The trading deadline brought home a mixed bag for the New York Mets who desperately needed help at catcher and in the bullpen, and in the end struggled to address their needs as there no real big deals to be made with the Amazin’s.
The Mets tried to get a catcher like Wilson Contreas, but found the price too steep.
Instead New York shipped popular clubhouse veteran J.D. Davis and three minor league pitchers to the San Francisco Giants for aging part-time outfielder Darin Ruf. The Mets then completed a last second deal with the Cubs to acquire reliever Mychal Givens.
Ruf is hitting only .216 on the season with 11 homers and 38 RBI. He has never been a big average hitter, and struggles against right handed pitchers. Ruf has good numbers against lefties, hitting .252 against them. In other words Ruf is a right-handed version of Daniel Vogelbach.
Givens had a solid season in Chicago, pitching to a 2.66 ERA in more than 40 innings this season. He will lengthen a bullpen that needs help.
Still the moves didn’t satisfy Mets fans who pounded the front office on social media for not getting greater impact players. Especially after the Phillies acquired former Met Noah Syndergaard, and reliever David Robertson from the Cubs (a player many thought would have been packaged with Contrares in a potential Mets deal). And, after the Padres acquired both Juan Soto and Josh Bell.
The Phillies get Robertson for their No. 26 ranked prospect...not sure how the Mets couldn't top this... https://t.co/h9mDdEGaZq
— Jake Brown (@JakeBrownRadio) August 2, 2022
Zwack was on his way to being the Mets MiLB pitcher of the year. 1.84 ERA since his promotion to High-A, velo has ticked up to 96.
— Jacob Resnick (@Jacob_Resnick) August 2, 2022
Both him and Seymour are top 20-25 prospects, and Szapucki is what he is.
Feels like a lot to give up for literally Darin Ruf. https://t.co/IoFgDl0wNm
So we get Ruf, Vogelbach & Naquin while SD gets not only Soto, Bell & Hader but now also Drury? 2 thumbs up to you Epller
— Diggsy0522 (@Emmasbaba) August 2, 2022
Mets’ trade deadline was very underwhelming
— Danny Abriano (@DannyAbriano) August 2, 2022
Darin Ruf & Daniel Vogelbach could form strong DH tandem
And Mychal Givens is a solid reliever
But not getting 2nd reliever to go with Givens was shocking
And after not going for a big DH, failing to address catcher was bizarre
Poll: How would you rate the Mets' trade deadline as a whole?
— Anthony DiComo (@AnthonyDiComo) August 3, 2022