Justin Verlander has reportedly been traded, something Evan did not want to see happen before the trade deadline.
But that is the reality, and when reacting live on air to the breaking news of the trade, Evan couldn’t help but be concerned about the 2024 Mets.
“Now you’re talking about a rotation that has Kodai Senga, Jose Quintana, and nothing else,” Evan said. “You have to go after multiple starting pitchers this offseason, and if Steve Cohen is still committed to spending that kind of insane money, that’s great, but you’re kind of starting from scratch.
“This is a franchise, and we have been sold this, that Steve Cohen is gonna try to rebuild the farm system and use his financial might to do so…the farm system is being rebuilt, that is great and exciting, but he has also promised us that they’re gonna try to win every single year. Right now, when I eye next season, they’ve got a lot of work to do. It’s going to take a lot more financial commitment to make that happen.”
Evan had hoped the Mets would get Astros top prospect Drew Gilbert in return, which they indeed did, per reports. Still, parting with two aces in the span of days is tough to deal with.
“The whole thing sucks,” Evan said. “I’m sorry. Drew Gilbert is gonna be a fan favorite, I’ll probably be wearing his jersey in five years…but this whole situation sucks.”
Even after learning that the Mets also got Houston’s fourth-ranked prospect Ryan Clifford, Evan couldn’t help but feel “mixed” at best, though New York’s farm system has undergone a much-needed renovation in recent days.
“They have received no young pitching back in any of these trades,” Evan said. “They have received no pitching prospects back after trading two Hall of Famers in Justin Verlander and Max Scherzer. They are putting themselves in a position to do one of two things: One, they lied to us, and are punting on next season. Billy Eppler said ‘We’re not rebuilding, we’re repurposing.’”
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