Bo Bichette may be the headliner in any Mets trade discussion, but he’s not the only name that should have the Phillies paying attention. If New York decides to sell, Philadelphia has a real need at third base, and Trea Turner hasn’t exactly locked down shortstop either. Bichette’s right-handed bat would fit, even if the awkward offseason setup and the June boos in Philadelphia make the whole thing a little messy.
Still, there are other Mets who could make plenty of sense for the Phillies if they’re looking to add help before the deadline.
Cionel Perez is the quiet one in the group, but that’s part of the appeal. He should be inexpensive for both payroll and trade return, and as an arbitration-eligible pitcher next season, the Mets could still decide he’s worth keeping.
He’s done enough to hold a bullpen spot even on a team carrying three, and sometimes four if you can’t David Peterson, lefties at once. Because he has no minor league options, the Mets would be in a tough spot if they tried to DFA him, which only adds to the sense that his trade value could be on the rise.
If Philadelphia wants to spend a little more, A.J. Minter is the bigger swing.
The Phillies have been burned by relief pitching often enough that they know how badly a bullpen can unravel, and that was on display in 2024 when the NLCS matchup with the Mets featured several strong relievers melting down. Minter’s time with the Atlanta Braves means the Phillies already know what kind of arm he can be, especially in front of Jhoan Duran.
Brooks Raley sits somewhere between Perez and Minter, and maybe even above Minter in some eyes. Either way, he belongs on the Phillies’ list.
He’s been consistently excellent for the Mets since arriving in 2023 when healthy, and his $4.4 million salary is a lot easier to stomach than Minter’s $11 million. By late July or early August, there would be only about $2 million left on the deal, which could make him attractive to teams with tighter budgets as well.
Clay Holmes brings a different profile entirely. He’s a ground-ball machine, which could play nicely in Philadelphia’s hitter-friendly park, though that would also mean trusting the defense behind him.
Contact pitchers live with a little more chaos, and Holmes would probably see more balls leak through, get misplayed, or bounce off gloves than he did with the Mets. He’s been out since May 15, and his return timeline will matter for what New York can get back.
Holmes also has a $12 million player option for next season, and even if he’s healthy or not and effective or not, he seems likely to opt out. He’s been good enough to earn a raise.
Then there’s Freddy Peralta, who might be the best fit of the bunch for Philadelphia because of the strikeout stuff. Even in a season that hasn’t been perfect, putting him behind Zack Wheeler and Cristopher Sanchez would ease a lot of pressure.
Add him to a rotation that already includes Jesus Luzardo and Aaron Nola, and the Phillies suddenly have a lot more room to breathe. They need to win a championship this year, and they have a rotation hole to fill.
Even if Peralta isn’t the same pitcher he was last year with the Milwaukee Brewers, an ERA in the 4.00s would still give Philadelphia a strong shot. And if the Phillies end up facing the Brewers in the postseason, doing it with a pitcher coming over from the Mets would create one of the best storylines around.
In Other News...
Mets Just Sent A Troubling Message About Kevin Parada
Kevin Paradas path through the Mets system has taken another uneasy turn, and it says plenty about where things stand for the former first-round pick. The catcher has battled inconsistency on both sides of the ball in 2026, opening with a rough stretch in Double-A before flashing more at the plate in Triple-A, only to see the organization move him back down again as it continues sorting out its long-term answer behind the plate.
The bigger concern is that the bat alone has not been enough to force the issue. Paradas offensive uptick in Triple-A did not erase the defensive questions that have followed him, and the Mets also have other catching options in the mix who bring MLB experience and a steadier glove. For a player once viewed as a key part of the future, the message is getting harder to ignore. [Read more 🡒]
Mets May Be On Verge Of A Surprising New Infield Look
Luis Robert Jr. is still working through rehab with an eye on getting back into Mets games before the Aug. 3 trade deadline, but his absence has already nudged the roster into a different sort of July experiment. A.J. Ewing has handled center field well enough to stay in the conversation, and the Mets are at least considering whether his athleticism could be used in another spot if they want to keep shuffling pieces while the deadline picture comes into focus.
The possibility gets more interesting because of Marcus Semiens injury, which has forced the Mets to patch second base with Brett Baty and Ronny Mauricio. Ewing has some background there from the minors, and with Francisco Lindor locked in on the left side, New York could be looking at a temporary infield look that says as much about opportunity as it does about need while the front office weighs its next move. [Read more 🡒]
Mets Bullpen Rehab Bet Already Looks Like A Wasted Move
Adbert Alzolay was supposed to be the kind of low-risk bullpen rehab bet the Mets could stash away and maybe cash in on later, a two-year minor league deal for a pitcher working back from Tommy John surgery. Instead, his 2024 season has been spent entirely in the minors, and the results in Triple-A Syracuse have been rough enough to make the original upside feel distant. The right-hander has struggled to find any rhythm, with his outings repeatedly turning into damage-control appearances rather than steps toward a return.
The Mets have not cut bait yet, which says plenty about how much they still want the idea to work. They were hoping Alzolay could become an internal bullpen weapon down the line, maybe even a deadline option without having to give up talent in a trade. For now, though, Syracuse has offered little encouragement, and the longer the struggles continue, the harder it gets to see the path back to meaningful help in Queens. [Read more 🡒]