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00:00This is Straight Outta Flushing, brought to you by your local Ford stores.
00:04Ford F-150 is the official truck of the New York Mets.
00:08Welcome back to another edition of Straight Outta Flushing.
00:11Dexter Henry here alongside my guy Tyler Ward, and we're joined this week by a special guest
00:16because we are one week away from the Major League Baseball trade deadline,
00:20so I had to bring in my guy.
00:21He is the great baseball columnist for us here at the New York Post,
00:24the one and only John Heyman.
00:26John, how are you doing, sir?
00:27Good. How are you guys doing?
00:29Doing good, man.
00:30Doing good. It's busy times for you.
00:32I know this is in your hand all the time, the phone.
00:35People can't see it. I don't have the phone in my hand.
00:37The phone is in your hand all the time.
00:38You're working the phones, John.
00:40The Mets, we expect them to be very active here at this trade deadline.
00:44I know you would expect that as well.
00:46You just wrote a column that I found pretty fascinating about your 10-point plan
00:52to help David Stearns rebuild or fix the Mets,
00:56fix everything that's wrong with the Mets that you wrote, John.
00:59I thought you had some interesting things in there.
01:01So my first question to you would be, if Stearns could follow just one,
01:07one of your recommendations, right, in his 10-point plan before the deadline,
01:12which one do you think would have the biggest impact on this Mets team?
01:17Well, biggest impact would probably be trade Alvarez.
01:19I'm not sure if Mets fans all would agree with that.
01:22I'm not sure they're going to make a deal for a starting catcher at this point,
01:26or at least trade a starting catcher.
01:28The price would probably be very high, and I'm not sure teams would meet it.
01:32But generally, among the more realistic ones, I would say, and I love Luke Weaver.
01:37We've had him on our podcast three times now.
01:39He's a fantastic guy.
01:40He's having a great year.
01:42But the Mets are out of it, and he should theoretically be worth twice as much to a contender.
01:48And relief pitching is, you know, unless you're Mariano Rivera or Mason Miller or, you know,
01:55it's up and down, right?
01:56So I would say on the realistic side, I would say trade Luke Weaver.
02:02A realistic side, trade Luke Weaver.
02:04But I want to get back to Alvarez in a second, but Warty, go ahead.
02:08Yeah, no, I agree on the Weaver front wholeheartedly.
02:12That's been one of those things where how many times are you going to get a reliever like that
02:15who has a value that he has?
02:17Is it ever going to be greater than this?
02:18And in my conclusion, I don't think it's going to be.
02:21I think as we look at the next season, there's also obviously a reality where maybe Weaver isn't performing to
02:26this caliber.
02:27How is he looking?
02:27How is the club looking?
02:28So I think given that uncertainty, you'll want to maximize on what you have and the value that's so pronounced
02:33right now
02:34and what is obviously a hefty market where the Mets are selling.
02:38Alvarez, Dex, I definitely want to know your thoughts on this as well, because when it comes to trading catchers,
02:43I definitely see both pros and cons.
02:45I feel like the Mets may have a slight more appetite to do with trends, even though they extended him.
02:51But I am really curious to see if the Mets are actually going to not only field offers,
02:55but actually have things intensify from now until the deadline on that front.
02:59So, John, I have to say this.
03:00When I looked at your 10-point plan, the Alvarez one I knew was the one that would be probably
03:05the most divisive
03:06among the fan base, as you noted there.
03:10Some may feel, and I feel this way, I still believe he can still have some upside there in him.
03:16But are you looking at this as, well, sell now because he'll have some upside?
03:20I still think he's had some upside.
03:22I would personally keep him.
03:23So I disagree with this part of your plan.
03:25I would keep him.
03:26But is your thought that because you think he'll have some upside, why you'd want to sell him now?
03:30I think he's got upside.
03:32I think he's very talented.
03:33He's certainly got power.
03:35He can hit.
03:36But I don't think he won the World Series with him.
03:38So, you know, to me, he's not consistent enough behind the plate.
03:43Maybe it's the contrast with Terence, who's a great defender and a great thrower that I'm seeing.
03:49Alvarez is a decent thrower, but he seems to lose concentration.
03:53I'd be worried about him as a championship catcher.
03:58And I think he has value.
04:01Now, that said, it's difficult to trade a catcher in the midseason
04:05because the teams don't love to break in a starting – and he is a starting catcher.
04:10He's a very talented guy in midseason.
04:13And, you know, have him know all the pitchers and all the signs and everything else.
04:19It's not so easy.
04:20So I don't think it's very realistic.
04:22I think they would set a very high price, and I'm not sure who would pay it at this point.
04:27I think Terence actually will have teams lining up, White Sox and others.
04:32I actually don't think that the Mets want to trade Terence because I think they're around the team like I
04:38am,
04:38and they love the guy.
04:39You know, the guy's a great defender.
04:42And they have him locked up for one more year, and I think they want to keep him.
04:47That said, I don't know if they're as anxious to trade Alvarez as I am,
04:51but I'm sure they're listening.
04:54They seem to be listening on everybody but Soto and the four kids.
05:00One more follow-up on that, the catching situation.
05:03Do you think the Mets could win with Terence as their starting catcher?
05:06Do you think he could be the catcher of the future?
05:08Yeah, if you have a lot of great hitting around him, it's possible.
05:12I have more faith in having Terence be the catcher.
05:15That said, he's been a lifelong backup catcher.
05:19He's a below-average hitter, and, you know,
05:23I think they probably would have to look for a new starting catcher
05:26if they did the trade that I'm asking, and that's probably what they would do.
05:31But, yeah, I feel more confident going into a Game 7 with Terence as the catcher than Alvarez.
05:37Gotcha.
05:38I mean, I'm giving my own opinion.
05:40Yeah, no, no, no, which is fine, and I love the column.
05:44John, you know this, right?
05:45There's a difference between selling and then tearing it all down,
05:49and the Mets are at this interesting point here.
05:51Where do you think David Stern should draw that line, right?
05:56Like, what do you look at it in terms of them changing the complexion of his team?
06:00What absolutely can and cannot happen over this next week as we approach the deadline?
06:05Yeah, I wouldn't rule out anything happening because of the way the team performed this year.
06:09Let them do anything they need to do to fix the team.
06:12Agreed.
06:13You know, it is pretty clear at this point that Soto's not going anywhere,
06:20and neither is Benj or Ewing or Scott or McClain.
06:23So, and I get that.
06:25I mean, I think it would be difficult to make exactly the right trade with trading those pieces
06:29and bringing others back.
06:30You've got to start with some baseline something, and that's pretty good.
06:35But, I mean, it could be worse than that, right?
06:37Soto's an all-time great, and these other four young players have big potential.
06:41I assume Lindor doesn't seem to be going anywhere here, whether that's his choice,
06:45their choice, or both.
06:47It doesn't seem like Lindor.
06:48And I think this year is a fluke.
06:51He had a couple injuries and hasn't been himself,
06:54and he'll come back and be better next year.
06:57And so, you know, I think that, you know, you've got then at least six pieces
07:04that are pretty good to start with, and that's something.
07:07That's more than some teams have, but they've got to do a lot of rebuilding too.
07:12Yeah, I would just say on top of this, six, I think, would be the absolute low for the Mets
07:18when it comes to selling at this year's deadline.
07:20I think you can make a heavy argument that anywhere from, like, nine to, you know,
07:2311 or 12 players, if they really are going to lock in on this,
07:27Somo can do that without it really hurting too much of their immediate future.
07:30You know, you look at the bullpen from guys like Brazaban to Weaver to Raleigh
07:35to pretty much everyone not named Devin Williams given his contract status
07:39to Jared Young, you know, the youngsters right now, you know, not so young anymore
07:43and Mark Vientos, Brett Beatty, Ronnie Mauricio to Clay Holmes and Freddie Peralta.
07:47At minimum, you know, you just do the math there.
07:49If the Mets part ways with these guys, as we expect, you know,
07:52they're going to be the clear, not only the biggest seller at the deadline,
07:55but the team that actually has the greatest potential to win at said deadline
07:59if they just really can maximize these returns.
08:01So I'm really, really interested to see how Stearns is going to play this out.
08:05Yeah, I mean, I think they'll sell a lot of pieces.
08:08You know, they just don't have a Mason Miller or Scooble to trade, right?
08:12So I'm not sure, you know, I think Weaver might get the most.
08:16But what is that?
08:18Going into the season, if you knew you were going to trade Peralta and Holmes,
08:21you would think you'd get a lot for them.
08:23But now Holmes is coming back from an injury.
08:24Peralta's got a 499 ERA.
08:26And right now a reliever who's not a closer, could be a closer for some teams.
08:31I think he would be for Pittsburgh and some others.
08:34Looks like their biggest piece to trade.
08:37And exactly what could you get for Beatty and Vientos?
08:40Most of that group at this point, I just don't see how they're going to remake the team.
08:46It still would be far short of a championship team
08:49and still need to do a lot of buying after this is done.
08:53Because, you know, none of these players is worth, you know, that much.
09:00We have to be fair about it.
09:02I'm not just doing this to tamp down expectations.
09:05I think it's realistic.
09:08Weaver is the most valuable guy that they have to trade.
09:10And he is a, I don't want to say a middle reliever.
09:13That's not fair.
09:13He's an excellent setup man.
09:16Yeah, I think that's what makes this market so interesting.
09:19And looking at it for the Mets, John.
09:21I just want to go back to something you said about Lindor.
09:24Because there's so much conversation around him, right?
09:26And whether it's time for the Mets to move on from him or not.
09:30I agree with you that this year has been a fluke for him.
09:32I agree with you on that.
09:33We've seen this man carry this team.
09:35We saw what he did in 2024.
09:36We saw all that.
09:38Do you still look at him, though, as a guy that should be part of the next winning Mets team?
09:44That we will see.
09:45And granted, we don't know when that's going to be.
09:46That could be next year.
09:47That could be in 2028.
09:48Do you think he should still be part of that?
09:51I think so.
09:52You know, I say that with some hesitation.
09:55But I think so.
09:57He's only 32 years old.
09:59I can't believe that he's diminishing to that point right now.
10:03The issue is, if you trade him out, who do you replace him with?
10:06Who's the starting shortstop?
10:09I mean, I guess, you know, you could consider moving Bichette over there and then looking for a third baseman,
10:16which might be a little easier.
10:17But the shortstops who are free agents after the year are Hassan Kim, Crawford from Seattle, and Jorge Mateo.
10:29I mean, none of those guys can replace Lindor.
10:33So it wouldn't be easy to replace him.
10:36I guess you could consider thinking about it.
10:38And they seem to want to do it.
10:40And they seem to like him better at third base.
10:42And I think he is better at third base.
10:44I guess you can move Bichette over and try for a third baseman.
10:47But, I mean, at this point, I just don't see that happening, whether it's Lindor's choice, their choice, or both
10:52choice.
10:55He's very unlikely to go anywhere.
10:57I just don't see it happening.
10:59Yeah, I don't see it either.
11:02Wardy and I have talked about this on the show.
11:04I understood exploring the market for him.
11:07But, you know, I guess it's worth kicking the tires.
11:10But I don't think you move him here.
11:12Could we talk about two pitchers you mentioned here?
11:15One, and Wardy and I have talked about this a lot in the last couple weeks.
11:18Freddie Peralta.
11:21You feel like he should have been one of the biggest trade chips for the Mets, right?
11:25But as you noted, he's not.
11:264.99 ERA, that's not really moving it.
11:29He's a guy who doesn't give you a lot of length in terms of innings, John.
11:32We know that.
11:35If you're David Stearns, what kind of return makes you comfortable moving a guy that you just traded for this
11:41past offseason?
11:42What is the real return that you can get for Freddie Peralta?
11:45Well, you've got to do the best you can do, whatever it is, because I don't see how they give
11:49him a qualifying offer at this point, right?
11:51I mean, you know, going into the season, he was – and it wasn't crazy looking for a seven-
11:56to eight-year deal.
11:58Okay, let's say he didn't get that maybe six-year deal was – seemed to be not way out of
12:04line.
12:04I mean, I think it was probably five years and probably the Suarez deal, five for 130, was probably in
12:11line.
12:12At this point, I'm not sure how you can give him the qualifying offer.
12:15And so maybe you could, but I would rather trade him than do that.
12:22So I don't think you can get much for a guy with a 4.99 ERA.
12:26Now, look, Peterson, they traded, and now he's great.
12:29He's with the Cubs.
12:30He's got a great defense.
12:31He's got three gold glovers behind him on the infield and another pretty good first – and a good first
12:36baseman instead of a bad defense.
12:38And he's almost transformed so far.
12:41We'll see.
12:41But, you know, maybe some teams are thinking that, well, maybe it's the Mets' fault that Peralta's been so bad.
12:48Maybe we can do better.
12:50He was certainly good last year.
12:52He was a top five or six Cy Young guy last year, and he's had an excellent career other than
12:58this year.
12:58So, you know, you've got to find the right team and then hope for the best.
13:03I mean, are they going to recover what they gave up?
13:05No.
13:06But then again, Sprott's got an ERA similar to Peralta's at this moment.
13:10Now he's got years to go, and Jet Williams is still in the minor league.
13:14So, you know, we don't know exactly what they gave up, but they would certainly reverse that trade if they
13:20could right now, and that's not happening.
13:23But it's an interesting balance for front offices to have to weigh because you want to look at track record
13:29with someone like Peralta because he's been, you know, a top ten pitcher in the National League each of the
13:33past three years when looking at availability, innings, and, you know, for the most part, at least giving you five
13:38strong, even though you ideally want six or seven, especially in today's game.
13:41But you also have to look at, again, his shortcomings this year, how much of that is because of either
13:46entering a new market, a bigger market than Milwaukee, night and day, obviously.
13:50You also add in the fact that the Mets have been pretty much turmoil since like the second half to
13:54third week end of the season.
13:55So there's never been any structure since he landed here either, which is also the trend with other newcomers and
14:01queens.
14:01So it's definitely something where I look at the Brewers, you know, as that's been talked about lately on that
14:06potential reunion.
14:07Could you potentially throw him back there if they have interest?
14:10And if you're the Mets, you obviously just hope to you're going to get a return greater than Peterson because
14:14with the Cubs, that was a top 15 prospect in the organization the Mets got in return.
14:18So for Peralta, you're obviously shooting higher than that because the value should not be the same on paper.
14:24But unfortunately, again, because of Freddie not being that guy so far in the first half this year, I think
14:29it is a fair question as to really what kind of value will he bring in?
14:33How desperate will teams be at this deadline for what is obviously a lot of clubs and huge need for
14:38starting pitching heading into what is hopefully going to be a big playoff race?
14:42Yeah, one thing to keep in mind is his salary is, I say only, but $8 million, which is a
14:49lot lower than you would expect with his track record.
14:52So he's only got, at this point, less than $3 million to go, and that's, you know, less than Peterson
14:59was.
15:00So, you know, you combine that with the idea that other teams might be able to, quote, unquote, fix him.
15:06Maybe you could get something decent for him.
15:09Could you get even Sprode?
15:11I mean, I don't think he's going back to Milwaukee.
15:13That would take, you know, a lack of ego on the part of him.
15:18And I wouldn't, if he was able to do this and has no ego, good for Stearns.
15:22But to send him back to Milwaukee and get, you know, one-third as much as you gave up or
15:27less would be difficult.
15:29I do think Milwaukee probably is one of the teams that likes him the best, right?
15:34So it would be interesting to see that happen.
15:37But they wouldn't be able to get one or the other or comparable guy.
15:42So they'll get less than half of what they gave up.
15:45Well, I mean, half the time has gone by, right?
15:48That's, even if he was pitching well, half the time has gone by with him.
15:51So you've only got a couple months to go.
15:53And now he's a guy who's got a .499 ERA rather than a guy who was fifth or sixth in
15:58Cy Young.
15:58So I think your expectations have to be very low for Peralta at this point.
16:03That's a disappointing part there.
16:05John, are you hearing any teams that, have you heard any teams that have been interesting in Peralta?
16:09Well, I think this is mostly speculation, but it's been kind of out there that the Cubs, you know, with
16:15a connection with council.
16:17But it could be almost any team.
16:20Not like relief pitching where every starting team is looking, every contending team is looking for a relief pitcher.
16:26That's not true on starting pitching, right?
16:28You guess Seattle's good on starting pitching.
16:31I think the Yankees are probably good on starting pitching.
16:34Boston must think they're good on starting pitching because they just traded away at starting pitching.
16:38There are a few teams that are really not in the market for starting pitcher, but that still isn't limited
16:44because you've still got 15 teams who are contending, at least, who are looking for starting pitching.
16:51So we also, we talked about Alvarez before, but Clay Holmes feels like the other interesting thing that we've talked
16:57about on the show with Mets fans.
17:00We've seen him reinvent himself as a starter.
17:02He's been a good signing for the Mets.
17:04He's one of David Stern's better signings, no doubt about that.
17:07But do you look at him, John, as somebody that you keep around for 2027?
17:10Or is he exactly the kind of asset where you're like, hey, look, let's cash in right now while his
17:15value is high?
17:16And I know he's coming off an injury, but he has pitched well.
17:19So do you think this is the time for the Mets to cash in on him or should they keep
17:23him for 2027 or extend him and beyond?
17:26Well, I think it's worth a try, but the likelihood of signing a guy who's about to be a free
17:30agent and we have to assume he is going to opt out.
17:34Right.
17:34Right.
17:35So he's about to be a free agent, I think, is not that likely.
17:39So, you know, I think realistically he's probably getting traded.
17:43You're right.
17:44He is one of the better signings.
17:45He was excellent for the team, particularly in the first half of this year before he was unfortunately hit by
17:51a line drive off the bat of Spencer Jones.
17:55You know, I think they should be able to get more for Holmes than for Peralta, just because even on
18:00spec.
18:01I mean, he's been in the minor leagues right now throwing rehab games.
18:04He hasn't gotten to the major leagues and I'm not I don't think he will before the trade deadline, but
18:09they should be able to get more for him.
18:11So, you know, I'd give it a shot.
18:16You might be able to give him the qualifying offer, too.
18:20I mean, for him, you know, let's say twenty to twenty three million for the qualifying offer.
18:26He performed to that standard.
18:29I'd probably give him the qualifying offer.
18:31So in trading him, you better beat a draft choice.
18:34But I think they probably would because he he did make that transition fabulously, as you mentioned, Dexter.
18:43Yeah, he no, he did.
18:45What I can't remember.
18:46Where are you on on Holmes?
18:47Did you want the team to?
18:49I did give him a shot to sign him, but I don't I'm not, you know, I'm not living in
18:53fantasy world here.
18:54I don't know how likely that is.
18:56So if you're not able to sign him, you go ahead and trade him rather than give him the qualifying
19:01offer.
19:01Yeah, you could give him the qualifying offer and maybe he'll accept it.
19:05But, you know, I think if you can't get a deal now, I would go ahead and trade him.
19:12Yeah, for me, I always want Clay to stay.
19:15And when we heard that column from Will Sam over the past couple of weeks that he's very open to
19:19a midseason extension, that was something that I was in favor for just because it's a tough thing to see
19:24starters come into this market of New York, flushing queens, especially under Steve Cohen and have the success that Clay
19:29has had.
19:30Especially transitioning back to a starter again.
19:33How many?
19:33Very few.
19:34To me, who get signed when they're two months from free agency.
19:38Right.
19:39Yeah, no.
19:39How many guys can we name on that front?
19:42Not a lot.
19:43No, very, very few.
19:44And that's why the whole agency's done well for the players.
19:47So they don't usually like to give that up.
19:50And this might be his last time.
19:51This might be his last time to cash in on a multi-year deal.
19:54Right.
19:54So it shows you how much he has interest in actually wanting to be here, you know, and try to
19:58get this right.
19:59So I understand both sides of the coin, though.
20:01The Mets point of view is, again, they probably have hesitancy to do any type of extension with anyone with
20:06obviously the pending CBA.
20:07We're going to have the lockout more than likely.
20:09And that's going to be entire battle to see what payouts are going to look like after the 2027 season.
20:14So I'm sure that went in direct hand as to why the Mets were fairly reluctant to consider true extension
20:19talks with Peralta beyond what we knew heading into the season initially.
20:22So for Clay, it feels like one of those situations where it would have been great if circumstances were different.
20:27But you definitely have to maximize that trade value if the Mets are set in stone on knowing he's going
20:32to hit the free agent market.
20:33They're not committal.
20:34You know, if they bring him back through free agency, awesome.
20:37I could see him maybe getting a Shamanaya contract at best if everything goes right around three or $75 million
20:42total.
20:43But besides that, you know, the Mets probably know that there's an opportunity to add to this rotation for next
20:49year with the youngsters.
20:50And while Clay, I think, would be a great veteran presence to have there and they can really get a
20:54return that would be just absolutely a slam dunk.
20:57You have to do that.
20:58The deadline, it would be silly not to knowing that Clay is going to be hanging the market regardless.
21:03John, same thing for you with Clay.
21:05Have you heard any teams that are knocking the door, maybe talking to them, trying to talk to them?
21:09Well, we've seen the White Sox, but I mean, my assumption is that any team is looking for a starting
21:15pitcher would be interested.
21:17He was that good.
21:18I mean, he was pitching as a number one or two starter for the first couple months of the season
21:23before that unfortunate injury.
21:25So, yeah, I think you could get more for him than Peralta.
21:29So, I mean, I think that's the likelihood that they find a trade for him rather than, you know, actually
21:36lock him up.
21:37Because I really, you know, I'm doing this a long time.
21:40There aren't many players who are about to be free agents who re-sign with the team that they're on.
21:46And even if things are going well and, you know, it's nice that he likes it and he says nice
21:51things.
21:52But, you know, things are not going that well in Queens.
21:56They're not going that well, John?
21:57I thought they were beautiful.
21:59I thought it was beautiful in Flushing.
22:00There's no reason for him to be clamoring to stay.
22:02I'm sorry.
22:03I don't mean to hope not to offend anybody.
22:05But why take an under-market deal?
22:10Yeah.
22:11His agent is going to want him to get to the market and test the market, especially.
22:14I know we talk about the uncertainty of everything with baseball, as Wardy just mentioned, with the potential lockout that
22:21there could be.
22:21Yeah, he's going to want him to cash in.
22:23And it might be his last big chance to cash in here.
22:27What is Luke Weaver?
22:28We talked about him, too, right?
22:29You think he's the most – he's the guy that has the most value here, right, John?
22:33I think so, because he's got that extra year and he's been so great.
22:37I mean, I shouldn't diminish that.
22:39That's number one.
22:40He's been great.
22:41He's been great.
22:41You know, they didn't give up a run for, I don't know, six weeks or more, right?
22:46I don't know how many weeks was that?
22:47It was more than that, I think.
22:48I think it was almost eight.
22:50I think it was seven, almost eight weeks.
22:52Yeah.
22:52Yeah, I mean, he's been fantastic.
22:54And, you know, he's obviously proven in New York and good for him.
22:58It seems – the funny thing is that the Mets, all their best deals are guys who came from the
23:02Yankees.
23:03Every one of them.
23:04I mean, it's very –
23:05That just makes the Mets fan happy, John.
23:07That makes the Mets fans happy.
23:09Well, it's good that you can be happy.
23:11I like you have a very positive attitude, Dexter.
23:14But it is funny that Weaver, Holmes, Soto.
23:18Even Terrence.
23:20Got to start with him, too.
23:20Terrence, right?
23:21Severino.
23:22And I like Mendoza.
23:23Oh, man.
23:24Yeah, you're right.
23:24I mean, people won't – you know, obviously it didn't work out ultimately with Mendoza.
23:29But, I mean, it seems like, you know, the Yankees is the proving ground.
23:34They need someone to prove that they can be in New York before they sign him.
23:38You wrote about that in your 10-point plan.
23:40And I guess with that being said with Luke Weaver, do you think a contender, because of the way he's
23:47pitched, because of the actual year, do you think they might overpay in a way for Weaver?
23:53They better overpay.
23:54This is the Mets' chance to make some hay.
23:56You know, who's going to be a great reliever out there?
23:59To me, unless Mason Miller is traded, and I still think it's not that likely that Mason Miller is traded,
24:07he's the best reliever out there.
24:09Maybe more home from the Padres also.
24:11He's pretty good.
24:12But he's a rental, too, so Weaver has a little bit of an advantage with that contract.
24:17Good point.
24:19Yeah, maybe he's the best reliever who's going to get traded or certainly in the top two.
24:24So, yeah, there's got to be overpays.
24:26You've got 15 teams looking for relievers, and, I mean, he could close for Pittsburgh and some other contenders.
24:33So it should be an overpay, you know, whatever that means at this point.
24:39Right.
24:39It feels like the Mets have to cash in on him.
24:41Do you think there's any surprise candidates here that could be traded?
24:44Maybe somebody on this Mets roster we're not thinking about in terms of the—
24:48Well, Alvarez would be a surprise.
24:50Okay.
24:51Could Bichette be traded?
24:53I don't know.
24:54I mean, he's got a full-no trade, but I think he'd be more amenable to accepting a trade.
24:58And I'm just guessing on that than Lindor.
25:02You know, it wouldn't be easy, even though he's got cash in the $40 million bonus.
25:07The contract still doesn't look great, right?
25:09$42 million a year for the next two years.
25:11He's only going to make only $750,000 from here until the end of the year.
25:15So he's a bargain until the end of the year, but then he'll opt in, right?
25:20I don't know.
25:20I've seen reports at one point that he was going to opt out.
25:22Why would he opt out?
25:23He's got $42 million coming to him.
25:26He's the—what is he, the fifth highest paid player in baseball?
25:29I mean, is he the fifth best player in baseball?
25:32No.
25:32I mean, you know, but there's—you know, it's probably a better deal than Kyle Tucker would have been, right?
25:38Because he hasn't done any better.
25:39No.
25:40Bichette's actually been—I think he's been okay.
25:42He's been good at third, I think.
25:44You know, he's not Matt Chapman.
25:47He's probably not even Ryan McMahon, but it's—I think the transition he made was successful.
25:53But—and he's a better hitter than he's shown.
25:55He's a good hitter.
25:57Is it possible somebody would take him?
26:00Probably would take a paydown.
26:02I don't think the Mets are anxious to pay it down, but I think it probably would at this point.
26:08So, I think—one other thing I just want to go to before we wrap here, too.
26:13Ward and I have talked a lot about this.
26:15David Stearns' roster-building philosophy, right?
26:18And you and Joel, you know, you had Steve Cohen on the show, and he had a great interview with
26:24him.
26:24We talked about it here on this show.
26:26So, when you look at what Stearns has done last offseason to build this team, John, do you think that
26:33this season exposed any flaws in his philosophy, his team-building philosophy,
26:38and the way we've seen David Stearns try to shape this roster over the last couple of years?
26:43Well, you know, I would say to put more stock in reliability—I mean, looking at it, I have a few
26:50thoughts.
26:51More stock in reliability, more stock in trying to figure out who can perform in New York, and that's not
26:58easy.
26:59I mean, his job is not—he does not have an easy job.
27:01I mean, people can slam him all they want, but it is not an easy job to figure out who
27:06can play with the Mets.
27:06This has been going on for years, where they get free agents and players who are stars, and they come
27:11over to the Mets, and they're not quite as good.
27:13Even Beltran wasn't that great his first year with the Mets.
27:18It was one of his worst—may probably his worst year.
27:22Alomar, another Hall of Famer, wasn't at his best when he was with the Mets.
27:27So, it's not an easy job.
27:29It's been going on.
27:29This issue's been going on forever.
27:31But, yeah, reliability.
27:33I don't think they put enough stock in reliability.
27:36You know, they didn't even make Pete an offer beyond the fact—forget that he's a legend, a home-run hitter.
27:41He played every single day, and then they replaced him with—they brought in two guys who had a terrible injury
27:49history, you know.
27:50And, again, they got hurt.
27:52They treated Luis Robert Jr. with kid gloves in spring training.
27:57He started on the backfield playing a couple innings, de-aging.
28:01I mean, you couldn't have broken him any slower.
28:03They did everything they could, and it didn't work.
28:05So, they knew that he had an injury history.
28:07But, I mean, that would be my biggest thing.
28:09I do think you can't just keep to a three-year—if you're going to keep free agents or assign the
28:15best free agents, you're not going to be able to do it on three years and less.
28:19And that seems to be his MO, that he likes it three years and less.
28:23But you better pick—you better pick better if you're going to do that, you know.
28:27And it's not easy because you're not going to get the best free agents on a two- or three
28:32-year deal.
28:32I mean, the Dodgers got Tucker on a four-year deal.
28:37Mets got Bichette on a three-year deal.
28:39But, you know, putting them on a shorter deal means that the first year is more important, and they have
28:46taken a difficult time transitioning to their new team.
28:49So, that's an issue, too.
28:51So, there are a number of things.
28:52And he's a smart guy.
28:54He spends time.
28:55He works hard.
28:56He'll go over it.
28:57Maybe he doesn't agree with me, but he'll have his own thoughts.
29:00And hopefully, he will figure some things out.
29:04You know, is it just bad luck that he missed on so many?
29:08I don't think it can be.
29:10I think he missed on so many because he made mistakes.
29:14I mean, I think that's fair at this point.
29:16That said, I do agree with Steve Cohn.
29:19You're not going to give up on this.
29:21You waited for him for years.
29:23He had a great track record coming in.
29:25He did have a good year the first year.
29:27But realistically, fairly, he did not have a good last two winters, nor did he have a good trading deadline
29:35last year.
29:36It's fair.
29:38It's more than fair.
29:40Wardy's always used the word proactive.
29:41He wants to see Stearns be a bit more proactive.
29:45And I'm trying to think how that's going to look exactly at this deadline here, John.
29:52Because another thing, and I know that Wardy's talked about this, too, and you wrote this.
29:58I agree with you.
29:59I thought one of the best points you made in your 10-point plan was the Mets can't be afraid
30:03to trade with rivals, right?
30:04You got to go out and try to find the best deals and do whatever it has to get done.
30:10I guess for both of you, does that mindset still exist in baseball, that people are still afraid to trade
30:16with their rivals?
30:16I think to some degree, but that cannot be the case if we're talking about a guy who's a rental,
30:22right?
30:22The season is shot, no offense.
30:24It's over.
30:25If a guy's a rental, Peralta, Holmes, because we think he's going to opt out, you know, the guys who
30:32are rentals, you shouldn't have any qualms.
30:33And I think if a guy's a reliever, you know, no offense to relievers, you should be able to do
30:38it.
30:39I mean, not Mason Miller, maybe.
30:40He's not being traded to the Dodgers.
30:42You know, I get it to some degree, right?
30:45You know, you're not trading Soto to the Braves, right?
30:49Right.
30:49I get some of it, but that applies to like 1% of the players, you know, in my mind.
30:55Right.
30:56Yeah, I would say if there's any hesitancy, at least from like, for example, fan point of view, I think
31:01it would be more so to trade a rental that has a strong likelihood of re-upping there if that's
31:06a player that you know is very good.
31:08Like, if you have, say, a top talent that you know that you're going to sell off on and try
31:12to maximize return, but you actually consider the Braves or the Phillies.
31:16Like, let's say, hypothetically, Luis Robert was healthy all year and was having a great year tearing it up for
31:20the Mets, but they just don't see a future with him.
31:23So then they look at the Phillies, who even with Brian Dela Cruz, maybe they're like, oh, Robert's an even
31:27greater upgrade.
31:27And they go after him for the outfield finally and land him, and then he signs with them for a
31:32three- to five-year deal heading into next season.
31:34You know, then that can come back to bite the team.
31:36Unless it's that unique circumstance, I don't really see what harm there is in trading with rivals.
31:42You know, I've wanted the Mets to do that more in the division the past couple years.
31:45They've fallen short on some discussions they've had.
31:48And you see, Jesus Lizardo, I think, is one of the more famous recent ones going from Miami to the
31:53Phillies just over a year ago.
31:55And that's a move that I think would have been very beneficial to the Mets if they found themselves, you
31:59know, further in that conversation.
32:00But, yeah, I don't think it holds a crazy amount of weight.
32:04But, Dex, your thoughts on that as well before we get out of here.
32:06If you were to trade a top rental to a rival, but you knew that that rival had a chance
32:13to extend or re-up that player, how would you feel about that?
32:16Yeah, I think it's – I'm with you and John, a combination of what you both said.
32:20I think a lot of this is circumstantial for me personally.
32:23But I think – and John, to be fair to John in his column, what he's speaking about is you
32:29have to look at where the Mets are right now, right?
32:31And where the Mets are right now, I don't think they're in a position to say, I'm not going to
32:36trade with a rival.
32:37Especially when you're selling guys that are going to be rentals, you have to maximize the most you can get
32:42out of this trade deadline.
32:43And for me, it's like that is the number one goal here.
32:46The Mets have the second highest payroll in baseball.
32:50They hopefully are trying – according to Steve Cohen, who talked to Joel and John, they're trying to win next
32:56year.
32:56You know they're going to try to win next year.
32:58So you have to get the best return you can that can rebuild that farm system, that can allow you
33:03to try to compete in 2027.
33:05And so rivals be damned, in my opinion.
33:07Yet you have to try to get the best you can.
33:10If this was another – I think the situation you just brought up with Luis Robert Jr. as a hypothetical,
33:14I understand that where it will give you some pause for cause there.
33:18But I think where the Mets are right now, you can't think about it.
33:22You have to – Luke Weaver, you got to maximize.
33:25These other guys you can sell off, you have to get the best return you can get.
33:27And I think you take it from there.
33:29And they traded Robertson to Miami back in 2023.
33:31So it's not like the Mets haven't done this in recent years.
33:34That's true.
33:35That's a good point.
33:36And that season was over in August, and the Mets decided to do a fire sale, and I thought it
33:40was the right move.
33:41John, a couple more things.
33:42Two more things, we'll let you go.
33:44Last year, trade deadline.
33:46All of us here on this show, we all thought the Mets had a good trade deadline.
33:50I did.
33:51I don't remember, John, if you did.
33:53I thought you did, if I remember correctly.
33:54I thought you thought the Mets –
33:55That was so long ago, I don't remember.
33:59I thought it was fine, yeah.
34:00I thought the Mets did well.
34:01I didn't think it was bad.
34:02Yeah, I don't think it was –
34:03A lot of the moves in this winter were good, too.
34:05But they weren't.
34:06Now that we know, they weren't good.
34:09Yeah, now we know.
34:10Then again, you and I are not the general manager of the team.
34:13Fair.
34:13It's probably a good thing.
34:15Yeah, it's a good thing.
34:15Trust me, you don't want me to be the general manager of the team.
34:17That is not a good thing.
34:19But let me say this.
34:20Let's say we get to next Monday night,
34:23and the three of us are looking at what the Mets have done
34:26or hopefully have done something by then.
34:28What do you think has to happen by next Monday night
34:30for us to say, hey, David Stearns hit a home run here
34:33at the trade deadline.
34:34We're giving him an A grade.
34:36What has to happen next Monday night for us to give him an A?
34:38Or can you not grade it by then?
34:40Yeah, I don't –
34:41Well, it's going to be difficult because they're going to get prospects.
34:44But I don't know how they're going to hit a home run
34:47or get an A grade or something like that
34:49when your best asset is a relief pitcher who's not a star closer.
34:56You know, I think people's expectations have to come down a bit.
35:01You know, like I said, I would trade Alvarez
35:04and try to hit a home run that way.
35:07You know, I think they need to retool at the very least.
35:11I don't say rebuild or redo or whatever.
35:16So, yeah, I don't think it's happening.
35:19I'm sorry, guys.
35:20I just – I don't know how they make an A-plus trade deadline.
35:25If they can get an RBI double, I think we'll take that.
35:28Yeah, can they get an RBI double at the trade deadline?
35:31What is it?
35:32Can they get a B, a B-plus?
35:34Can they hit an RBI double here at the trade deadline?
35:37Again, maybe a B.
35:41They can do as good as they could possibly do,
35:43but I don't see how they're going to get –
35:47you know, unless they get a lucky, you know,
35:50the Pete Crow Armstrong in reverse deal,
35:53you know, I don't – and we're not going to know that right away, right?
35:56Right.
35:57So –
35:57Yeah.
35:59It's hard.
35:59It almost seems like success for the Mets would be
36:03being able to sell multiple players, right?
36:05I think Ken Rose –
36:06Oh, yeah, they're going to –
36:07well, Raley's going to be gone.
36:09Mementor will be gone.
36:10Peralta will be gone.
36:12Holmes, presumably.
36:13I mean, I think at minimum it's going to be –
36:15Taylor will be gone.
36:16I think at minimum you've got a half dozen guys,
36:18and you might have 10 or 12.
36:20I don't see how –
36:21at this point, Beatty, you know, Vientos is hurt,
36:24but Beatty and Vientos' values are down.
36:28And, you know, I think they still have a chance.
36:30I'm not giving up, but in terms of trade value,
36:33it's nil, you know, at this point.
36:34Last year, if they had traded Beatty after last year,
36:37they could have gotten something for him.
36:39Yep.
36:39But not now.
36:41I thought he was okay at third, too.
36:43I don't know what you guys thought, but I –
36:44I thought he was okay at third.
36:46I just think he's been moving all over the place,
36:48and that's impacted his value, too.
36:50And he hasn't been able to find a home anywhere.
36:52Not his fault, completely.
36:54Yeah, you'd hope that moving all over would raise his value if he can play all.
36:59But I think he's a third baseman at this point from what I've seen.
37:04So, John, you're hearing –
37:06Ken Rolethor, I saw I said this, too.
37:08He said at least six Mets he think will get moved.
37:10You just said half a dozen.
37:12Ward even said he thinks it could be 10 or 11 here.
37:14You expect the Mets to be very active here by the time Monday rolls around next week.
37:19Yeah, yeah, I mean, I think he could probably start with four relievers.
37:23So, yeah, and then you have the two starters.
37:25So, yeah, I think six is – and then Taylor for sure.
37:28So, I'd be surprised if it's anything less than seven.
37:33Good stuff there.
37:34John, we know you are always busy.
37:36We know the phone is busy for you here during this time of year.
37:39We appreciate the time.
37:40We'll see what the Mets do.
37:41I'm sure we'll be talking to you next week after the Mets make a bunch of moves next Monday
37:45during our trade deadline show.
37:46So, thank you, man.
37:47Okay, thanks, guys.
37:48Good talking to you.
37:48Appreciate it, John.
37:52Okay, we heard from the great John Heyman.
37:56Ward, you hear John, and he expects there to be activity.
38:00You expect there to be activity.
38:03I thought there was a lot of interesting stuff.
38:05I thought that the many most interesting things for me came out of his column was that, yes,
38:11he thinks Francisco Alvarez should be traded.
38:13I would keep Alvarez.
38:14That's me.
38:14I would keep Alvarez, as I stated to John.
38:16But he thinks if they want to hit a home run, as we asked him, that's the way they could
38:22hit a home run.
38:23Do the Mets need to hit a home run here at this trade deadline?
38:27I think it's less about needing to hit a home run versus just needing to get it right.
38:32You know, I know it's very subjective.
38:35Yeah, I was going to ask you, what is that for you?
38:37What is getting it right for you?
38:38I think for me, getting it right is maximizing trade value and getting proper assets for a lot of rental
38:45players or some guys that, you know, have that most of them you're left on their contract.
38:48So I think this is a prime time for the Mets to bolster their farm.
38:52You know, they are a bottom five farm in baseball, you know, across multiple different accounts that you can see
38:56online when viewing the breakdown of all farms in the game.
38:59And a lot of that has to do with the Mets internal promotions this year of guys getting the major
39:03league level.
39:04So that's not a bad thing.
39:05But internally, between the Mets minor leagues, they have absolutely fallen off a cliff versus the great success they had
39:11last year.
39:12Last year, the Mets were skyrocketing, not only flying high in the minor leagues as arguably the best in baseball.
39:17I believe that actually the Mets led all the minor leagues last year and collective wins from all the way
39:21from St. Lucie to AAA Syracuse.
39:23It's not like that this year.
39:24You know, they're having some guys take steps back.
39:26Endries have plagued some guys.
39:27Jacob Reimer, notably, who's on a rehab right now for them and the minor leagues.
39:31And he was a huge breakout for them last year.
39:32So maximizing that value to get the best prospect return and really what our friends will salmon and even to
39:39a degree what John and Joel have reported in the past, which is just not as much player focus on
39:44actual positions, but about pure talent.
39:46You'll figure out positions when the time is there to do it.
39:49The Mets would kind of have to view this right now as a bit of like an MLB draft where
39:53you're just trying to get the best talent possible versus it.
39:56You all you're doing it because you need a shortstop prospect or because you absolutely need this type of pitching
40:02prospect.
40:02Whatever is the best option imaginable from what respective teams can send you go out and maximize that because Steve
40:09Cohen said it to John and Joel over the past month.
40:12He's really worried about the immediate future of the New York Mets, and that's in hand because of the Mets
40:16shortcomings in their farm.
40:17Okay, this is where David Stearns, who's been best known for actual player development during his time in Milwaukee and
40:24doing very good was drafting his scouting.
40:27This is where he should be his bread and butter.
40:29This is where we should see the best version of him.
40:31David has sworn and missed in the offseason.
40:33Okay, he's not used to having big offseasons because he never did that in Milwaukee.
40:36Maybe just maybe we can finally start to see David Stearns do something right.
40:41And that's actually lean into the one thing that I feel like he's actually been known for and has been
40:45fairly good at regardless of where he's fallen short with the Mets so far as president.
40:49You know what you just made me think about, and you referenced that conversation with Joel and John on the
40:56show in which Steve Cohen said that he was worried about the immediate future of the Mets.
41:01Because it made me wonder, you know, I hadn't thought about it to this moment now that we're here at
41:05the trade deadline, how much of that was, I don't want to say a warning shot, but like letting David
41:11Stearns know he really is on the hot seat.
41:13And that this trade deadline, and you know, even though I used that word and I asked Joel, excuse me,
41:22John, the term of a home run, I'm with you in your analysis that they just have to get things
41:29right, as you said.
41:31They just have to replenish, just replenish the farm system.
41:34Replenish the farm.
41:34Let the fan base feel good that there's a plan in place that they can then have more flexibility to
41:41make other moves.
41:42So hopefully, hopefully, being the key word here, David Stearns can cook in the offseason, which to your point, we
41:48have not seen him do yet.
41:49We're going to burn the house down, Dex.
41:51Stop.
41:52Then I'll have to call David Stearns your boy, and we don't want to do that.
41:56No, I just, I'm with you.
41:58I, I, and I think, I think John, I was listening to a lot of what John was saying as,
42:04as we all were, but I think that people are going to take what he says.
42:09I noticed he said it a couple of times about, he doesn't want to have to temper expectations for the
42:13trade deadline, but I think he's right in that this is probably going to be, as you said, as your
42:19words, an RBI double.
42:21Can I get an RBI double at the trade deadline?
42:23Right.
42:23Right.
42:24Can, can you not going to run and, you know, people, you feel good.
42:28You want to feel good coming out of it.
42:29Now I say that all with caution.
42:31It was a different time in 2025.
42:32You were operating as buyers at the trade deadline.
42:35A lot of us felt good coming out of that.
42:38I did in particular.
42:40I thought the Mets hit a home run for lack of a better term at the trade deadline.
42:45And we felt it was more like a single, but sure.
42:49I think single.
42:51You said an infield single.
42:55I think that David Stearns has to be able to put himself in a position where he's got a chance
43:02to cook this off season.
43:03That's the key for me here.
43:05Do you then have assets you can then play with to go get other guys, guys that can then get
43:11closer to the major league level?
43:13I'm sure we'll be talking about this plenty in the next two months about players who are coming up and
43:19on and on the way and how close are they to helping this next what the next winning Mets team
43:25looks like, because that's what we have to talk about.
43:27And to me, the next winning Mets team, for David Stearns' sake, has to be in 2027, my friend.
43:37Like, there's no time to waste here.
43:39If there's no winning in 2027, Dex, trust me.
43:43You know how all the first half was about part ways with Mendy?
43:45What do you think our content is going to be next year?
43:49I don't want to look at you early next year and have these conversations.
43:52You think I had it in this season and said, you know what, Dex?
43:56I got an idea.
43:57You know, that's not how this works.
43:59Of course not.
44:00But to your point, yeah, this is kind of put up or shut up time for David, okay?
44:04He's in year three about to enter year four, especially with what may happen in the CBA where spending might
44:10become more limited than it ever has been for Steve Cohen after the 2027 season.
44:14Talk about not taking advantage when you have an owner, a behemoth of an owner that's so willing to spend
44:21and come in, you know, stomping his feet on the ground and letting it be known that, like, he's the
44:26big bad thing in the way for every team not needing the Dodgers to spend.
44:29If you can't take advantage of that, again, what is the point of you being here if you also missed
44:34the mark on your own player evaluation when you said, you know what, I'm not going to have us spend
44:38as much in certain areas.
44:40We're not going to penny pinch, but we're really not going to do anything beyond short-term deals, which is
44:44why I get John's point of view, where if you're committing for guys on three years or less, how can
44:49you expect any proper consistency in your organization?
44:52How can you expect there to be a proper flow when there's guys constantly coming in, constantly coming out?
44:57I understand not wanting to commit long-term to players in the free agent market.
45:01It looks like it's going to fail miserably for more teams than not who have done it to this point.
45:05And it might fail colossally for the New York Mets if they never win with Juan Soto and or Francisco
45:10Lindor.
45:11That's the reality if you don't win with these big contracts.
45:13So I get that point of view, but you have to take risks in this game, especially if you're shooting
45:19for the stars.
45:20The Dodgers have taken every risk imaginable to get where they are now.
45:23Like, are we forgetting that?
45:25Like, they've changed the complete structure and what payouts are expected to be for one.
45:29They manipulate the system their own way.
45:30This comes after a decade of pushing and pushing and pushing to be the very best with their own fantastic
45:36player development and internal promotions and being the top dog of the NLS, but falling short every year for about
45:42a decade.
45:43Then they finally figure it out what they're spending.
45:45They're taking advantage of this opportunity.
45:47The Mets have all the advantage of the world, but what they don't have is the advantage of the personnel.
45:52So that's where it's up to David.
45:54Can he finally change the narrative here?
45:57Bolster this farm, build for some trades for next season, because that's the whole point of selling off right now,
46:03because as John was alluding to, yeah, you have a bunch of guys that you can trade, but it's more
46:07quality than is quality.
46:09There's few quality that the Mets can actually part ways with you.
46:11So temper your expectations when it comes to return, but you shouldn't temper your expectations when it comes to quantity
46:17of return.
46:18And one would have to hope and pray that at least some of those guys that Mets bring in are
46:22going to enter the Mets fold of prospect farm from anywhere from, say, top eight to all the way to
46:27top 20.
46:28If you have a healthy mix of guys in there, you're bolstering that.
46:31And then the Mets will feel far more comfortable to say, you know what, we are going to give up
46:34four or five prospects of varying degrees because we're going after a really controllable starter this offseason.
46:40That can be here until, say, 2029, you know, like they might be a great fit for Reed Detmers or
46:46Jose Soriano, two guys that have been shot by the Angels leading into the deadline.
46:49There's been some rumblings there.
46:50Jeff Passon of ESPN reported over the past month that those might be the most logical targets for the Mets,
46:56even if they're both buying and selling.
46:58So just some things to think about.
47:00But yeah, to kind of put a bow in it, this is put up or shut up time for David
47:03Stearns.
47:04I really do not want to continue to complain about the man the way that we have for as long
47:08as we have now for, I would say, about a calendar year, year and a half now.
47:11It's I'm with you.
47:13It starts with this deadline.
47:14I think this is why this deadline is so important.
47:16I think this is why next Monday when we do our live deadline show, it's going to be very interesting
47:22to watch the reactions of what they do.
47:24Now, listen, John is right.
47:27We don't it's going to be hard to grade this deadline immediately because you don't know what these prospects are
47:32going to be.
47:33Right.
47:34But what you only thing you can ask for is, does it give David Stearns a chance to have some
47:39flexibility going into his offseason to actually build a true?
47:43I'm just going to start.
47:44I'm not going to say contender.
47:45I'm just going to say playoff team because you can't come from where the Mets are coming and start talking
47:49about contending.
47:50But you can start talking about getting to the playoffs.
47:52And for what fans play for tickets, for what the payroll is, they have to be back at that.
47:58Otherwise, the hiring of David Stearns will be a colossal failure.
48:01Exactly.
48:01We can't talk about when's the wedding when we're not even at the dating stage yet.
48:05Yeah, we're not.
48:05Yeah.
48:06Great analogy.
48:07We're not even there yet.
48:08Right.
48:08And so I think what I hope people take out of our conversation with John is, look, you've got the
48:16pieces here.
48:17The Mets, Ken Rothenstall is reporting this.
48:21John's saying about half a dozen players at minimum will be traded.
48:25The Mets are going to be moving.
48:26They should be active.
48:27Now, when these moves come within the next six to seven days, that'll be interesting.
48:31Or a lot of these moves closer to the deadline because the Mets are trying to use whatever leverage they
48:36have or try to get teams to bid against each other.
48:39That is going to be the fascinating thing to watch is Luke Weaver.
48:42Somebody has traded it three o'clock next Monday, right?
48:46Because you are trying to leverage other teams into a bidding war and trying to get more than it.
48:51As I asked John, would teams overpay for him?
48:54And, yeah, somebody might get desperate enough.
48:56You might get Pittsburgh desperate enough that wants them to close and they might overpay.
49:00The Mets have – this is where Stearns has to cook is my point.
49:04That is the key to look at the deadline.
49:07If we look at a deal and we're talking next Monday and Wardy and I are like, wow, they got
49:12more back for Freddie Peralta – I'm just going to use his name here because we think his value is
49:17a lot lower than we thought – and they get a prospect that's higher than we even thought they would
49:22get, that's a win.
49:24Those are the kind of wins you're looking for here at this deadline.
49:28And can you then cook after that?
49:30Now, to your point, and I agree with you 100%, my friend, you could feel great coming out of this
49:37deadline.
49:38You could say, man, Stearns really maximized value and, again, you never know with these prospects.
49:43But the true test is going to come in the offseason.
49:46The true test is going to come in the offseason and we're going to see then with how they do.
49:50Let me ask you this before we get out of here.
49:52Let's go on this.
49:53Over or under six and a half, how many Mets players – are you going over or under for how
49:57many Mets players get moved?
49:58Over, over, easily.
50:00Over six and a half, easy, crushing it over.
50:02Easy, crushing it, crushing it.
50:04I mean, we're talking in the – let's just think logically here.
50:07Could I change the line?
50:08Do you want me to change the line to eight and a half?
50:09No, don't change the line.
50:10I'll change the line.
50:11You had it good.
50:11We'll stick with what we had.
50:13Six and a half, you're crushing the over.
50:15Crushing the over because, as we were saying, again, bullpen as is.
50:19Pulaska Brosban, yes, he has club control a little bit here.
50:22But, again, Mets can really maximize a return right now.
50:25They should go ahead and do that.
50:26He's 36.
50:27I don't know if he's pitching better than he will ever this year.
50:29Right.
50:30He is a late bloomer, though, I will say.
50:32He didn't start his major league career until after he got into his early 30s.
50:35So, we'll see.
50:36He might be one of those guys that has high octane, kind of like Chapman, into his late 30s.
50:40We'll find out.
50:40But you got Brazzo.
50:41You got Raley.
50:42You got Winter.
50:43You got Weaver.
50:45And then I'm trying to think if there's one more reliever in that mix there that you could possibly throw.
50:49You're not going to trade Devin Williams.
50:50No one's going to take the contract right now.
50:51But you have at least four rock-solid relievers that you are more than likely going to trade, right?
50:57If not, five.
50:58Then you get into Jared Young's out of here.
51:01Someone's got to want Jared Young.
51:03He's been having a good season for the Mets.
51:05And I feel like even if he's in a lesser role elsewhere, I think he could be a very beneficial
51:08guy to have, you know, for defensive certainty at first base.
51:11He can't play the corner if you need on a pinch and obviously has been having a very good year
51:16this year, especially in the ready-lefty matchups, even if it's off the bench in platoon setting.
51:20Then you have – I can't see a world where Mark Vientos, Ronnie Mauricio, and Brett Beatty are still all
51:25in this organization, okay?
51:27Like at some point, David Stearns is going to listen, right?
51:29We've been saying this for like a year plus now.
51:31This three has to be broken.
51:33Like what are we waiting for?
51:35Are we just waiting until they're all DFA candidates and that's that?
51:38Because they're basically there already.
51:40Yeah.
51:41Yeah.
51:41I think – I was saying, I think of those three, I think it's nice if you get rid of
51:46two.
51:47I think Beatty is the most likely to be gone.
51:50Right.
51:50Because he has some value still.
51:52Yeah.
51:53Vientos.
51:54Four, five, six.
51:56Yeah.
51:56That's six players right there even without Vientos at it.
51:58And we haven't talked about the starters.
52:00And we haven't even talked about Clay Holmes and Freddie Peralta.
52:02Oh, yeah.
52:03Remember Sean Minaya?
52:04Yeah.
52:04He's been pitching pretty well lately.
52:06The Mets are actually willing to eat a little bit of that contract because he only has one year left
52:10after this season.
52:11If they're not as stubborn about that the way that maybe some reports are suggesting they are, throw him in
52:15the mix.
52:16If you're not going to DFA him, maybe Kodai Senga for cash considerations.
52:19Again, do you really want to continue to give Kodai looks at this point?
52:22What's the end goal there?
52:24Then you add in if the Mets do anything creative with Teren's involved in trade talks actively, if not Alvarez.
52:30So, yeah, I would say the bare minimum is obviously kind of like seven there.
52:34So, we'll see.
52:35But all in all, I'm not happy to see this roster dismantled.
52:38But I'm also disgusted about everything about what this roster has been this year.
52:42So, it's a fine line in how I feel because I like some of these guys individually and I wish
52:47them the best.
52:48But there's just timelines we're adding up.
52:51The one year the Mets have a superior bullpen.
52:52Of course, they have nothing else properly lined up.
52:55And you know how it's going to go next year, Dex.
52:57The lab's going to look awesome on paper.
52:59The rotation's going to look fun, young, and hungry.
53:02And the bullpen is going to have Danny Young back as your best lefty option in the pen coming back
53:07from Atlanta.
53:08And that's how we're going to rock with things.
53:09I'm ready.
53:10Or it's going to be Dickie Lovelady.
53:11You know, let's make it a fifth.
53:12Your boy.
53:13He is my boy.
53:14Yes, he is my boy.
53:15We'll lean into that today just for you, Dex.
53:17Okay?
53:18But, yeah, that's where I'm at.
53:20All right.
53:20I like your pick.
53:22I like your pick there crushing the over of six and a half.
53:24I like your pick there.
53:27If we see seven, eight, or more deals.
53:30Yes, but, yeah, even Sean and I, I probably should ask John about that.
53:34Didn't even think about that being a possibility because I was thinking about the Mets, whether or not they would
53:37eat the money going forward.
53:39The Mets have shown a willingness to do that in the past.
53:41We saw that in 2023.
53:45So, we could see them do that again.
53:47That would be interesting.
53:48I'm with you.
53:49Oh, one other thing I had.
53:50Senga, yeah, time to move on.
53:51Yeah, I'm with you on that.
53:52I know.
53:53It's a shame.
53:53He was your ex-factor this year.
53:55Luis Roberts.
53:56I know.
53:56It's terrible.
53:56Now here we are at the deadline.
53:58Like, just get whatever you can get for him.
54:00Yeah, but that's where we are.
54:02That's where we are, my friend.
54:04This is where we are.
54:05All right.
54:06That's going to do it.
54:07Let us know what you think in the comments about what the Mets should do at the deadline.
54:11Let us know what you think about our conversation with John Heyman.
54:14Check out his column about the 10-point plan to help David Stearns fix the Mets.
54:20I almost thought I read that and I said, while I think John made a lot of good points,
54:25David Stearns might need more than 10 points, which shows you about where the Mets are right now.
54:29Right?
54:29John did his best to condense it into 10.
54:31That's like when we did our video on, like, the 10 worst David Stearns moves and they're
54:35like, you only did 10.
54:35And we really had 20.
54:36That's the common consensus in the comments from you guys watching, you know.
54:40Yeah.
54:40Everybody's like, you guys could have made a list of 20, 25.
54:43You're not wrong.
54:44You're not wrong.
54:44You're not wrong at all.
54:46That's going to do it.
54:47We'll have more for you later in the week and coming up to the trade deadline next week.
54:50Remember, myself and Wardy will be part of the New York Post trade deadline show.
54:55That is going to be a fun one.
54:57We have a lot of good stuff coming your way for that.
55:00That is going to be fun.
55:01Hopefully, you don't see Wardy and I too stressed during the trade deadline.
55:04To be determined.
55:06Yeah.
55:06TBD.
55:07TBD on that one.
55:08All right.
55:08There we go.
55:09That's it.
55:10From my guy, Tyler Ward, a.k.a.
55:12Wardy.
55:12I'm Dexter Henry.
55:12We'll catch you next time on another edition of Straight Outta Flush.
55:15We'll catch you next time on another edition of Straight Outta Flush.
55:20We'll catch you next time on another edition of Straight Outta Flush.