The starting rotation for the NY Mets second half is going to be in a bit of a quandary. Right now the team needs to show innings from both Sean Manaea and Kodai Senga if they indeed are planning to move both at the deadline but at the same time they are looking at a tremendous amount of risk in doing so. If they pitch as they have for most of 2026 then they will have shot themselves in the foot and eliminated the prospect of them donning new uniforms for August and September.
As it stands right now the Mets need to see as much possible of Nolan McLean and Christian Scott. Both have certainly shown enough positives to suggest that they are indeed a part of the future and the more innings they log then the better the team will know how much they need to adjust them for ongoing success as the season draws to a close and the team looks to 2027.
A late addition to this collection of young pitchers is Zach Thornton who finished the first half with a masterful start. His minor league record is certainly more good than bad. The 24 year old southpaw has a 12-11 record with a career minor league ERA an impressive 3.32 over 39 starts.
Then there is the injured starter, Clay Holmes. While he’s doing soft tossing from the mound now, a full rehabilitation stint in the minors is likely to commence shortly. Stories abound about Holmes liking to obtain a contract extension to keep him a New York Met starting pitcher lest they allow him the option to sell himself to the highest bidder if they don’t make him a part of the late season trade clearance sale.
Now it’s already a foregone conclusion that low priced starting pitcher Freddy Peralta will be on the block as he’s not pitched particularly well for the Mets after coming here from the Brewers. At a balance of just $8 million for this season it should be very easy to find a slew of interested partners looking to offer up good prospects to help solidify their starting rotations.
For now let’s just assume you have McLean, Scott, Thornton and soon Holmes. That means four of the five slots in the rotation for the end of the year will be occupied. It leaves one open one vacated by Freddy Peralta and two no longer wanted multiyear contract pitchers in Manaea and Senga to fight over who gets it and who goes to the bullpen.
There are some other options in AAA that include Jack Wenninger and Jonah Tong. While folks are familiar with the batting practice capability Tong has shown in the majors during his brief trial there, Wenninger has a clean slate and right now owns a AAA ERA of just 3.50. Many would like to see him get regular innings in the rotation for August and September with the big club. Tong is still very much a work in progress.
21 comments:
I would bring back Clay Holmes once the trades are done over the next two weeks, as a reliever. The Mets will trade multiple relievers, and the talent drop off from the minors for relievers will be severe. He can stretch back out as a starter later in the season or next year.
It could be bumpy, but you could call up Wenninger. I am baffled why Santucci is in AA still. He started 2025 and 2026 poorly. But he has been fine. Get him to AAA. Tong? “Whatever we told you to try, forget it. Go back to 2025.”
Saul Garcia ditto. Why is he still in AA. Just 7 earned runs and 41 Ks in 25 innings in May-July. Walks are good. Get him to AAA.
Manaea has not been bad at all lately and is hence tradable. Steve would have to eat a chunk of money. What else is new? But of the $32 million Manaea is still owed, maybe half ( or more) would be picked up by other team. It will be, after all, a bidding war for pitching talent. Do it. Throw Wenninger in his slot.
I agree on Tong. But as I stated in the past, I see him more as a relief pitcher as he has been basically a two-pitch pitcher.
Time as well for the promotions of Wenninger and Santucci. Would agree on Garcia based on those results.
Holmes has publically stated that he wants to remain a Met because they gave him the opportunity to start. He would never come back as a reliever
I understand the Mets having 5 untouchable ML players in Soto, Benge, Ewing, Scott and McLean. But to me, if you are planning to re-tool and have any semblance of a contending team in 2027, you want to keep Williams and Weaver so you have the back end of your bullpen locked up. Likewise, given the catcher inventory in MLB, you want to hold onto both Alvarez and Torrens, as neither seems replaceable, and are an excellent duo.
I would also keep Baty. Not because he’s untouchable, but because he is always close to figuring it out, and depending on other moves, he can play 1B, 2B, & 3B. If he’s not starting somewhere, I want him on my bench. I certainly agree that everyone else in ML should be available, but not any of our minor league prospects like Tong, Thornton, etc. Without signing any long term contracts, we need even more top prospects back in trades.
If you don't think that Steve Cohen expects Stearns to clean up this roster mess and contend next year, then you don't know Uncle Steve.
Actually, If Holmes remains, he Scott, McLean, and Thornton could be a good start to a rotation.
What is the plan for FA pitching? Once that clarifies, we can figure out what makes sense viz: Holmes. If we have McLean, Scott, Thornton, Santucci (eventually), we have no ACE and no Vets. SP is the best anchor of a team. So 1. do not be outbid for Skubal period. Then you might go either Holmes extended or another FA signing, but the problem with that is losing a second draft choice if the FA (Gausman or Ryan, say, is given a qualifying offer). So that makes Holmes even more attractive. Plus he's a bulldog. and that would give us two vets which is important.
We are going to trade a lot of relievers. Only Weaver will bring back value. Peralta should bring back value as well.
Our bullpen will be decimated, however. both for rest of season and next year. My suggestion would be to bring up bullpen help from minors in the form of Lambert, Ross and Tong (to see how he fits in that role for now) Something Stearns did a lot of in Milwaukee. Burnes and Woodruff, e.g.. They can cover for lost relievers hopefully for remaider of this season. Perhaps Wenninger as well.
The Mets should keep Holmes unless a team is giving the Mets an offer they just can't refuse. Otherwise, the Mets are better off extending Holmes to guide the kiddie corps going forward.
I would have to say the same thing for any trade involving Alvarez.
Why is Santucci still at AA? well....these are the Mets.
I think Manaea brings back value, for a team that needs an SP 4 or 5. Remember, his ERA is higher because he does not pitch against the Mets’ weak offense.
Deal Lindor, if at all possible. Jose Reyes rapidly declined. Maybe Lindor has started his descent. He is still owed $185 million.
Keep Holmes. Promote Santucci to AAA ASAP.
Tongs value is down. Call him up, and give him a chance.
Tong’s results are bad due to his giving up HRs. In his last 3 outings, which were otherwise strong, he gave up a crazy 5 HRs in 16 innings. If these were repertoire changes, hanging “new” pitches, scrap that crap. Let him pitch. He can work on secondaries in the off season. He allowed only a HR every 30 innings prior to 2026
Tong is tricky. He is changing two things: his release point and his repetoire. The former is for health reasons. The latter to enable him to develop pitches that have horizontal break. The former creates changes in how his pitches perform and move. I don't know whether the homers are coming from secondary pitches he is developing or off his fastball which will have different movement from his new release point. I think it will take time to figure out. But there's no reason why he couldn't be a reliever after most of our relievers are dealt at the deadline. He would only need two pitches ini that role. And he can throw a third on occasion.
A Lindor trade is an offseason trade as it is likely to be complex and teams that may have an interest in him now are not participating in the deadline dealing. And he has to approve, etc. etc. Alvarez is trickier. Lots of teams are in need of catching now but I would think you want to see the entire competitive landscape for him before you trade him. I am for trading him mind you, but again the offseason may make the most sense unless you get blown away.
I don’t understand trading Alvarez. For a team in desperate need of offence and some power, what do you think getting some prospects for him is going to do for your team in 2027 or beyond? If you don’t like his defense, make Torrens the starting catcher and Alvarez the everyday DH. A tandem of Torrens and Senger leaves you with zero production out of the catcher position. We have NO catcher prospects close to ML ready offensively.
I wouldn't trade Alvarez if I thought he would hit 27 homers/year and not hit into a number of double plays and strike out and have so many baffling at bats! I simply don't believe he is that player. I know a fair bit about mechanics and his are horrible and certainly he would diminish over time. And I have reason to believe that the Mets have a similar view of his limitations: in part because he is stubborn. And by the way, if you don't generate bat speed through movement from the ground up and do so only through arms and shoulder girdle, this is not going to be sustainable.
I heard that the attempts to teach him another pitch (slider?) caused his arm slot to drop, which ruined the rise on his fastball. He has to get back to the prior mechanics and drop the new pitch. A solid two-pitch guy on the staff is much better than a mediocre three-pitch guy.
Lindor would be a great add on a very young team that needs some field leadership and experience. But teams with a lot of young talent have just promoted the best of their prospects, so there is not likely enough left to entice the Mets to move such a valuable piece.
He can veto any trade. I don't see him moving to most locations. His kids are in school in nYC. I can see him accepting a trade to the Yankees (unlikely), or maybe the Red Sox or maybe LA Dodgers
It’s not just Reyes who declined, Millan, Samuel, Baerga, Alfonso and Alomar all declined after age 32. Why would Lindor be different. He is definitely the best SS in Mets history and a future Hall of Famer. Better to trade him now and not have to watch 5 years of decline at 30 million per year
Psst
Stearns is short
Post a Comment