1 fatal flaw New York Mets must address before 2025 MLB trade deadline
The New York Mets are in a good spot as they come out of the All-Star break. The Mets are 55-42 and just a half-game behind the Philadelphia Phillies for first in the National League East. New York is also holding onto the second Wild Card spot in the NL. With the 2025 MLB trade deadline fast approaching, there is a chance the Mets trade for a relief pitcher who can bolster their chances. Ultimately, the Mets' trade deadline needs will focus on giving them the best chance to win.
Things are going well in Queens, New York. Overall, the atmosphere is positive, as the Mets continue to make a playoff push and possibly go further as the second half begins. New York currently ranks 11th in on-base percentage, 14th in runs, eighth in home runs, and ninth in slugging percentage. While they are also 20th in batting average, the lineup has been generally good.
Pete Alonso is breaking records and setting himself up for an elite season. So far, Alonso is batting .280 with 21 home runs, 77 RBIs, and 53 runs. Alonso also leads the team with 101 hits. Meanwhile, Juan Soto has been blasting home runs into fountains, currently leading the club with 23 long balls. Francisco Lindor continues to produce, hitting .260 with 19 home runs, 54 RBIs, and 63 runs. Likewise, Brandon Nimmo is batting .259 with 18 home runs, 53 RBIs, and 46 runs.
The rotation is one of the best, ranking fourth in MLB. Kodai Senga is the best of the bunch, going 7-3 with a 1.39 ERA. Sean Manaea recently returned to the lineup. For now, he will start out of the bullpen, but will eventually return to the rotation. Meanwhile, David Peterson has been excellent, going 6-4 with a 3.06 ERA over 18 starts. Clay Holmes has also been excellent, going 8-4 with a 3.31 ERA. Despite losing Griffin Canning to a ruptured Achillies, the starting rotation is not seen as a weakness.
The Mets' trade deadline needs to involve bolstering their bullpen. While they are not the worst bullpen, ranking 14th in ERA, there is still room for improvement. Edwin Diaz has done an admirable job, going 4-0 with a 1.66 ERA and 19 saves in 20 chances. Ultimately, the problem has been getting the ball to him with a lead.
Although Reed Garrett is 2-4 with a 2.87 ERA and 16 holds, he also has five blown saves. Likewise, Huascar Brazoban has not been efficient, either. He is 5-2 with a 3.99 ERA with 10 holds and four blown saves. Currently, the Mets cannot rely on either of these two to consistently set up games for Diaz. This is why they may go after one of the top relievers at the MLB trade deadline.
Griffin Jax could boost the Mets' bullpen
According to Baseball Savant, Griffin Jax has a near-perfect chase rate. What makes Jax unique is his ability to be the perfect setup man who can also come in and close games if needed. Although the Minnesota Twins are four games out of an AL Wild Card spot, things are not looking good for them. Because of this, they might want to offload some players.
Jax can become eligible for arbitration at the end of 2025. Yes, he is signed through next season, but he is also becoming a top contender to ship out. Jax is currently 1-4 with a 3.92 ERA and 20 holds. While he does have four blown saves, he has proven in the past that he can step up his game when needed.
As noted before, the metrics for Jax are outstanding. In addition to his baseball chase rate, his whiff and strikeout rate are in the 99th percentile. His fastball velocity is also close to elite, and his walk ratio is also way above the mark. His offspeed and breaking run value are off the charts, and make him a difficult pitcher to hit against.
If the Twins were to offload Jax, he would not come cheap. New York would likely have to send Alex Ramirez, the ninth-ranked prospect in baseball, and Luisangel Acuña for Jax, and possibly one minor league pitcher. Substantially, Jax's value remains extraordinarily high due to his past performances and his ability to be dominant in the second half of games. That is something New York sorely needs.
Another reason to pursue Jax would be to block a divisional rival. Like the Mets, the Philadelphia Phillies have struggled mightily in the bullpen. Recent reports indicated that the Phillies were interested in Jax, which would not bode well for the Mets, especially if the teams were to meet in the playoffs. The Mets could both bolster their own needs while preventing the Phillies from getting better in the process. Regardless, the Mets would be smart to seriously consider Jax at the MLB trade deadline. It might ultimately benefit them.
Related: Shane Gillis' Juan Soto Mets joke makes for uncomfortable laugh at ESPYs
Related: Mets' Pete Alonso reacts to Kyle Schwarber winning All-Star Game MVP over him
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Stalions' presence on CMU sidelines confirmed The infractions report says with authority that Stalions was dressed in Central Michigan gear on the Chippewas' sideline for their Week 1 game at Michigan State in 2023. A man who looked like Stalions was spotted on the sidelines in video footage of the game as the scandal blew up later in the 2023 season, but his presence had not been officially confirmed. "On one occasion in 2023, Stalions personally engaged in-person scouting when he stood on Central Michigan University's sideline wearing a bench pass and disguised in Central Michigan-issued coaching gear during the institution's contest against Michigan State. According to interview statements by a former football staff member, Stalions attended that game in part to decipher Michigan State's signals, but also to help a Central Michigan staff member with play calling." 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'Specifically, Moore's texts were recovered without issue, he acknowledged and provided an explanation for his conduct upon being questioned and he continued to cooperate through the remainder of the investigation. Moreover and while not directly relevant to the underlying conduct, Moore attended the two-day, in-person hearing and provided candid, valuable perspective. Importantly, Moore — Michigan's current head football coach — explained his views on compliance and the culture of compliance he intends to instill in his program. Michigan's chief compliance officer confirmed that Moore has taken a new and different approach than his predecessor. The panel factored this positive development into Moore's violation, classification and ultimate penalty.' Stalions told an athlete to lie to the NCAA Per a recorded phone call, Stalions told a Michigan athlete that he should lie to the NCAA about the athlete's role in the scouting scheme and his knowledge of it. 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