Jeremy Mand: Can the Mets take advantage of the Rox’ troubles?

On Monday, Colorado Rockies General manager Jeff Bridich surprisingly stepped down from this position leading that franchise.

The move was a surprise to many, coming only 21 games into the 2021 season, and promptly after trading away the iconic Nolan Arenado during the off-season. 

The Athletic, in their March article on the state of the Rockies franchise, goes into exhaustive detail on how the Rockies ended up in such a sad state, and given that background and the Rockies poor start to the season, it really shouldn’t be shocking that Bridich is gone. The Rockies have a $120 million payroll, 19^th in baseball, but among the worst for last place teams, and their 27^th ranked farm system, their place as one of the least valuable franchises, and their public indications of a strategic shift in their thinking, particularly in regards to payroll all signal the Rockies will likely be in sell mode as the trade market begins to heat up over the summer.

So can the Mets’ take advantage. Possibly, but it depends on what holes you’re trying to fill. The Mets in a lot of ways don’t have very many openings in their rotation, bullpen, bench, or lineup, unless you are going to give up on one of our current starters? The obvious hole to fill is Third Base, but J.D. Davis’ bat has been perhaps the hottest on the team, and unless you’re trading to put Trevor Story at third, I’m not sure it’s prudent to make a deal with the Rockies until there is a larger sample size with our other talented but underperforming players. 

But for the sake of due diligence, let’s take a look at some of the players’ the Rox have to offer and see if it makes sense for the Mets to target:

Trevor Story: Trading for story would be a dazzling and daring move for the Mets. With Lindor already manning shortstop, Story would certainly have to move to Third Base. Is Story an upgrade over J.D. Davis? Definitely! As a natural Shortstop he would almost certainly make a fantastic defensive Third Baseman, and his bat even better. Question is, are you ready to sign him to a monster contract in the off-season with other players such as Syndergaard, Stroman and Conforto also set for massive extensions…supposedly? I don’t see it, nor is it clear what the Rockies would want in return.

Charlie Blackmon: Blackmon would probably come very cheap as he has an expensive contract. But he is hitting a paltry .176, his defense has declined, and so has his speed. Would he be an upgrade over Kevin Pillar or Albert Almora – I’m not sure he’s worth it unless it’s a pure dump and they are tying him to another more valuable player. 

German Marquez: While pitching is not a weakness for the Mets right now, both in the rotation and in the Bullpen, Marquez could be a good value play and a hedge against Stroman or Syndergaard leaving in free agency as he is signed through 2024 and is only 26 years old. He would be someone I target, especially if you can get him for less by taking on a player like Blackmon as a salary dump.

Ryan McMahon: Jeff McNeil has been an excellent player for the Mets’ for his entire career until this season. I am certainly not giving up on McNeil, but McMahon has some traits that would make him a great bench player for a long time – and Villar is only signed for one season after all. McMahon is someone who can supplement McNeil if he continues to struggle, and on top of his solid offense, he is a ++ defensive second baseman (in the 96^th percentile in OOA).