The MLB trade deadline has been a busy time for the New York Mets, as they have shipped two-star pitchers so far but more moves could potentially be done before August 1.
On Friday, the Mets traded right-hand reliever David Robertson to the Miami Marlins for two minor leaguers, 18-year-old middle infielder Marco Vargas and 19-year-old switch-hitting catcher Ronald Hernandez.
The day after, the Mets starting right-hand pitcher Max Scherzer talked with ownership on the team’s direction after the Robertson trade, to then get shipped off to the Texas Rangers on Saturday for a shortstop, second baseman, and center fielder in 21-year-old Luisangel Acuña.
“I do want to be clear that it’s not a rebuild. It’s not a fire sale,” General Manager Billy Epplers said Sunday at Citi Field. “It’s not a liquidation.”
The brass for the Mets believe they are not selling, yet a big name like 40-year-old starting pitcher Justin Verlander could be next on the move potentially, with the team ranked fourth currently in NL East at 50-55 and out of playoff contention.
Asked if the Robertson trade is the first of more deals to come for the Mets, Eppler said the team is “listening to where clubs are when they call us.”
“If that economic equation points to us making the deal that’s best for the organization, then we’re gonna have to consider it,” Eppler said.
Robertson, 38. was not surprised he was shipped, as he said following the trade. “I figured I would be moved, I just didn’t know where,” Robertson said Thursday night. “Just really didn’t have an idea of where, so it’s kind of a shock, but it’s part of this game.”
After 29-year-old Mets closer Edwin Diaz injured his knee during a World Baseball Classic celebration back in the spring, closer Robertson took over the ninth-inning role and finished the game. He has been a solid replacement before the trade, posting a 2.05 ERA over 44 innings, striking out 48 and saving 14 games.
The Marlins, who are right in the playoff mix, traded their 32-year-old reliever Dylan Floro to the Minnesota Twins for 30-year-old reliever Jorge Lopez last week. Robertson joins them in a revamped relief group for Miami that second in the NL East at 57-49 at the moment.
The Mets attempted to build a team that was playoff caliber, but it never was meant to be due to injuries and the efforts in replacing those players just didn’t work in the bullpen. Their team structure just never could mesh despite re-signing of Diaz and 30-year-old center fielder Brandon Nimmo, along with adding stars Verlander and Scherzer in the last two offseasons.
“It’s not a complete surprise. You knew this was a possibility,” Nimmo said after Thursday’s 2-1 win over the Nationals. “But it’s setting in that this is the path that we’re going down. That’s never an easy pill to swallow. You can’t sit here and say you that were completely blindsided by it. You had to know this was a possibility. You were just hoping that we could do enough in this last week and a half or so to maybe give it a shot and go and see what we could do in the last two months. I think they kind of made it clear the direction we’re going in. The rest of us just have to take in stride, keep going out there and try to win games.”
But now with Scherzer allowing the trade to go through since he waived his no-trade clause, it is clear that the Mets are in the first steps of unloading star players with big payroll.
The Rangers gave up the younger brother of Atlanta Braves superstar Ronald Acuna Jr. with Luisangel in the Scherzer trade with the Mets. Acuna was hitting .315 with seven home runs, 51 RBIs, and 42 stolen bases in 82 games for Double-A Frisco in the Rangers’ system.
The former Mets ace will opt in for the Rangers, as New York also sent cash to Texas in the deal. Scherzer will get $22.5 million from the Rangers, while the Mets will cover more than $35 million of the remaining terms.
During the 2022 season, the former Mets pitcher was as advertised, with a 2.29 ERA in 145⅓ innings over 23 starts. But for 2023, Scherzer was inconsistent, as he was 9-4 with a 4.01 ERA, struck out 121 and walked 30 in 107⅔ innings, and allowed a National League-high 23 home runs.
The Rangers, top of the AL West with the fifth-best record in the MLB at 60-46, have solidified their pitcher rotation with the Scherzer addition. Texas will look to make a run at the playoffs as they currently have a one-game lead ahead of the Houston Astros in the AL West.
