The New York Mets were considered possible sellers at the trade deadline not so long ago. But after a fantastic June, they could actually be purchasers. Is it possible for David Stearns, the president of baseball operations, to add Jack Flaherty of the Detroit Tigers to strengthen the starting rotation in New York?
Jim Bowden of The Athletic provided “difference-making” trade suggestions to every National League team vying for a Wild Card spot. Since he believes that the rotation is the club’s most pressing necessity, here’s what he put together for the Amazins:
The price is going to be steep, but the Mets could part with Parada, a 2022 first-round pick, because he’s blocked behind Francisco Alvarez, who is their long-term catcher,” Bowden said.
Parada is currently in Double-A. The 22-year-old is hitting .208/.286/.362 with seven home runs and 28 RBI in 207 at-bats for the Binghamton Rumble Ponies. MLB.com has him ranked as the organization’s ninth-best prospect.
How Flaherty Could Fit Into the Mets’ Rotation Mix: The Mets’ starting rotation has struggled. FanGraphs’ Roster Resource lists the club’s top four as Luis Severino, David Peterson, Sean Manaea, and Jose Quintana. Tylor Megill was a part of this unit, but he was optioned to Triple-A Syracuse on June 30 after posting a 7.43 ERA over his past five starts. The Mets went 9-19 in May and entered June with a 24-35 record. However, they have turned things around by going 16-6 over the past month.
Kodai Senga hasn’t thrown a regular-season pitch yet in 2024 because of injury, but he’s expected to return soon. According to Mets manager Carlos Mendoza, Senga threw a bullpen on June 30. As long as there are no more setbacks, he should begin a rehab assignment within the next few days.
That’s good news, but it still raises questions about what the Mets can expect from the right-hander in the closing stages. That’s why the team would benefit from adding someone like Flaherty, who signed a $14 million, one-year contract with Detroit last winter, indicating that he wouldn’t be more than a half-season rental. Moreover, Flaherty has been very successful in 2024, posting a 3.24 ERA, 1.00 WHIP, and 115 strikeouts in 89 innings pitched (15 starts).
By the deadline, Flaherty is “definitely” getting traded.
Although the Tigers’ intentions to sell at the trade deadline are still unknown, it appears that Flaherty will be playing for a different team by July 30. “Jack Flaherty is definitely gonna be on the move, that’s happening,” stated Evan Petzold of the Detroit Free Press during an appearance on the Foul Territory show on June 20.
When considering the whole picture, the concept makes perfect sense. On a cheap one-year contract, Flaherty is putting up excellent work, and the Tigers have fallen short. Detroit won their first five games of the 2024 season. They now sit in second-to-last place in the American League Central with a 38-46 record. Detroit is 15 games behind the lead.
