Chase Field.
The Nationals have sunk to the bottom of the National League East and one of their most attractive trade pieces is closer Kyle Finnegan.
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After claiming his first All-Star selection in 2024, Finnegan signed a one-year, $6 million deal in the offseason and continues to be a dependable force late in games. This season, he has converted 18 saves with a 3.12 ERA in 34⅔ innings and 27 strikeouts.
Finnegan does not blow anyone away, with a mid-90s fastball and a splitter that produces a 30.9 whiff rate. He would make another strong counterpart ahead of Diaz in the late stages of close games.
Hoby Milner
When the Mets signed A.J. Minter in the offseason, they believed that they had their left-handed stalwart out of the bullpen. But Minter suffered a torn lat muscle and the Mets' stable of bullpen southpaws has been a revolving door ever since.
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Brooks Raley, who was signed following Minter's injury, appears to be on the way back from Tommy John surgery, but Hoby Milner would be another intriguing lefty depth piece in the bullpen.
Milner is on an affordable, one-year, $2.5 million deal for the Rangers. In 44 appearances this season, the 34-year-old lefty is 1-2 with a 2.35 ERA and 1.11 WHIP with 40 strikeouts in 46 innings.
Milner's sidearm delivery would be another weapon to keep opponents off balance. And Stearns is familiar with the reliever from his four seasons in Milwaukee.
Lineup boost
Cedric Mullins
Baltimore Orioles center fielder Cedric Mullins (31) singles during the sixth inning against the Miami Marlins on July 13, 2025, at Oriole Park at Camden Yards.
One of the areas in the Mets' lineup that has not produced in the top half of MLB is the center field position.
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The Mets' middle of the outfield has produced a .614 OPS — seventh-worst in the league. While Tyrone Taylor is an excellent defender with captivating range, his offensive ceiling is not very high.
A player of Cedric Mullins provides a degree of offensive explosiveness that is lacking at this point. Despite a .213 batting average, the 30-year-old Mullins has poked 13 home runs, driven in 41 runs and scored 38 runs. He has also stolen 13 bases.
Mullins is also a quality defender, who hits from the left side, opposite of Taylor, to provide a little more versatility.
This article originally appeared on NorthJersey.com: NY Mets: Club should target these five players at the trade deadline