ANAHEIM, CALIFORNIA - JUNE 8: Yordan Alvarez #44 of the Houston Astros is congratulated in the dugout after his two-run home run against the Los Angeles Angels in the fifth inning at Angel Stadium of Anaheim on June 8, 2024 in Anaheim, California. (Photo by John McCoy/Getty Images)
Mets: Wild mock trade deals veteran 3B & pot of prospects for World Series Champ
The New York Mets have climbed out of a massive midseason hole in the month of June, but that does not eliminate them as potential major players around the upcoming July 30 trade deadline.
Tim Boyle of Rising Apple has the Mets pushing the button on a trade for Houston Astros reigning two-time All-Star right fielder Kyle Tucker in exchange for third-year slugger Brett Baty and a pot of top Mets prospects (h/t Evan Massey of Fan Nation’s Inside the Astros):
“In the proposed trade idea, the Astros would send Tucker to the Mets in exchange for Drew Gilbert, Brett Baty, Blade Tidwell, and any of the team’s catching prospects,” Massey synthesized.
Mets: Kyle Tucker would gift the franchise with one of the best right fielders in baseball
Kyle Tucker, Mets
Credit: Erik Williams-USA TODAY Sports
Tucker is one of the best right fielders in the entire MLB. He is vying to make his third straight All-Star game in 2024 and complements his 19 home runs and .266/.395/.584 slash line from this season with an unblemished fielding percentage fueled by his 103 putouts and two double plays turned to no errors in the field.
The 27-year-old is in the thick of his prime and also has a Gold Glove award from 2022 that proves his defensive prowess and a Silver Slugger award from 2023 that does the same for his offensive dominance. The Mets could greatly benefit from having a game-changer like him in their batting order and outfield.
Tucker could help the Mets advance on the bags in the steals department
Kyle Tucker, Mets
Credit: Kelley L Cox-USA TODAY Sports
New York could use a boost in stealing bases. They rank No. 13 on the campaign with 59 steals. Seeing that Tucker was one home run shy of making the illustrious 30-30 club last year and has 10 steals in 2024, he’d be able to carry the Mets along with reigning 30-30 club member SS Francisco Lindor in that department and also help keep the Mets in the top-five League-wide in home runs, where they’re currently situated at No. 4 overall with 102 HR.
Mets’ owner is relishing in recent winning ways
Mets option veteran RHP to Triple-A after 9–6 loss to Astros
Mets garner no All-Star starter finalists in last vote tally
Who the mock trade has the Mets sending away to acquire the All-Star slugger
As for who they’d give up, the Mets have seen promise from 3B Baty, but his injuries and lackluster .215 batting average in three years playing at Citi Field are well worth swapping for Tucker in a
deal. The kicker in this mock trade is Gilbert, who the Astros originally drafted No. 28 overall in 2022. Gilbert, the Mets’ No. 2 prospect has a big league call-up ETA set for this season and has done well at Triple-A Syracuse with six home runs in 25 at-bats alongside a .240 batting average and respectable .681 OPS.
