The Red Sox have put themselves back in the conversation, and that changes the temperature around the trade market in a hurry. Boston’s six-game winning streak has dragged it to within 2.5 games of a playoff spot, and suddenly a team that looked headed for another quiet finish is in position to shop like a buyer.
That’s where the Mets come in. New York and Boston have a habit of circling similar types of players, and if the Red Sox keep this run going, there are a few Mets who make a lot of sense as deadline fits.
Freddy Peralta is one name to watch, especially with Boston set to see him on Saturday. The Red Sox just lost Ranger Suarez to injury, so every start matters even more now.
Their pitching has been all over the map this season, with Sonny Gray turning back the clock, Garrett Crochett struggling before getting hurt, and a mix of young arms helping cover the gaps. Peralta would fit as a buy-low swing, and with David Stearns and Craig Breslow already having worked together on multiple trades, a conversation between the sides would hardly be a surprise.
Luke Weaver may be the cleanest fit of all. Boston needs a high-leverage right-handed reliever, and Weaver checks that box while also giving the club insurance behind Aroldis Chapman.
He’d also be an upgrade over several of the relievers Boston has used this season. The catch is cost: Weaver should draw plenty of interest, especially from teams hunting for a closer, so the Red Sox would likely have to come heavy with an offer.
Brooks Raley is another reliever who fits the picture. A.J.
Minter and Huascar Brazoban could also work, but Raley looks more like the kind of move Boston would make if it wants a Danny Coulombe-type upgrade. Minter, by contrast, feels more like a fit for a team with a little more payroll room.
Raley makes about a third of Minter’s salary, and with the Red Sox needing more than just one left-handed arm, that lower price tag could matter as they decide how to spread their money around.
In Other News...
Andy Green Is Setting A Mets Standard Fans Have Wanted
Two weeks into his run, Andy Green is already drawing a clear line for the Mets: the bar is going up, and he expects players to meet it. For a club that is no longer being judged only by the standings, that matters. The Mets are headed into a stretch where development will matter as much as results, and Green has wasted little time making higher standards and accountability part of the daily message, especially for younger players such as Christian Scott and Brett Baty.
What stands out is how direct Green has been compared with Carlos Mendoza, who was often more guarded in public. Green has been more willing to offer honest assessments and push for improvement rather than cushion the message, and that tone is starting to shape the way the roster is being viewed. Batys recent progress has fit neatly into that environment, while Scotts latest outing showed that even encouraging signs still come with the expectation of more. [Read more 🡒]
Mets Just Made A Vientos Replacement Move Fans Will Hate
The Mets had to shuffle their infield depth after Mark Vientos landed on the injured list, and the move they made says plenty about how they want to handle the short-term gap. Zack Short was the one added to the roster, a familiar glove-first option who gives the club another capable defender while it waits for the next turn in the lineup.
Shorts arrival also leaves some obvious questions hanging over the rest of the bench mix. Christian Arroyo had just re-signed a minor league deal and has done more with the bat in the minors, while Ronny Mauricio was another name in the conversation, but the Mets went in a different direction for now. For a team trying to stay afloat in the middle of the season, it is the kind of choice that prioritizes stability in the field even if it does not do much to excite anyone looking for offense. [Read more 🡒]
Mets Hot Stretch Just Made Stearns Deadline Call Much Tougher
The Mets recent surge has given the front office a very different kind of deadline problem than the one it was staring at a couple of weeks ago. A series win over the Royals snapped a drought that had stretched nearly a month, and the offense has suddenly looked like a club that can do damage in a hurry, with six or more runs in five straight games. That kind of run changes the tone around the roster, because it makes it harder to separate what needs fixing from what might just be heating up at the right time.
Mark Vientos hand injury only adds another layer to the uncertainty as the deadline gets closer. The Mets still have to sort out how they want to handle the roster in the short term and where players such as A.J. Ewing and Carson Benge fit into the bigger picture, but the hotter the lineup looks, the less straightforward those calls become. For a team trying to balance present momentum with future planning, the next decision may matter as much as the last series did. [Read more 🡒]