Could the New York Mets land impact arms like Nathan Eovaldi or David Robertson weeks after the MLB trade deadline? A team insider recently outlined a realistic path and the advantages the team has in making those major August moves.
Entering the MLB games today, the Mets are in the midst of a slump. After evolving into one of the better teams in the league before the July 31 trade deadline, the team has struggled the last couple of weeks. After sitting in an advantageous spot in the Wild Card race to start the month, a surprising four-game losing skid has dropped them out of the available positions.
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For much of the season, the team’s bargain rate starting staff has been a rock-solid strength while the batting order was inconsistent. However, during their recent struggles, some cracks have shown. It is cause for concern after the club worked so hard to dig its way out of its early hole and get back into playoff contention.
However, there may be a post-deadline chance for New York to bolster the rotation and get some much-needed help for the bullpen. On Tuesday, SNY MLB insider Andy Martino claimed a league executive believed the Mets were well positioned to make moves in August, and that would come via the waiver wire.
New York Mets record: 61-58
This week, The Athletic MLB insider Ken Rosenthal reported that the Texas Rangers could look to save money in the second half and place pitchers Nathan Eovaldi, Andrew Heaney, David Robertson, Kirby Yates, and Jose Leclerc on waivers. Martino has detailed why the New York Mets have an advantage in landing some of those arms.
New York Mets have a major advantage in making big August waiver additions
“The Mets front office has already thought about the fact that it holds two advantages in adding talent this way: Their win/loss record, and their financial muscle. Waiver claims are awarded in reverse order of teams’ records. At the moment, the Mets would have the first crack at players relative to Wild Card competitors Atlanta, San Diego, and Arizona. The Giants and Cardinals are ‘ahead’ of the Mets for this dubious honor.
Of course, that order is highly volatile and could change by the day. But the larger point is that if the Mets continue to play essentially as they have been, they could easily be lined up to pounce if teams fall out of the race and try to use the waiver process to save money.”
-Andy Martino, SNY
Martino adds the team is always willing to spend on fringe moves. Doing so before the August 31 waiver deadline would not be a surprise to make a hard push for a surprise playoff birth. Eovaldi has had another solid season and earned All-Star honors for the World Series-winning Rangers in 2023. Robertson pitched for New York last year and has been good for Texas this season.