On Monday, Joel Sherman of the New York Post said the Mets would prefer to acquire a left-handed hitting outfielder above anything else, although the team is not going to be picky as they seek to piece together their offense for a run towards October.
A player who fits that profile is 28-year-old Brewers OF Gerardo Parra, the former Gold Glove outfielder who has hit .313/.348/.500 with nine home runs and 30 RBI in 311 plate appearances over 90 games this season with the floundering Brewers.
The Mets need to improve the production in the outfield was evident before Michael Cuddyer suffered a bone bruise in his left knee. But since there’s so much uncertainty going forward with Cuddyer, the club’s hand may very well be forced in the outfield, and the need for an acquisition could be here and now if they expect to contend down the stretch of the season.
Parra’s stock only continues to rise as the trade deadline approaches. He has posted a 1.234 OPS in 57 plate appearances in July with five doubles, four home runs and nine RBI.
It’s worth noting aside from Steven Matz, no Mets position player has five RBI in the last 17 games. Parra has five more himself in the same span.
People within the Mets organization have always liked Parra, especially his defense in the outfield, and Jon Heyman of CBS Sports says the Mets are looking at Parra ahead of the July 31 non-waiver trade deadline.
The problem for the Mets is Parra understandably seems to be a hot commodity right now, Heyman and Tim Haudricourt of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel writes.
It’s not clear what the price tag might ultimately be for a player of Parra’s ilk, but presumably less than that for someone like Justin Upton or Carlos Gomez, although if demand continues to rise, clubs might find themselves in a position to be overpaying for the pending free agent. It seems the Mets are more than willing to part with former first-round selection Brandon Nimmo in the right deal, and Marc Carig of Newsday reported earlier Tuesday the Mets could also be willing to move Gavin Cecchini and Michael Fulmer to help solidify their starving offense.
Parra is an outstanding fit for the Mets right now. While the advanced metrics suggest Parra has struggled defensively, he is a two-time Gold Glove Award winning outfielder who would unquestionably upgrade their outfield defense along with providing an immediate boost to their offense. His splits have been solid this year, so the club would not have to consider a platoon with Parra.
Parra can be a free agent at the end of the season, and if he’s traded, the Mets will be unable to make him a qualifying offer. Of course, he should be considered a longer-term option for the Mets given his age and skill set, so trading for and pursuing a new contract should be in consideration going forward.
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