New York Mets

Another Chicago Cubs reliever is on his way to the Big Apple.

The New York Mets acquired Mychal Givens from the Cubs for minor league pitcher Saul Gonzalez. MLB.com's Anthony DiComo first reported the deal.

The move comes one day after the New York Yankees landed Scott Effross from the Cubs.

Givens appeared in 40 games for Chicago and notched two saves. He posted a 2.66 ERA and a 3.83 FIP with 51 strikeouts across 40.2 innings.

The right-hander has been especially effective against right-handed hitters, who have had a .213/.296/.298 slash line in 108 plate appearances against Givens.

Bleacher Report's Zachary D. Rymer listed a reliever as one of the Mets' biggest needs with the trade deadline approaching:

The Mets have a hole in their rotation right now, but they're due to fill that in-house once some guy named Jacob deGrom (shoulder) is ready to go. That should be shortly after the trade deadline.

Though the Mets also stand to get Trevor May (stress reaction in arm) back soon, they should be less willing to let it roll with the relievers they already have. Veteran closer Edwin Diaz has been scintillating all season, yet the bridge to him lacks a true shutdown setup man.

Losing Drew Smith to a strained lat muscle only heightened that need. Smith went on the 15-day injured list on July 28, and his absence offsets the impending return of Trevor May to the bullpen.

With Diaz in the middle of a career year (23 saves, 1.51 ERA, 0.96 FIP and 18.1 strikeouts per nine innings), general manager Billy Eppler didn't have to do anything radical with the bullpen.

Givens was the kind of marginal upgrade for Eppler to target. He brings the added benefit of having played under manager Buck Showalter with the Baltimore Orioles as well.

Nonetheless, fans are likely to feel a bit underwhelmed with the Mets' overall deadline haul.

https://twitter.com/kateefeldman/status/1554591956751319040

New York is only up 3.5 games on the Atlanta Braves for first place in the National League East. While the team has a high probability of at least making the playoffs, the division certainly isn't in the bag.

As much as Givens helps, Eppler could come to regret not being more aggressive elsewhere on the field.

The New York Mets have added another slugger ahead of MLB's 6 p.m. ET trade deadline, acquiring Darin Ruf from the San Francisco Giants, per Joel Sherman of the New York Post.

In exchange, the Mets are sending JD Davis and pitching prospects Thomas Szapucki, Carson Seymour and Nick Zwack to the Giants.

While Ruf can play both first base and left field, it's more likely he'll see time as New York's designated hitter alongside Daniel Vogelbach. Pete Alonso serves as the team's first baseman, while Mark Canha starts in left field.

When the Mets acquired Vogelbach last month, they knew they needed another bat as the former Pittsburgh Pirate has been particularly bad against lefties, hitting .134/.266/.149 with seven RBI this season.

Ruf, meanwhile, is hitting .252/.364/.523 with nine home runs and 24 RBI against lefties this year. It's reasonable to believe he'll get the start at DH against left-handed pitching, while Vogelbach will get the start against righties.

Vogelbach is hitting .271/.384/.532 with 12 home runs and 27 RBI against right-handers this season.

Ruf has spent the last three seasons of his career in San Francisco after playing for the Philadelphia Phillies for the first five seasons. He had a break in his MLB career from 2017-19, spending three seasons with the Korea Baseball Organization's Samsung Lions.

Davis, meanwhile, has spent the last four seasons of his career with the Mets. This season, he's hitting .238/.324/.359 with four home runs and 21 RBI in 66 games. Before joining the Mets, he spent two seasons with the Houston Astros.

The Mets are first in the NL East with a 65-37 record, 3.5 games ahead of the second-place Atlanta Braves. Adding Ruf to the mix gives the club some much-needed help at the plate entering the final months of the regular season.

The New York Mets are reportedly "in on" Boston Red Sox designated hitter J.D. Martinez and catcher Christian Vazquez ahead of Tuesday's trade deadline, according to SNY's Andy Martino.

Per that report, "nothing is imminent" in potential trade talks, however.

Both players would be potential rentals for a World Series push this season, as they each will become free agents after the season. The Mets may also look to bolster their bullpen this week:

Mets, White Sox among teams seeking to add left-handed reliever. The Tigers’ Andrew Chafin is of interest to both clubs and other teams, too, sources tell @TheAthletic. Owed rest of $6M salary this season and $7M next season.

— Ken Rosenthal (@Ken_Rosenthal) August 1, 2022

Martinez, 34, is a five-time All-Star, though he's having a bit of a down year by his own lofty standards, hitting .288 with nine homers, 40 RBI, 52 runs and a .816 OPS in 87 games.

Vazquez, 31, has provided solid offense from the catcher position for the Red Sox this season, hitting .282 with eight homers, 42 RBI, 33 runs and a .759 OPS in 84 games.

With the Red Sox just 51-52 on the season and last in the AL East (though just 3.5 games out of the final Wild Card berth), trading players set to hit free agency like Martinez and Vazquez would make sense for the Red Sox.

"I'm not blind. I know what's going on, being out there. But just put it off to the side," Martinez told reporters on Sunday. "As far as I know I'm here. I'm not going to think anything otherwise. I want to make it as hard on [chief baseball officer Chaim Bloom to make a trade] as I can. If we keep winning I think we can do that."

Vazquez offered a similar sentiment.

"We're still here. We control what we can control," he said. "We're here fighting together. We are family and we're going to continue until we see what happens in these couple of days. We're still here with this uniform and I hope we can stay here."

While the Red Sox will have to decide between gunning for that Wild Card spot and gathering prospects in an effort to retool down the line, the Mets (64-37) are clearly in title-or-bust mode this season.

The question will be how much of their farm system they are willing to sacrifice to improve the roster. Martino reported that "Francisco Alvarez and Brett Baty are obviously off-limits in any deal for rentals, and... the Mets feel essentially the same way about Mark Vientos."

In other words, the Mets won't move one of their top prospects for a rental. But expect them to be in the market for potential upgrades until the deadline hits.

The New York Mets, who have inquired about Los Angeles Angels designated hitter/pitcher Shohei Ohtani's availability ahead of Tuesday's 6 p.m. ET trade deadline, do not believe the Halos are serious about dealing the superstar this season.

SNY's Andy Martino provided the scoop:

"The Mets are naturally curious about Shohei Ohtani’s availability, as any well-heeled and ambitious team should be, but have concluded after inquiring that the Los Angeles Angels are not serious about trading the two-way superstar before Tuesday’s deadline, according to league sources.

"Even Angels executives are privately saying that they are extremely unlikely to move Ohtani in-season, according to a third source in touch with that front office. If that were to change, the Mets would of course be interested. This feels like a space to watch this winter."

Ohtani, who is set to become a free agent after the 2023 season, is starring for an otherwise largely moribund Angels team that is playing out the string at 42-58.

Still, the 2021 American League MVP is lighting up baseball again with 21 home runs, 59 RBI and an .826 OPS. On the mound, Ohtani has gone 9-6 with a 2.81 ERA, 1.02 WHIP and 145 strikeouts in 99.1 innings.

Despite sporting two of baseball's brightest and best stars in Ohtani and Mike Trout, the Angels are very likely to miss the playoffs for the eighth straight year. The Halos have the third-worst OPS in the American League and a middle-of-the-road pitching staff (eighth in AL ERA). This is all despite owning the eighth-highest payroll in baseball.

Ohtani is undoubtedly the most valuable player in baseball given his two-way ability, but the question now is whether the Angels should trade him to help rebuild the franchise. The team sorely needs more depth throughout their roster, and dealing Ohtani could help alleviate that problem.

Still, Ohtani is one of the best talents baseball has ever seen, and there hasn't been a two-way player like him since Babe Ruth. It's a tough position for the Angels to find themselves in, but another losing season has landed Ohtani into trade rumors and speculation.

At the very least, it appears the Angels are listening to teams even though a deal right now appears to be a remote possibility.

"Teams have been calling regarding potential deals for the two-way phenom, and while a trade involving the unique superstar is seen as very unlikely, the Angels are not hanging up the phone," Jon Heyman and Joel Sherman of the New York Post reported on July 28.

For now, the Angels appear likely to hold onto Ohtani, but things could heat up next offseason.

The New York Mets are ready to make a splash on the trade market in hopes of making a deep playoff run.

The Mets are interested in trading for Red Sox slugger J.D. Martinez and catcher Christian Vazquez, according to The Athletic's Ken Rosenthal, who noted Friday the team could "pivot" to the Boston duo if it finds the price for Willson Contreras and David Robertson of the Chicago Cubs to be too high.

The Red Sox are shopping Martinez, ESPN's Buster Olney (h/t Steve Adams of MLB Trade Rumors) reported earlier this week. It's unclear if the club is open to moving Vazquez, but he's set to become a free agent in the offseason.

Boston entered Friday's game against the Milwaukee Brewers fifth in the AL East with a 50-50 record. Pitchers Chris Sale, Michael Wacha, Rich Hill, James Paxton, Matt Strahm, Matt Barnes, Josh Taylor and Tyler Danish are on the injured list, as are position players Rafael Devers, Trevor Story, Christian Arroyo and Enrique Hernandez.

The Red Sox have a 26.6 percent chance to make the playoffs, per FanGraphs, so it would not be surprising if they were sellers before the deadline.

Martinez is in the final year of his contract, earning $19.4 million, which makes him a prime trade candidate. He has been a staple in the lineup since his arrival in 2018 and is hitting .293/.361/.466 in 84 games with nine home runs and 38 RBI.

While he can play the outfield, the 34-year-old is primarily a designated hitter. The Mets already acquired DH Daniel Vogelbach, but he is more of a platoon option against right-handed pitchers.

As for Vazquez, he's been one of the better offensive catchers in baseball. New York's top option right now is the defense-first Tomas Nido, who is hitting .218/.262/.251 with zero home runs and 16 RBI in 63 games.

James McCann, New York's starting catcher, is on the 10-day injured list with a strained oblique. Acquiring Vazquez from Boston would add some stability to the position down the stretch.

Vazquez has spent his eight-year career with Boston and is hitting .277/.321/.426 with eight home runs and 40 RBI in 81 games.

The Mets stand first in the National League East with a 61-37 record and are trying to hold off the defending World Series champion Atlanta Braves (59-41).

The New York Mets figure to be in buying mode as the Aug. 2 trade deadline approaches considering they are in first place in the National League East and attempting to hold off the defending champion Atlanta Braves.

That said, a potential blockbuster with the Chicago Cubs is reportedly far from being finalized.

According to Andy Martino of SNY, talks about a trade that would send catcher Willson Contreras and reliever David Robertson to the Big Apple are "preliminary" at this stage, with neither side exchanging "concrete trade proposals."

Chicago and New York made headlines last year when the Cubs traded Javier Baez and Trevor Williams to the Mets. Baez, like Contreras, was an integral part in the North Siders' ability to snap their championship drought and win the 2016 World Series, which made him a fan favorite in the Windy City.

Martino noted that trade was almost more extensive, as the Cubs explored moving Contreras and Craig Kimbrel to the Mets as well.

There has been plenty of back-and-forth between the front offices, although Martino suggested "the Mets' unwillingness to further deplete their top-heavy farm system could ultimately be a roadblock" even if they do include catcher Tomás Nido in a deal.

Chicago is still in rebuild mode after trading franchise legends Baez, Anthony Rizzo and Kris Bryant last season. It would surely need prospects back in any swap to further accelerate that rebuild, so any unwillingness to engage on that front from New York could be a deal-breaker.

Contreras would be a notable addition as a three-time All-Star who brings power on offense and a strong arm behind the plate on defense.

He is slashing .258/.373/.470 with 14 home runs and 37 RBI this season and is a playoff-tested performer who is accustomed to playing in the spotlight of a major market. All of that plays for a New York team that is in championship-or-bust mode.

Robertson is also used to playing in New York, considering he was a member of the Yankees from 2008 through 2014 and again in 2017 and 2018. The 2009 World Series champion and 2011 All-Star has a sparkling 1.83 ERA, 0.99 WHIP and 50 strikeouts in 39.1 innings this season.

The right-hander could help shorten games near the back end of the Mets bullpen come playoff time if a trade is completed.

Yet it seems as if there are still some obstacles to overcome to make that happen.

New York Mets pitcher Max Scherzer thought PitchCom technology made things too easy.

The veteran used the system for the first time Wednesday night against the New York Yankees, finishing with seven shutout innings in the Mets' 3-2 win.

"It works. Does it help? Yes. But I also think it should be illegal," Scherzer said of the new technology, per Justin Tasch of the New York Post. "I don’t think it should be in the game."

PitchCom allows a catcher to call pitches through an electronic relay rather than signing behind the plate. The catcher presses a button and pitchers, plus select fielders, receive the info through a speaker.

The technology was created to help prevent sign-stealing and was legalized in the major leagues at the start of the 2022 season.

The system is voluntary for pitchers, although some Mets have been using it since Spring Training.

Scherzer had avoided it until Wednesday, his 13th start of the season, when catcher Tomas Nido encouraged him to try. Though it helped him personally, he believes it hurts the game overall:

For me, I've always taken pride in having a complex system of signs and having that advantage over other pitchers. The fact that we're taking this out of the game and we're just putting in technology, now everybody — you can't steal signs on second, the pitcher can't have an advantage of having a complex system. It's part of baseball trying to crack someone's signs. Does it have its desired intent that it cleans up the game a little bit? Yes, but I also feel like it takes away part of the game.

The 38-year-old doesn't need the new technology to be successful. After the latest start, he has a 2.09 ERA and .902 WHIP with 104 strikeouts in 82 innings this year.

Scherzer is clearly headed to the Hall of Fame after his career ends with a resume that includes eight All-Star selections, three Cy Young awards and a World Series title.

Even if PitchCom does help him on the mound, the removal of sign systems takes away one of his advantages overall.

Seeking to solidify their bullpen for the stretch run, the New York Mets could be a landing spot for Chicago Cubs closer David Robertson.

Per Robert Murray of FanSided.com, the Mets "love" Robertson as they look at trade options prior to the Aug. 2 deadline.

The main focus for the Mets leading up to the trade deadline could be on Washington Nationals superstar Juan Soto.

Jon Heyman and Joel Sherman of the New York Post listed the Mets as one of seven potential landing spots for Soto if the Nationals move him:

"The Mets’ top prospect is catcher Francisco Alvarez, which is one position the Nats don’t really need after obtaining (Keibert) Ruiz last year. The bigger issue is that they reside in the NL East, and it’s hard to imagine Washington wants to face Soto so often the next 2 ½ years —or likely way more than that since the Mets can obviously afford to extend him considering Steve Cohen’s largesse."

Any deal for Robertson almost certainly wouldn't preclude the Mets from making a play for Soto.

In fact, Robertson could be one of the best bargains available before the trade deadline because it doesn't figure to cost much to get him.

The Cubs are almost certainly open for business, with Willson Contreras and Ian Happ getting emotional during Tuesday's game against the Pittsburgh Pirates in what was likely their final game for the team at Wrigley Field. (Chicago begins a seven-game road trip on Thursday that ends after the Aug. 2 trade deadline.)

Robertson is only making $3.5 million this season after signing a one-year deal with the Cubs in March. The 37-year-old has been fantastic with a 1.83 ERA and 50 strikeouts in 39.1 innings.

The Mets have Edwin Diaz (1.55 ERA, 81 strikeouts in 40.2 innings) as their closer. Robertson would give manager Buck Showalter another high-leverage reliever to use in the regular season and playoffs if the Mets can work out a deal with the Cubs for the veteran right-hander.

It's always a big deal whenever the New York Yankees and New York Mets meet for the Subway Series. And with both clubs in first place in their respective divisions, even more so for the latest iteration that got underway Tuesday.

Now, just imagine how much of a bigger deal the next Subway Series (Aug. 22-23) will be if the Yankees and Mets use Major League Baseball's Aug. 2 trade deadline to try to steer themselves back toward the dominant tracks they had been on earlier in 2022.

The Yankees seemed unstoppable when they got off to a 49-16 start that had them on pace for a 120-win season. Since June 19, however, they've returned to earth with a 17-16 stretch. They still lead the American League East, but their advantage over the Houston Astros for the AL's top record has dwindled to just two games.

The Mets, meanwhile, are 25-20 since peaking at 35-17 on June 1. They're now clinging to first place in the National League East, where Atlanta is just two games off the pace.

Some good news for both clubs is that neither has seen its World Series odds take a dive. On the contrary, FanGraphs gives the Mets a 14.5 percent chance and the Yankees a 13.1 percent chance of winning it all. For the Yankees, such an outcome would mean their first championship since 2009. For the Mets, since 1986.

But since both the Yankees and Mets must first focus on making upgrades on the trade market, here's a look at what each team needs and the ideal fits for those needs.

---

3 Trade Needs for the Yankees

1. Relief Pitcher

You'd never know it from looking at the 2.94 ERA that they've gotten out of their relievers, but the Yankees do indeed need help in the bullpen.

Chalk it up to poor seasons by Aroldis Chapman and Jonathan Loaisiga, and even more so to injuries. Left-hander Zack Britton and right-hander Chad Green are both recovering from Tommy John surgery, and now the bridge to All-Star closer Clay Holmes is even more unstable after breakout righty Michael King fractured his elbow last Friday.

"We'll continue to assess the roster, but King is a really important member of our bullpen," general manager Brian Cashman told reporters. "Ultimately, I've got from now until Aug. 2."

Ideal Target: David Robertson, Chicago Cubs

After making all of 19 appearances between 2019 and 2021, the former Yankee has found new life with a 1.83 ERA and 14 saves through 35 appearances this season. Not bad for a 37-year-old, and he's only making $3.5 million on a one-year deal.

---

2. Outfielder

The Yankees rank third in the majors with the 7.2 rWAR that they've gotten out of their outfielders. But 5.1 of that belongs to Aaron Judge, who's otherwise chasing Roger Maris' 61 home runs from 1961 with 38 bombs through 95 games.

Meanwhile, fellow slugger Giancarlo Stanton (Achilles tendinitis) is now on the injured list, and Joey Gallo remains in a deep, deep slump. The Yankees thus need an outfielder even more than they did on July 1, when Jon Heyman of the New York Post reported the team was scanning the market for reinforcements.

Ideal Target: Juan Soto, Washington Nationals

What, you thought we were going to say Andrew Benintendi? No way. Even setting aside that his vaccination status makes him ineligible for games in Canada, Benintendi's merits simply don't include a .426 OBP or 118 home runs before his 24th birthday.

---

3. Starting Pitcher

Gerrit Cole is on the periphery of the AL Cy Young Award race, and New York's rotation has broadly been just fine to the tune of a 3.31 ERA.

Less broadly, Luis Severino is on the shelf with a strained lat, and Jameson Taillon and Jordan Montgomery have a 5.85 ERA dating back to June 19. It's not quite an emergency situation, perhaps, but it's nothing if not a good excuse to upgrade.

Ideal Target: Luis Castillo, Cincinnati Reds

Trade rumors connecting the Yankees to Castillo have been a seemingly daily feature over the last couple of years. So it goes once again this season, wherein the two-time All-Star has been excellent as he's pitched to a 2.77 ERA over 78 innings.

---

3 Trade Needs for the Mets

1. Catcher

The Mets signed James McCann during the winter of 2020-21 in hopes that he would be their stalwart behind the plate, but he had a down year in '21 and hasn't been able to stay off the IL in 2022. The Mets have felt the effects, as their minus-0.5 rWAR out of the catching position ranks dead last among NL clubs.

There will hopefully come a day when Francisco Alvarez, MLB.com's No. 1 prospect, will be the Mets' franchise catcher. But given that he's just 20 years old and only a recent arrival to Triple-A Syracuse, that day likely won't come in 2022.

Ideal Target: Willson Contreras, Chicago Cubs

This is something the Mets have already determined for themselves, as Pat Ragazzo of SI.com reports they're in on both Contreras and Robertson:

Sources: Mets and Cubs have been discussing a potential trade package that would send Willson Contreras and David Robertson to NY for multiple prospects (Not named Alvarez or Baty)

Talks are ongoing, packages still being discussed as of late last weekendhttps://t.co/Ef247mvW4M

— Pat Ragazzo (@ragazzoreport) July 26, 2022

Per ESPN's Jeff Passan, there is some concern about Contreras "meshing with a new pitching staff on the fly" following a trade. But in light of how little their catchers have produced, the Mets have a better excuse than most to not worry about that.

---

2. Slugger

Is this too vague? Perhaps, but we think it accurately describes the other big need in the Mets lineup. Of its 95 home runs for the season, 25 belong to Pete Alonso.

The Mets did take a step toward solving their power needs when they acquired the left-handed-hitting Daniel Vogelbach from the Pittsburgh Pirates last Friday. As 55 of his 61 career homers have come against righties, he's a good platoon option at designated hitter.

Ideal Target: J.D. Martinez, Boston Red Sox

Though the Mets could potentially fill their need for a right-handed component of said platoon with a Trey Mancini or a Nelson Cruz, neither boasts Martinez's .299/.367/.477 slash line. He's also especially dangerous (1.051 OPS) against southpaws, so it's no great surprise that the Mets have him on their radar.

---

3. Relief Pitcher

The Mets have a hole in their rotation right now, but they're due to fill that in-house once some guy named Jacob deGrom (shoulder) is ready to go. That should be shortly after the trade deadline.

Though the Mets also stand to get Trevor May (stress reaction in arm) back soon, they should be less willing to let it roll with the relievers they already have. Veteran closer Edwin Diaz has been scintillating all season, yet the bridge to him lacks a true shutdown setup man.

Ideal Target: David Robertson, Chicago Cubs

Once again, the Mets already have this figured out. One catch is that Robertson has mostly worked in the ninth inning this season, but one assumes he would be fine in the eighth. If he could set up for Mariano Rivera, then he can probably do the same for Diaz.

---

The Yankees' and Mets' Top Trade Chips

In Gallo and Miguel Andujar, the Yankees have two intriguing change-of-scenery candidates among their wares.

Yet neither player is much more than a throw-in in any potential trade, so now's a good time to get acquainted with the Tier 1 prospects in the Yankees' farm system:

1. SS Anthony Volpe (21 years old): .807 OPS, 13 HR, 35 SB at AA
2. OF Jasson Dominguez (19): .828 OPS, 10 HR, 21 SB at A/A+
3. SS Oswald Peraza (22): .762 OPS, 12 HR, 23 SB at AAA
4. LHP Ken Waldichuk (24): 2.44 ERA, 106 K, 29 BB at AA/AAA
5. C Austin Wells (23): .897 OPS, 9 HR, 9 SB at A/A+/AA

One of those two shortstops—more likely Peraza—could be expendable in a blockbuster, though the single loudest tool here might be Dominguez's power:

JASSON DOMINGUEZ 😱😱😱

Yankees got a good one coming through the @MLBPipeline pic.twitter.com/ZL18mowxZY

— B/R Walk-Off (@BRWalkoff) July 17, 2022

The Mets also have an appealing change-of-scenery candidate in Dominic Smith. They're otherwise short on expendable major leaguers, so here's their list of Tier 1 prospects:

1. C Francisco Alvarez (20 years old): .885 OPS, 19 HR, 0 SB at AA/AAA
2. 3B Brett Baty (22): .878 OPS, 13 HR, 1 SB at AA
3. C Kevin Parada (20): No. 11 pick in 2022 draft
4. OF Alex Ramirez (19): .813 OPS, 8 HR, 19 SB at A/A+

One caveat here is that Alvarez may be so valuable as to be untouchable, with another being that the Mets can't yet trade Parada. The "Trea Turner rule," as it's known, requires teams to hold on to their most recent draft picks until after the World Series.

As such, Baty may be the club's top trade chip. He is indeed a good one, though, as he's seen as having plus tools in both the hit and power categories.

---

Which Team Has the Better Shot at Juan Soto?

It would be more reasonable to dedicate a section to whether the Yankees or Mets have the better shot at Robertson. Reasonable, sure...but not particularly fun.

Not as fun as the Soto question, anyway. Heyman quickly tabbed the Yankees and Mets as fits for the wunderkind slugger as soon as he hit the market, and now we know what he's going to cost courtesy of Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic:

What's the Nationals asking price for Juan Soto? @Ken_Rosenthal reports that it will take 4 to 5 top young players (combo of prospects and major leaguers with low service time) to potentially land the superstar pic.twitter.com/fefj20gO7P

— FOX Sports: MLB (@MLBONFOX) July 23, 2022

Quantity-wise, the Yankees have the edge in desirable prospects and could potentially sweeten the deal for the Nationals by including Gleyber Torres. Because of Alvarez, however, one could make the case that the Mets have an edge quality-wise.

But even if such things make the Yankees and Mets roughly equal fits for Soto on paper, "the field" might be the best bet for his eventual landing spot.

Another report from Heyman on July 21 stated that neither club would give in if the Nationals insisted on getting all three of its top prospects. And because they share the NL East with the Nationals, the Mets would face a whole 'nother kind of hurdle in trying to pry Soto loose.

---

Predicting One Trade for the Yankees

The Deal: New York Yankees get LF Andrew Benintendi and RHP Scott Barlow; Kansas City Royals get LHP Ken Waldichuk

Mark Feinsand of MLB.com reported that the Yankees are indeed interested in Benintendi:

The Yankees have emerged as “serious contenders” for Royals LF Andrew Benintendi, per source.

— Mark Feinsand (@Feinsand) July 23, 2022

He's not as exciting as Soto, but Benintendi is a sensible target for the Yankees. They frankly need an OBP-tuned hitter among all their SLG monsters. And while his vaccination status could be an issue come October, for now the Yankees only have three more regular-season games north of the border against the Toronto Blue Jays.

As for Barlow, he's a reliever with a 1.93 ERA and club control through 2024. What's more, he likely hasn't achieved his full potential as a strikeout artist.

---

Predicting One Trade for the Mets

The Deal: New York Mets get 1B C.J. Cron and RHP Daniel Bard; Colorado Rockies get 3B/1B Mark Vientos and RHP Mike Vasil

It would be too easy to simply assume that the proposed Contreras/Robertson deal will get done, so we're zigging with a hypothetical trade with the Colorado Rockies instead.

The Mets do like the right-handed-hitting Cron, according to Andy Martino of SNY. And while Bard isn't quite as appealing as Robertson, he does have a similar profile as a 37-year-old veteran with closer-caliber stuff.

---

Stats courtesy of Baseball Reference, FanGraphs and Baseball Savant.