If the Cardinals are able to promote on Nolan Arenado, the Mets needs to be prepared to purchase

The Mets had been pondering large final winter once they pursued a perennial All-Star and deliberate to maneuver him to 3rd base.

So why not now think about the gold normal on the place?

Nolan Arenado advised reporters on the All-Star sport this week (including our own Jon Heyman) that he wouldn’t be shocked if the Cardinals traded him earlier than the Aug. 1 deadline. The Cardinals have been each bit the frustration the Mets have been this season and may very well be in the rare position of turning into sellers this year.

The Mets want to think about this.

Arenado, a 10-time Gold Glove winner, is 32 years previous, and although he’s having an uncharacteristically underwhelming season at third base, according to his Statcast numbers, doubtlessly would give the Mets the sport’s strongest left aspect of the infield, alongside Francisco Lindor at shortstop.

On offense, Arenado owns a .283/.332/.518 slash line with 19 homers and 62 RBIs.

Including him to a lineup that features Lindor, Pete Alonso and Francisco Alvarez possible can be transformational for the Mets.

Everyone knows the cash wouldn’t be a difficulty for the Mets, who were prepared to give Carlos Correa a 12-year deal worth $315 million final offseason earlier than issues about his ankle scuttled the deal.

Arenado is halfway by way of what finally grew to become a nine-year deal price $275 million working by way of 2027. A group that traded for Arenado would obtain 4 ½ years of management on his contract.

Such a mid-range deal, even on the again finish, could be the optimum scenario for the Mets. This wouldn’t be Manny Machado for the subsequent decade and even Lindor for the subsequent 8 ½ years. If concern grows about Arenado’s protection, he might simply develop into a full-time DH close to the top of his deal.

The query turns into whether or not the Mets can be prepared to half with the prospects wanted for such a commerce.

A significant league expertise evaluator we spoke with this week instructed it would take 20-plus years of membership management — which means at the very least 4 younger gamers — for the Mets to land Arenado.

Alvarez wouldn’t be a consideration, however at the very least two from a bunch that features catcher Kevin Parada, outfielder Alex Ramirez and pitchers Mike Vasil and Blade Tidwell could be crucial, along with Brett Baty.

If the Mets saved Baty, who grew to become their beginning third baseman in April, he might shift to a nook outfield position with Arenado onboard.

Steve Cohen has spoken so brazenly in regards to the Mets’ need to develop the farm system that any commerce proposal involving a high prospect, by no means thoughts two or three, will possible be a troublesome promote for the entrance workplace.

However this additionally isn’t a one-year rental we’re speaking about or your normal All-Star.

Arenado would increase the Mets’ playoff probabilities this season — in the event that they nonetheless realistically exist when Aug. 1 arrives — and provides Cohen the bat he craved final winter when he pursued Correa.

Correa’s .700 OPS on the All-Star break with the Twins suggests the Mets still would be without that bat had the deal materialized. However credit score is because of Correa for shifting from shortstop to 3rd base and enjoying his new place at a excessive stage.

The Cardinals nonetheless should be prepared to commerce Arenado and the Mets to take the chance of surrendering high-level prospects.

It labored out properly for the Mets the final time the Cardinals traded a perennial Gold Glove nook infielder to Queens. That would be Keith Hernandez, who owns a World Collection ring with every group, and is enshrined in each groups’ Corridor of Fame.

Arenado’s addition would doubtlessly be of that magnitude for the Mets.

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Might historical past repeat itself?

In a column I wrote for Friday’s Post to preview the second half, I discussed the 2019 Mets as probably the newest reminder {that a} run on the postseason nonetheless can materialize for this present group.

The ‘19 group was 10 video games underneath .500 on the All-Star break, however used a 27-10 burst to leap firmly into the wild-card race and competed into the ultimate week of the common season.

Alonso, Jeff McNeil, Brandon Nimmo and Luis Guillorme are the remaining gamers on the energetic roster from that group.

Two issues stand out from the commerce deadline that season: Brodie Van Wagenen orchestrated a cope with the Blue Jays for Marcus Stroman that introduced one other confirmed arm into the rotation and determined to maintain Zack Wheeler, who was headed to free company after the season.

Stroman’s acquisition may need been Van Wagenen’s shrewdest transfer in his two seasons as the final supervisor. The Mets dealt minor-league pitchers Anthony Kay and Simeon Woods Richardson to achieve 2 ½ seasons of management on Stroman, who emerged as a staple within the rotation.

However the resolution to maintain Wheeler backfired because the Mets missed the playoffs and the right-hander signed with the Phillies within the offseason. The Mets used the compensatory draft choose they obtained for Wheeler’s departure to pick out outfielder Isaiah Greene, who was a part of the bundle to Cleveland that introduced Francisco Lindor and Carlos Carrasco to Queens.

A quick begin to the second half might have the Mets pondering when it comes to their ’19 run. That membership would have certified for the postseason with 86 victories if the third wild card existed.

The gamble on conserving gamers akin to Tommy Pham and David Robertson on the commerce deadline isn’t as large because the one Van Wagenen took in retaining Wheeler.

Report card confidential

A few of the most troublesome choices I confronted in assigning midseason grades was on gamers bordering between a D and F grade. Amongst those that fell into the class had been McNeil, David Peterson, Daniel Vogelbach and Starling Marte.

Solely Marte from that group finally obtained the F grade.

Peterson would have joined him, however the left-hander’s three stable begins since his recall from Triple-A Syracuse saved him.

McNeil’s offensive numbers are disappointing, however I felt there’s been sufficient from him defensively to warrant the advantage of the doubt.

Vogelbach was saved by his play over the primary six weeks of the season, by which his OPS was .812.

Most of the complaints I obtained in regards to the grades centered on Justin Verlander and Max Scherzer, who obtained C+ and C, respectively. There have been requires each to obtain F’s, however let’s be actual: As disappointing as each had been within the first half, there can be locations for them in most, if not all, rotations in MLB. Each had stretches — simply not sufficient of them — throughout which they resembled aces.

Just a few takeaways on the ’24 schedule

Essentially the most obvious side of the Mets’ 2024 schedule, which was released Thursday, is a doubtlessly hellacious August.

In that month, spilling over to Sept. 1, the Mets have two journeys that contain stops on the West Coast and final at the very least 9 video games. That’s Angels-Rockies-Mariners earlier than Padres-Diamondbacks-White Sox.

The Mets will likely be residence for simply 9 video games in August.

There’s additionally the Mets’ first journey, in June, to the Rangers’ comparatively new Globe Life Discipline (which opened in 2020).

As beforehand identified, the Mets will play the Phillies in London on June 8 and 9 with a two-day journey cushion forward of the collection.

The Mets open on March 28 at Citi Discipline towards the Brewers. The 2 groups additionally shut the common season on Sept. 29 in Milwaukee.

I don’t love the concept of closing towards a non-division foe, however on this period with the third wild card, Mets-Brewers in all probability has the potential to be simply as intriguing as Mets-Phillies.