Just Mets

It’s pretty evident that the Mets need to add major league talent to their roster by this year’s trade deadline. While many may look at shortstop, and it does remain an area of need for this team, the play of Michael Cuddyer and Juan Lagares this season has been underwhelming and now the both of them are dealing with injuries to boot.

Not only that, but shortstop is such a premium position in this league, and finding a good one won’t be easy or cheap. Instead, it may be more affective for the Mets to steer their interest to outfielders that could become available in the coming weeks.

Here are five that I think they could look at.

Josh Reddick

Reddick is having a fantastic season in Oakland, as the left-handed batter is hitting .286/.344/.459 with 11 doubles, three triples, 11 home runs, 50 RBI, 37 runs scored and an .802 OPS in 79 games. The 28-year-old right fielder has been the A’s second best offensive player this season, behind catcher Steven Vogt, yet he may still become available.

In recent days, Reddick has publicly aired his frustrations about being taken out the A’s lineup, and even went as far as to say on a local radio station that he believed GM Billy Beane was behind the move.

Beane has a bit of a history of getting rid of players who don’t fit in with his style. Just as recently as this past offseason, Beane shipped off star third baseman Josh Donaldson to the Blue Jays, reportedly due to the fact that the two had personal differences.

If these comments are enough to make the outfielder available, the Mets should absolutely give Oakland a call about him. Reddick is arbitration eligible next season and wouldn’t become a free agent until 2017.

Yasiel Puig

Much like Reddick, Yasiel Puig is another extremely talented outfielder, in this case one that’s on a first place team, who’s issues could result in him becoming available.

The 24-year-old missed has only played 39 games this season due to a hamstring injury suffered in late April, hitting .272/.355/.429 with 10 doubles, two triples, three home runs, 10 RBI, 16 runs scored and a .784 OPS in that time.

It recently came to light in Molly Knight’s new book, “The Best Team Money Can Buy,” that there have been multiple altercations between Puig and Dodgers starting pitcher Zack Greinke that were bad enough to the point where physical fights nearly broke out on a number of occasions.

While the Dodgers are unlikely to move Puig this summer, Yahoo’s Tim Brown recently told SNY.tv’s Rob Brender that LA’s front office will listen to offers on just about anyone.

Gerardo Parra

While the name may not jump off the screen, Gerardo Parra could be a very interesting option for the Mets – who some in the organization have liked in the past – if he’s made available by Milwaukee.

Parra, 28, is having a very good season with the Brewers, who will likely be sellers at the deadline despite their better play of late. In 84 games this season, the versatile outfielder is batting .309/.345/.487 with 20 doubles, two triples, eight home runs, 26 RBI, 40 runs scored and six stolen bases with an .832 OPS.

Parra can play all three outfield positions at a high level, would bring some speed, some extra-base power and provide the Mets with an ideal option for a leadoff hitter.

Parra is making $6.4M this season and is a pending free agent.

Carlos Gomez

Now 29 years old, the former Mets prospect, dealt to the Twins in the Johan Santana trade in 2008, Gomez has found himself over the last few seasons with the Brewers.

While he hasn’t been the All-Star player we’ve seen in the past couple seasons, Gomez is still having a productive year for a team that’s struggled mightily. In 59 games this season, Gomez is hitting .274/.323/.451 with 16 doubles, one triple, eight home runs, 36 RBI, 38 runs scored and 54 strikeouts with a .774 OPS.

Gomez has never been much of an on-base guy–his career on-base percentage is .314–as his approach is aggressive in nature. Still, he fields his position in center field excellently and can provide some much-needed power to this Mets team.

Gomez is making $8M this year and $9M next year before becoming a free agent in 2017.

Justin Upton

Sandy Alderson’s white whale, if you will, and certainly social media’s greatest dream. Alderson and Co. were believed to have interest in the slugging Upton back in his days with the Diamondbacks, prior to him being traded to the Braves–where they have since traded him to the Padres.

Dennis Lin of the San Diego Tribune reported Padres GM AJ Preller is willing to deal some of their outfielders – such as Upton – this summer.  The Mets should be interested, as the offseason-winning Padres aren’t winning much of anything these days with their 39-48 record just past the halfway mark of the regular season.

Upton, 27, is hitting .259/.338/.434 with 10 doubles, one triple, 14 home runs, 46 RBI, 44 runs scored and a .772 OPS with 94 strikeouts in 84 games this season.

Acquired from the Braves as part of the Padres monster offseason, Upton is one of the few from that group that is actually performing this season. Matt Kemp looks like a shell of his former self, Will Middlebrooks is barely hitting over .200 and Wil Meyers has dealt with injury issues all season long.

The problem with Upton is that he’s a free agent at the end of the season, and I’m not sure the Mets would be willing to give up what the Padres may ask for in return for a three month rental player. And, the Mets cannot make Upton a qualifying offer if he’s moved in-season – in order to be eligible, he must be with the team for the entire season.

Alternatively, the Mets could wait for Upton to hit free agency, although he will be up against other bidders if that’s the route they choose to take.