The Mets entered the new week as the only team in the league with 20 wins, and are just one game off the pace for the best record in all of baseball. Their rotation has been superb, with Max Scherzer, Chris Bassitt, and Tylor Megill leading the charge to help the team thrive without Jacob deGrom.
If there is one area the team could use a boost, it's in the bullpen department behind closer Edwin Diaz. Trevor May is sidelined for at least a month, while Adam Ottavino and Joely Rodriguez have each struggled in middle relief.
Boomer believes he has a solution that includes Steve Cohen taking on more salary, which he clearly has no problem doing, to take expensive relievers off the payrolls of teams that are going nowhere this season.
"You look at the low-hanging fruit…the Pirates, the Guardians, teams like that, the Royals, and just see if you can find anybody off of those staffs that can fill a role," Boomer said during Monday's show. "They need to save money. You have to look at their rosters, but you take a look at the amount of money somebody is making on those teams, look at those relievers and see who the highest-paid players are in that regard."
In regards to those three teams, there aren't too many options that would make sense by the trade deadline. The Pirates have two relievers in the top four of their payroll in terms of base salary this season, per Spotrac, but neither have been particularly impressive. Former Met Heath Hembree has allowed 11 hits in 10 innings of work, while righty Chris Stratton has allowed 16 hits in 11.1 innings this season.
The Guardians do have an intriguing reliever in veteran Bryan Shaw, who is making $3 million this season, sixth most on the team. Shaw has allowed just two runs over 10 innings this season, and while he isn't a high-strikeout pitcher, the righty has put together an impressive 12-year career, and is a free agent after this season.
The Royals have two quality arms in their bullpen that are in the top 10 in their payroll, but righty Scott Barlow, who was fantastic last season and now holds a 1.46 ERA this season, isn't a free agent until 2025 and is arbitration eligible in 2023. It doesn't seem like Kansas City would be motivated to move him. Amir Garrett is making over $2 million this season, but he was just acquired over the offseason in a trade with the tanking Reds, and isn't a free agent until after next season.
So, options from those teams appear limited right now, but, as Boomer said, Cohen will likely be on the hunt to take payroll off of teams' hands to address his team's biggest need this summer.
"Those are the players I would think the Mets are targeting, because you know the other teams would want to get rid of those guys," Boomer said.
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