Some deals that would help fix Mets, White Sox, Cubs and Dodgers
It would seem as though the Mets and White Sox need to do something.
While both teams can make a case for still being in consideration for the postseason, the White Sox and Mets undoubtedly need some sort of tweaking going forward. That's where a trade might come in. Specifically, a deal involving some names both fan bases will have a hard to separating from.
On the 'Baseball Isn't Boring' podcast, Pat Brown and Nat 'Gordo' Gordon exercised their fake trade muscles to offer a few deals that might satisfy teams in need of a shake-up.
The White Sox, Mets blockbuster
Of particular note was the deal proposed by Brown involving the Mets and White Sox. Who says no?
METS GET: OF Luis Robert Jr. and INF Tim Anderson.
WHITE SOX GET: INF Brett Baty, INF Mark Vientos, C Kevin Parada.
Why it helps the Mets: Robert Jr. can be the kind of cornerstone player New York is craving, one who already has established himself as a upper-echelon big leaguer. He is on the way to his best season yet, having already hit 15 home runs to go along with an OPS of .843. Anderson might have to learn a new position (third base), and is in the midst of a down season (.611 OPS), but seems like the ultimate change-of-scenery guy who might thrive under the bright lights of a new big market.
Contract status: Robert Jr. is under team control through 2027, having inked a six-year, $50 million deal that bought out all three of his arbitration years - the first of which would have been this season. Instead he is getting paid $9.3 million in 2023, $12.5 million in 2024, and $15 million in 2025. There are then club options for 2026 and 2027 at $20 million a season. Anderson has one more club option for 2024, which would pay him $14 million if exercised.
Why it helps the White Sox: As talented as the roster is, it needs a refresh, which is exactly what the players coming back. Baty, the 12th overall pick in the 2019 MLB Draft, is considered a future All-Star, as is Vientos, who got his recent promotion after totaling a 1.104 OPS and 13 home runs in 38 games at Triple-A. And then there is Parada, who plays a position (catcher) that is blocked in New York by Francisco Alvarez and sits as the Mets' No. 1 prospect. Also, White Sox backstop Yasmani Grandal is a free agent after this season.
Contract status: All three players would have six years of control before becoming free agent eligible.