The NY Mets are scuffling and at the trade deadline Ben Zobrist could be an option for Sandy Alderson, as the offense needs a boost and it likely will not come from a Michael Conforto call-up and this comes as Matt Harvey has expressed his dislike for the 6-man rotation that is being used by Terry Collins heading into the All-Star break.
The Mets offense has been almost non-existent over the last month and the team is just 14-27 on the road this season and that puts them in second place in the NL East. While that is a good spot for the team after years of missing the playoffs, the Mets opened up the season strong and had a fairly big lead on the Nationals in the division standings. Now the team is facing the prospect of another year without the playoffs and that has put pressure on the front office to make a move.
David Wright has been injured and both Michael Cuddyer and Curtis Granderson have been disappointing overall and that could push to the Mets to go get a bat. According to Joel Sherman of the New York Post, the Mets are willing to "overpay" in a deal for Ben Zobrist with the Oakland Athletics and another name on the market includes Chris Johnson, who could help at third base. Zobrist is a fit since he can play multiple positions and the Mets really need an offensive upgrade in the infield.
Zobrist is 34 years old and has $7.5 million on his contract, but he will be a free agent at the end of the year, so the financial commitment is not too bad. The Athletics don't often make moves unless they get solid prospects back and that is what it may take for the Mets to pull off the deal if they want Zobrist. This season Zobrist is hitting .267 with five home runs and 31 RBI in 52 games played after dealing with some injuries earlier in the year.
Some in the media like Joel Sherman and Ken Rosenthal have suggested calling up prospect Michael Conforto to see if he can make an impact, but the Mets reportedly are not considering that option. According to Newsday's Marc Carig, the team has "considered" the move with Conforto from Double-A Binghamton to the majors, but "decided against" it. Conforto is 22 and comes in after playing baseball in college before getting drafted as the first round selection in 2014.
While that would be a quick promotion, it likely wouldn't hurt an experienced hitter like Conforto to get some time in the majors. The Mets have a low-risk option, as he could hit and stick around, or he could struggle and get sent down without any major consequences. The team could be worried about bringing up Conforto too soon and stunting his development.
Matt Harvey has expressed his dislike for the 6-man rotation currently being used by the Mets, but his manager doesn't think it's an issue. According to the Daily News, Terry Collins said that Harvey has to "get over it" when it comes to the 6-man rotation. The Mets are using it to help manage the innings of Harvey as well as young starters like Noah Syndergaard and Steven Matz.
Check here for more on the Mets interest in Zobrist, the 6-man rotation and for more on Conforto.