The New York Mets continue to shuffle their roster as they deal with injuries to various players, including infielders David Wright, Daniel Murphy and Dilson Herrera. Will the team explore a trade before the deadline if they can't stay healthy?
Wright was diagnosed with spinal stenosis and there's no timetable for his return. Murphy hit the disabled list over the weekend with a strained quad. Herrera is currently on a rehab assignment after missing nearly a month with a broken finger.
New York leads the NL East by a half game, but the club's health issues may affect their long-term standing in the division. They clearly need help on the left side of the infield because they're now thin at third base with Wright and Murphy on the DL, while Wilmer Flores still may not be the answer at shortstop. He does lead the team in home runs with nine, but he's batting just .249/.274/.423 with 26 runs scored and 25 RBIs. He also has 10 errors in 51 games at shortstop.
General manager Sandy Alderson has expressed faith in Flores, but there are options on the trade market that could provide an upgrade, which would allow the team to move him over to second base.
"Mets' director of pro scouting, Jim D'Aloia, was in Minnesota on Friday night presumably to watch the Brewers. Now, the teams have not spoken in several weeks, but the Brewers have two possible fits for the Mets - third baseman Aramis Ramirez and shortstop Jean Segura," says FOX Sports' Ken Rosenthal.
"Ramirez is the more practical fit. The acquisition costs for him would be lower, and while he plans to retire at the end of the season, I'm told the Brewers can trade him to any team. He no longer has no-trade protection.
"As for Ben Zobrist, the Mets are interested, but they believe that other teams will pay more for him in a trade."
We've previously talked about a Mets-Brewers trade for Segura, but rumors suggest the shortstop is one of the few players Milwaukee may not be willing to sell. Additionally, even if they were willing to make Segura available, the Mets may not feel comfortable surrendering valuable prospects, especially since the 25-year-old may not provide a considerable upgrade on the defensive side of the ball based on his performance so far this season.
ESPN Insider Jim Bowden previously suggested Segura could be a fit for the Mets, but nothing has distinctly indicated that's the kind of move both teams are moving toward. Bowden expects Ramirez to have a good chance of being traded before the deadline, but he believes the third baseman fits better with the San Francisco Giants or Chicago White Sox.
However, if the Mets are willing to make a big move prior to the deadline, Segura is probably their best bet. He's under club control through 2018, while Ramirez and Zobrist become free agents after this season. Zobrist is also garnering interest from the Washington Nationals, New York Yankees and other top clubs, so the competitive price will probably be too high for the Mets' liking.
It's pretty evident New York needs to make some sort of move to patch up their infield. Wright's injury could affect him long-term and Murphy will be a free agent after this season. Flores and Herrera are under club control for the foreseeable future, which provides some stability for the infield, but they're both largely unproven at the MLB level at this point.
The Mets are an intriguing club to watch as the deadline approaches. They appear to be a playoff contender two months into the 2015 MLB season and they'll be looking to maintain that status through July and August.
"The Mets are looking to turn on the offense any way they can. This is a shame to waste all this good pitching, especially now that the Mets are going to stick with the five-man rotation and count on the young arms," writes Kevin Kernan of the New York Post.
Segura, Ramirez and Zobrist appear to be atop the trade discussions right now, but keep an eye out for the Mets to explore other options at third base if they continue to receive unsettling news regarding Wright's health.
