How the Mets fared with their 2024 deadline additions

Both prior to and at the 2024 trade deadline, the Mets picked up some players to sure up some troubled areas.  They focused on a left-handed bat, a middle of the rotation starter and some established bullpen pieces.  What many of us wanted was the addition of a game changer, like the trade that brought Yoenis Cespedes in 2015.  We didn’t get it.

It seems that none of the Mets360 contributors wanted to decimate the farm system by trading any significant prospects for 2024 rental players since the Mets were not a player or two away from being a serious contender.  Back in 2015, while not considered that strong a playoff contender, they went out and snagged some low cost well-established veteran bench players and of course Cespedes, who immediately propelled them forward and seemed to make hitting contagious. The cost for Cespedes was significant at the time as they sent promising and highly rated prospect Michael Fulmer to the Tigers in the deal.  With hindsight being 20-20, we could not have known that Fulmer would never fulfill his promise and currently has a career 37-50 record, a 3.94 ERA.

While none of us are privy to the wheeling and dealings at the 2024 trade deadline, it seems the status of the starting rotation begged for a more significant acquisition, especially in light of losing Kodai Senga, again. The Mets could have made a better play for rental pieces Jack Flaherty from the Tigers, Blake Snell or Alex Cobb of the from the Giants, or Michael Lorenzen from the Rangers given how well team had played in June and July.

The additions to the roster included Jesse Winker and a slew of pitchers – starter Paul Blackburn and relievers Phil Maton, Ryne Stanek, Huascar Brazoban and Tyler Zuber, Matt Gage and Alex Young.  On the plus side it appears that they essentially gave up nothing of value to add these players. Of course, they often say “you get what you pay for,” so we should not be surprised by how these new additions worked out.  Here is how the new players have done and my totally biased short-term grades.

Jesse Winker, OF

Winker became a cult villain back in 2019 when he drew fan’s ire for once waiving to them after hitting a go-ahead home run and another time when he teased the fans after a game-ending catch.  A Buffalo, NY native, Winker was their biggest acquisition ahead of the trade deadline as he came over from the Nationals with a slash line of .267/.392/.448 to go along with 10 HR and 36 RBI, and 43 runs. The expectation was that he would bring his dependable left-handed bat to the third outfield position and also give a boost to the DH role.

Winker started out going 2-for-6 with a walk in his first few games and looked like a sharp pickup. Through 8/18/2024 Winker has appeared in 15 games with 14 hits in 48 at bats. He is batting .292 with an anemic OPS of .653, with no homeruns, just five RBI and just two walks.  Has he been a better player than DJ Stewart with his horrible .172 batting average and .624 OPS?  Absolutely.  Did they expect a little more production from him?  Absolutely.  I’d give Winker a grade of B-.

Paul Blackburn, RHP

Perhaps the most important pick up, in the face of losing ace Kodai Senga for the rest of the season, was little known Blackburn.  Although considered a solid piece of the A’s rotation for the last three seasons, Blackburn, who throws in the low 90’s and strikes out less than one batter per inning, induces a lot of ground balls and does not walk many batters. On the surface that seemed like just what the doctor ordered, given their other starters propensity to issue frequent free passes.

Blackburn started strong throwing six innings of six hit one run ball against the Angels, and has pitched six innings in three of his four starts, with the Mets winning three times.  They should have given him more support this past Sunday against the Marlins where he mastered the Fish for six strong innings. He has been a great addition, is under control through 2025, and projects as a solid #3 or #4 for next season. Blackburn earns a solid B.

Huascar Brazoban, RHP

There are some analysts who believed the biggest pickup at the deadline was reliever Brazoban who they snagged from the Marlins.  He throws mostly off speed stuff, came here with a 2.93 ERA and a little more than a strikeout per inning while with the Marlins. He throws in the upper 90’s and has four different pitches that he can throw for strikes and has the ability to throw multiple innings in an outing.

Brazoban has pitched eight innings over seven appearances, given up seven hits and five earned runs.  While on the surface it might look like his assortment of pitches is not exactly fooling anyone, he was perfect in his first three outings totaling nearly six innings, but not so good in his last two outings which really ballooned his ERA from 3.16 to his current ugly 5.63 mark.  I’d give Brazoban a C- after his last two outings.

Phil Maton, RHP

The Mets picked up Maton from the Rays with the expectation that he would be an upgrade over some of the existing right-handed bullpen pieces.  Now with his fifth MLB team, Maton brought with him a career ERA over 4.20, good movement with his pitches and the ability to strike out more than a batter an inning despite a fastball that averages just short of 91 MPH.  He also had prior playoff experience with the Astros.

Maton has thrown 14.2 innings over 15 games, pitching to a nifty 1.84 ERA. As advertised he can strike out batters despite a lack of speed on his fastball and has issued only four walks.  He is not flashy but gets the job done. Oddly, despite doing a decent job in relief, he has pitched in five consecutive losses.  I’d give Maton a B for doing what was expected of him.

Ryne Stanek, RHP

Stanek is hard thrower with an average velocity of 97.9 MPH who is also making the Mets his fifth MLB stop. He brought with him a career ERA of close to 3.70 and prior playoff experience with the Astros. Stanek has thrown six innings over seven appearances so far with an ungodly ERA of 10.50 mostly brought about by four earned runs he gave up to the Mariners in a blowout loss on August 11.  Nine hits and six walks in six innings is not a good look and he’s given up two long balls.  It is not a surprise he is playing for his fifth team and I’d expect him to find team number six for 2025.  I’d give Stanek a D thus far despite two okay innings in his last few outings.

Tyler Zuber, RHP

To demonstrate how bad the Mets bullpen was, the Mets took a shot at this journeyman who needed to jump out and spend some time in 2024 with the independent league Long land Ducks.  What made him attractive was his 18 games for AAA Durham affiliate where he posted a 2.49 ERA with 29 Ks in 21 innings.

As expected, Zuber was moved to Mets AAA affiliate in Syracuse and there is not much to say about this 29-year-old underachiever. He is controllable through 2025 with multiple minor league options remaining and projects to maybe helping the team in 2025.  Zuber gets an incomplete and it will be no surprise if he finds himself playing somewhere else next season.

Matt Gage, LHP

Gage came over from the Dodgers earlier in July, and is also a NY native, growing up about an hour north of Cooperstown, NY. With available options, Gage was sent to AAA, but was projected to join the big club at some point. Gage was sent to AAA Syracuse in what is his second stint with the team (he was briefly in the Mets minors in 2018). Despite some bad minor league stats, there is potential from his two stops at the big league level, first with Toronto and then with Houston, where Gage pitched to a sub two ERA and has shown promise. Gage earns an incomplete thus far with the hopes that he can help the team next season.

Alex Young, LHP

The Giants acquired Young from the Reds and immediately tried to pass him through waivers. It didn’t work, as the Mets claimed him and have since made him a central part of their bullpen. Young, now with his sixth MLB team, started out throwing 4 2/3 shutout innings and there was hope that he would be a significant left-hander in the bullpen.

Young has now thrown seven innings over seven appearances, pitching to a tiny 1.29 ERA. While he has appeared in five straight losing games, none were his fault as he gave up just one hit and three walks in four of the five with the only blemish being a rough outing against the Rockies, where he walked two and gave up two hits and a run.  Young gets an A- for essentially doing what was asked of him.

While we all hoped the Mets would have done better in the three weeks since the trade deadline, it seems that is not the fault of Winker, Blackburn, Maton and Young, who have done better than those they replaced.  And while it is reasonable that the Mets could have moved some highly rated prospect for more significant pitching help, that’s not what Stearns chose to do.  2025 brings us all to the end of Steve Cohen’s 3-5 year plan to deliver on a championship in Flushing. Looks like he might need an extension.