Just Mets

The Mets have been said to be aiming high in their pursuit for an outfield upgrade ahead of the July 31 non-waiver trade deadline, according to Jon Heyman of CBS Sports.

Among those the club has expressed interest in is 27-year-old Padres OF Justin Upton to fill their need, according to multiple reports.

That interest, according to Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports, is said to be significant enough to the point the Mets and Padres have had trade discussions, and San Diego has recently sent scouts to watch the Mets minor league system.

The risk in acquiring Upton now is substantial, although it has nothing to do with the production he would provide the Mets, although he has dealt with recent oblique tightness which has kept him out of games.

He can be a free agent following the World Series. If the Mets acquired Upton now, that would disallow the Mets from making Upton a qualifying offer, as a player traded in-season is not eligible to receive such an offer, per the collective bargaining agreement.

So if the Mets send pieces to San Diego to get Upton – and presumably, those pieces would need to be very significant – the Mets run the risk of Upton testing free agency, signing somewhere else, and having neither the player, the prospects or the draft compensation to show for the transaction.

And, if the Mets do not make the playoffs and all of the above come to fruition, then the Mets would have sacrificed a lot of talent for nothing more than a fruitless pennant race.

With 2 1/2 months to go before the end of the season, Upton, who is 27 and will likely be the premier right-handed bat on the free agent market this winter, has very little reason to negotiate a new contract now. In fact, Upton reportedly is unwilling to negotiate a contract in-season, making the risk even greater for the Mets or any team who acquires him in trade.

And, that risk evidently concerns the Mets to the point they may not think it’s wise to acquire him, reports Mike Puma of the New York Post. Presumably, other teams are equally concerned about these risks as well.

As such, it appears it is unlikely the Mets will acquire the All-Star outfielder, according to Adam Rubin of ESPN New York.

Still, Upton one of the most intriguing options available to the Mets, and one of the few pending free agents who can provide a true, longer-term solution to their problems. In the short-term, the Mets either could (and should) turn a corner outfield spot into a platoon between Curtis Granderson and Michael Cuddyer, or shutdown Cuddyer because of his balky knee altogether which makes the situation with Granderson less complicated. Both solutions would afford a player like Upton a full-time opportunity in the other outfield spot.

Alternatively, the Mets could simply wait for Upton to become a free agent this winter and bid for his services along with his other suitors. Of course, that would require a significant, long-term investment from the club, something they have yet to show they’re willing to do outside of David Wright, which took place nearly three years ago.