How the New York Mets Remade Their Bullpen and Outfield at the 2025 Trade Deadline

 

1. Mets Enter the Deadline with a Clear Mission

At the 2025 MLB Trade Deadline, the New York Mets found themselves in a familiar but urgent spot—hovering in playoff contention, but needing reinforcements. With injuries impacting the bullpen and inconsistency in center field, the front office had a clear mandate: address the weak spots and give this roster a real shot at October baseball. This Mets fan believes they have accomplished that.

President of Baseball Operations David Stearns and GM Billy Eppler didn’t just do some tinkering—they executed a bold, targeted strategy that dramatically reshaped two key areas: the bullpen and the outfield.

2. The Big Acquisitions: Building a Super Bullpen and Solidifying Center Field

The Mets made four major acquisitions—three for the bullpen and one for center field. All four players bring big-game experience, and each fills a specific need.

Bullpen Reinforcements:

• Ryan Helsley (Closer, Cardinals):
  One of baseball’s elite closers, Helsley notched 49 saves last season and brings a power arm with postseason pedigree. With Edwin Díaz in the mix, the Mets now have a two-headed monster for late-inning leads.

• Tyler Rogers (Setup, Giants):
  A reliable veteran with a unique submarine delivery, Rogers adds contrast and command. His ERA sits below 2.70 this season, and he’s one of the toughest pitchers in MLB on right-handed batters.

• Gregory Soto (Lefty, Orioles):
  Soto brings high-velocity heat from the left side, giving the Mets a power option against the league’s toughest left-handed hitters. He’s a proven closer himself, now sliding into a high-leverage role.

Outfield Addition:

• Cedric Mullins (Center Field, Orioles):
  A Gold Glove-caliber defender with a solid bat and speed on the bases, Mullins fills a critical need up the middle. He’ll allow Brandon Nimmo to shift to left field, strengthening the entire outfield defense.

3. What They Gave Up: Smart, Strategic Sacrifices

Despite the splashy additions, the Mets managed to keep all of their top seven prospects. That, in my opinion, is a major win.

Players traded away include:

• Drew Gilbert (OF, Top 10 prospect)

• José Buttó, Blade Tidwell, Jesus Baez, and a handful of lower-tier prospects.

In total, around eight prospects were moved, but none ranked higher than 8th in the Mets system according to MLB Pipeline. The only one I didn't want to see go is Jose Butto. He has been a solid contributer as a starter and reliever during the past two seasons. However, you have to sacrifice somewhere, and these moves kept the organization’s long-term future intact.

4. Why These Moves Were Made

The Mets' bullpen ranked 11th in MLB with a 3.80 ERA—but deeper stats showed vulnerability in high-leverage situations, especially with Díaz coming off injury. Creating a “super bullpen” became the clearest path to improving win probability late in games.

Meanwhile, center field defense and depth became concerns after inconsistent play and injury issues earlier in the year. Mullins brings stability, speed, and a spark at the top or bottom of the lineup.

5. Front Office Comments & Industry Buzz

David Stearns summarized the deadline strategy clearly:

“We wanted to improve the 2025 team without compromising the future. That meant prioritizing our top prospects while still being aggressive in the areas we needed to address.”

Baseball insiders and analysts have largely praised the Mets for being among the deadline’s biggest winners. The common consensus: New York improved without "selling the farm"—a rare feat in a seller-friendly market.

6. What’s Still Missing?

No trade deadline is perfect.

The Mets did not acquire a frontline starting pitcher, despite rumors linking them to some of the bigger names available. That leaves the rotation still slightly vulnerable, especially if one of the main starters go down, or other arms (Clay Holmes for example) hit an innings wall.

And while the acquisitions were impactful, all four new additions are free agents after the season—making this an undeniably “win-now” gamble.

7. Looking Ahead: What Fans Can Expect

With the trade deadline behind them, the Mets are now clearly in go-for-it mode. Their revamped bullpen rivals the best in baseball, and their outfield defense just got significantly better.

The team’s postseason odds jumped by over 10% according to Fangraphs projections. With Lindor, Alonso, Soto, and Nimmo in their prime, the time to make a push is now.

If the new arms hold up and the offense continues to produce, there’s every reason to believe the Mets can make noise in October—and maybe even go deeper than expected.

8. Conclusion: A Calculated All-In Move—Was It Enough?

The 2025 trade deadline saw the Mets take bold but thoughtful action. They didn’t mortgage the future. They didn’t panic. Instead, they strategically turned areas of concern into potential strengths.

Now it’s on the players—and manager Carlos Mendoza—to deliver on that promise.

Once again, I believe the Mets earned the high praises they received from the national media for their actions during this year's trade deadline. What do you think? Please feel free to comment about your opinions of tbe Mets trade deadline moves.

New York Mets/New York Yankees Podcast

 For the past couple of years, I have been invited to participate in various sports podcasts. During the NFL season, I co-hosted one featuring the Buffalo Bills. Now, during the Major League Baseball season, the same co-host and I have a weekly podcast sharing news about our favorite baseball teams. His being the Yankees, mine being the Mets. It's always a fun hour and a definite highlight of our week. Hopefully it is for out listeners too.

Anyway, I am looking to spread the word and share in different places. I thought this would be a good spot. Our weekly podcast is called the Subway Conversation Chat. Feel free to check it out and comment. We broadcast live Wednesday nights at 8:00 pm Eastern Time. Here is the link for our latest show...

Buffalo Bills Preseason Game One Summary

 On Saturday, the Buffalo Bills played the first of their three preseason games for the 2023 NFL season. The Bills won the game 23-19. I understand that the score in a team's first preseason game is generally insignificant. It's also difficult to draw conclusions after one game, but even with this small sample size, I believe there are some highlights that deserve attention.

The two biggest offensive stars, Josh Allen and Stefon Diggs sat out this game. However, another key starter, running back James Cook, did start the game, and made immediate and favorable contributions. Four carries, 20 yards, and a touchdown were enough to allow others in the backfield to show their talents, even as Cook solidified his position as the featured RB heading towards the regular season. With Damien Harris sitting out due to injury, running backs Jordan Mims and Latavius Murray showed promise, each averaging around 3.5 yards per carry. An assortment of Wide Receivers shared playing time as well, with a total of 11 targeted at some point in the game, and 8 catching at least one pass. KeeSean Johnson, Andy Isabella, and Marcell Ateman led the way, each with over 40 yards receiving. Tyrell Shavers and Dezmon Patmon each scored touchdowns, with 38 and 35 receiving yards respectfully.

On the defensive side of the ball, most projected starters did see action for at least two series. Some highlights include an interception by Dane Jackson, and a team leading 7 tackles by rookie linebacker Dorian Williams. An outstanding feel-good moment with this group was seeing Damar Hamlin return to game action for the first time since his near-death experience on the field last January. He contributed 3 solo tackles in an excellent, inspirational effort. Overall, the defense made it very difficult for the Colts 4th overall pick QB Anthony Richardson to establish any consistent ball movement, and a resulting 39.2 QB rating.

The question now, after this first game is how are some of the position competitions affected? Some key position battles are at middle linebacker, cornerback, and wide receiver. At this time, I don't see any of these battles being decided, especially with two preseason games still to go. However, some players either provided an advantage for themselves, or in some cases, put their name in the hat to be considered. At linebacker, Terrel Bernard is said to have the lead for the starting spot. However, he missed the game due to a hamstring injury. A competitor for the spot, Tyrel Dodson played well, with two tackles, but did little to impress in raising his status. At cornerback, leading candidate Dane Jackson had the game's only interception, and saw no further action, confirming him to be a leading candidate for the starting position. One last defensive note to mention is the outstanding play of the defensive line. Not only did the starters contribute their fair share, but potential third stringers such as Boogie Basham and free agent pickup Poona Ford were impressive as well. Basham had a sack with his three tackles, and played very inspirational defense during his time in the game.

Perhaps no position for the Bills has more depth than wide receiver. However, the quality of that quantity still remains to be seen. Still, impressive performances by previously mentioned receivers will make the final decisions a bit more difficult. Andy Isabella also made a case with a couple of excellent kickoff returns.

One final debate to discuss is that of backup quarterback. Projected number two Kyle Allen did nothing significant to impress. Matt Barkley on the other hand completed 14 of 15 passes for 172 yards and two touchdowns. Yes, it was against a mostly third team defense by that point, but the 154 quarterback rating speaks for itself no matter who it's against. Keep an eye on this situation in future matchups.

Many will say that NFL preseason games are insignificant, and in some ways they are. However, I find it very interesting watching both new and old players perform, and it makes for some very interesting discussion as we move closer to the final roster deadline and the start of the season. Stay tuned for Game two!!

A Fan's Perspective of the Mets Trade Deadline Activity

 It has never been easy being a Mets fan. Playing little brother to the Yankees in New York, and having more losing seasons than winning ones can definitely make supporting this team extremely difficult. I have found that being a Mets fan in 2023, has been even more difficult. Watching a team that was expected to play for a World Series heartlessly play themselves into sub-mediocrity has been gut-wrenching to say the least. Something had to be done.

And something was done. It was newsworthy and impactful. However, was it the right thing to do? I'm just one fan (one for over 50 years), but I believe I share the sentiments of many other Mets fans regarding what just happened over the past few days. 

I believe there is good and bad to share of these recent events. The bad part is how embarrassing it looks to the Mets organization. Imagine a country declaring war on other countries. They prepare their troops, gather their weapons, inspire the citizens, and get ready to take over new territory. Then, in the middle of it all, they retreat.  In essence, they are saying, "Wait, we change our minds. We're not gonna do it this way. We're heading back." It then seems like the whole philosophy and all the planning was for nothing. That's what the Mets have done. They've gone back on everything they sold to their players and fans.

On the other hand, there is good in this situation as well. It is looking more and more like the days of buying championships in Major League Baseball are gone. Heck, even the Yankees seem like they aren't doing it anymore. Who's been the best team in baseball over the past seven or so seasons? The Houston Astros. They sacrificed and endured a few miserable seasons to get to this point. However, through excellent player development and management, they built a solid foundation that is not going anywhere anytime soon. Ditto to the Braves, Rays, and now potentially Orioles, and maybe even the Reds as well. This is the way to go in modern day MLB. I found it a breath of fresh air when the Mets let loose some of their young potential earlier this season in players like Francisco Alvarez, Brett Baty, and Mark Vientos.

Ok, so you don't want me to be wishy washy. Pick a side, you say. I understand, so here's my overall take. Even though it's a bad look, and you've wasted an entire baseball season (potentially even one or two more after this), I believe this is the best course of action to take. It appears that the owner and GM realized that what they were doing wasn't working. They realized the formula for success in this league is to build a solid foundation with good, young players, perhaps bringing in some solid veterans along the way. Better late than never, but at least I feel they are doing things the right way now. 

There are still reasons for concern. This isn't going to change overnight. And now you have some veteran players who aren't happy (such as Lindor, Alonso, and Nimmo), because they were sold something that was never delivered to them. However, I believe this is the best move in the long run. As a fan, I would rather watch a young, enthusiastic team play exciting baseball, (even if they lose more than they win), instead of the heartless, uninspiring brand we watched this year. With the current young group we've seen now, and the other prospects they received in these recent trades, I think Mets fans will be a bit more patient watching a fun team develop into a potentially championship team.

Let's face it. This was an extremely difficult week in a difficult season for Mets fans. However, I believe it's a good thing, and the right direction for this franchise. Hopefully Mets players and fans will reap the benefits sooner than later.

How the MLB Playoffs Would Be if I Were Baseball Commissioner

October is upon us once again, which means another year of dramatic and exciting baseball playoff action. I believe the MLB baseball playoffs are set up very well, enabling themselves to maximize the great excitement.

There are many that believe there should be changes to the playoff format. To review if you are unfamiliar, the road to the World Series consists of the 6 division-winning teams, 3 in each league. These teams automatically qualify for the Divisional Series. In addition, there are two wild card teams in each league. These teams play a one game playoff, with each winner advancing to the Divisional round.

Is a one game playoff for these wild card teams fair after they played 162 to get to this point? There are many that say it is not, especially since these one of these very good teams (some of which are better than the division winners) will be gone after one playoff game. Those that argue its fairness state that the game was created for two reasons. One is that in previous years, there were a significant amount of wild card winners that went on to win the World Series. There was no major advantage to winning your division over being a wild card. That leads to the second reason the game was created, to place more of a focus on winning the division, and not just making the playoffs. Opponents of the one game playoff say it would much more fair for the teams if it was a best 2 out of 3 series.

In my opinion, the one game wild card playoff is the way to go. I believe the focus and reward ( especially after a long 162 game season) should be placed on winning the division, and these division winners should have an advantage in getting to the World Series. I am not against wild card teams being successful and winning the World Series. As I mentioned earlier, there are cases where these teams have better records than some division winners. However, I still believe it should be easier for the division winners to go far. This wasn't the case before the one game playoff.

My take is this...if you don't want to risk your whole season in a one game playoff, then win your division. I know sometimes it's extremely difficult, especially when you are behind a team that completely dominates. However, if you still don't think it's fair, consider this...up until 1995, there was no wild card. If you didn't win your division, you didn't make the playoffs. There have been teams that won over 100 games that didn't even make the playoffs because the team in front of them had an even better record. At least now, you have one additional game and chance to get in.

I hope baseball never changes this one game wild card playoff. Besides the reasons I already mentioned, I also believe it just adds so much excitement to the game. Besides the fact that more teams are alive in the last month of the season for possible playoff contention, the game itself is edge of seat, constant drama and excitement.

Although I would vote to forever keep the one game wild card playoff the way it is, I would make one change to the playoff format. Again, I am not against wild card teams winning it all. However, I am all for the teams with the best records having the biggest advantage in getting to the World Series. I think the best way to provide that advantage would be to increase the Divisional Series from a best of 5 series, to a best of 7 like the other two series. In a short series, one slip up can cost a team the entire series. A couple of lucky wins can send one team ahead with great momentum, while completely deflating the other. In a 7 game series, one bad break won't cost a team as much, and they can still recover. The team that can sustain the momentum over a 7 game series truly deserves to win, and it doesn't matter if they have the better record or not.

I will say that I truly enjoy the baseball playoffs they way they are, and if they never change again, I will be OK with that. In my opinion, the one step to perfection would be to just increase that first series, and make every series after the one game wild card playoff a 7 game one. I certainly hope you enjoy all of the exciting baseball action!

2013 Major League Baseball Predictions

Can you believe it's that time again already? Another major league baseball season is about to begin, and it promises to be one of the most exciting ever. As always, I like to throw my hat in the ring and share my predictions of the coming year. Last year, I had some great picks and some horrible ones. I picked the Giants to go to the World Series, even though I picked them to lose. I picked the Orioles to finish last and called them a sad excuse for a franchise. Instead, they won the wild card game. Yes, I take my statement back!

The following are my baseball predictions for 2013. Some are by the book, and some are a bit daring. But that's how every season goes, right?

National League East

1. Philadelphia - No one is talking about this team that is very similar to the one that won consecutive division titles, the last one being only two years ago. They still have great pitching and good hitting.
2. Atlanta - If the Phillies don't win it, the Braves will. A solid all-around team. One of the wild cards.
3. Washington - They shut down their star pitcher last year assuming they would be back to the post-season. You NEVER assume you'll get back. The karma will go against them.
4. NY Mets - My favorite team is making small steps closer to contention. Yet they're still so far away.
5. Florida - I hope this sad situation soon turns promising again.

National League Central

1. Pittsburgh - They provided some excitement during the last two years. They'll take it all the way to the LCS this year.
2. Cincinnati - Still a very good team that will be solid for at least the next few years.
3. St. Louis - A good team that will compete in this weak division.
4. Milwaukee - This team could make a surprising run. Or they could be done by July 4. We'll see.
5. Chicago Cubs - Going in the right direction. They just won't get there very quickly.

National League West

1. Los Angeles Dodgers - A month and a half is not enough time for an all-star team to gel. Spring training and a full season is. Championship baseball returns to Dodger Stadium.
2. San Francisco - Good enough to win it all again. They'll be one of the wild cards.
3. San Diego - If things come together they can be an exciting team to watch and possibly make a run.
4. Arizona - Some decent individual talent. Can they put it all together?
5. Colorado - Won't be as bad as last year, but still a last place team.

American League East

1. Tampa - Arguably the best pitching, and definitely the best manager in AL will lead to division title.
2. NY Yankees - As much as I want it to happen, this team won't go away. One of the wild cards.
3. Toronto - I love the Jays, but I'm not jumping on this bandwagon yet.
4. Boston - Not as bad as people think. It will be a much more fun year for players and fans.
5. Baltimore - Do I think last year was a fluke? Not really. They just won't get half the breaks they got last year, and the talent level is not enough to make up for it.

American League Central

1. Detroit - The Tigers win the division by default. Again.
2. Cleveland - This year's Orioles. They earn the second wild card.
3. Chicago White Sox - Another solid year that won't be quite good enough.
4. Minnesota - They either make a wild card run or lose 100. No in betweens.
5. Kansas City - People say they're up and coming (again). I'll believe it when I see it.

American League West

1. Los Angeles Angels - The pieces that were supposed to come together last year do so a year late. This team is solid and will go far.
2. Texas - Still a very good team, but not good enough this year.
3. Oakland - Great story last year. Like the Orioles, will be missing many of last year's breaks.
4. Seattle - Mediocre at best.
5. Houston - Will hustle and give their best, but will still be the worst team in baseball.

World Series

Baseball season will be special in SoCal this summer...and fall...

Dodgers over the Angels

Enjoy the games : )

2012 NHL Playoff Predictions

As I've mentioned several times on this blog, I very much enjoy reading predictions of how major sporting events will turn out. I also enjoy playing the game myself. I apologize for being late with this, as some games were played last night. However, I believe it's still plenty early enough for this year's version of my NHL Stanley Cup Playoff Predictions:

Eastern Conference

Ottawa vs New York - Rangers in 6. The Senators will provide an entertaining series, and the Rangers are by no means invincible. However, they will be strong enough to win this series.

Washington vs Boston - Caps in 6. The Capitals have had their series of disappointing playoff finishes. This year they can feel lucky that they're even there, which will take the pressure off. The Bruins are a tired team after last year's full length run.

New Jersey vs. Florida - Devils in 5. Welcome to the playoffs Panthers! Problem is this is the worst possible matchup for them. They are slumping while the Devils are one of the hottest teams in the league. The Devils also have plenty of playoff experience, while it's a much newer concept for Florida.

Philadelphia vs. Pittsburgh - Penguins in 7. The lead up to this series has attracted the most attention, and I believe it will end up that way. This will be Pittsburgh's greatest test before reaching the Finals.

Western Conference

Los Angeles vs Vancouver - Canucks in 5. The Kings victory was made just by reaching the playoffs after a difficult regular season. The Canucks have glided all the way to another Presiden't Trophy.

San Jose vs. St Louis - Sharks in 6. The Blues had an incredible regular season. However, they will discover that the playoffs are a whole different story. They struggled at the end, while the Sharks are playing some of their best hockey now.

Chicago vs. Phoenix - Blackhawks in 7. I will always root against the Coyotes simply because they don't belong in Phoenix. However, I truly believe the Blackhawks are a better team. I like Phoenix's fight, and we will surely see it, but the Chicago fans who deserve a victory much more than Phoenix's will enjoy victory.

Detroit vs. Nashville - Predators in 7. Another much anticipated series featuring two excellent teams. Three reasons Nashville wins: First, I believe the Wings have already peaked. Second, the Predators have put everything into winning this first round playoff series and will put all energy forth to make sure it happens. Third, home ice will rule in this series, and the final home game is in Nashville.

Stanley Cup

Pittsburgh vs. Vancouver - Canucks in 6. There are several reasons I see the Canucks winning it all...First, after the first month, they had a strong and rather easy regular season, and I don't believe they will have much difficulty in the playoffs. Second, the Penguins will have to make it through some difficult series to get to the Final. Third, the Canucks have last year's experience that will motivate them. They will not want to endure another painful summer. The Canucks will take the Cup back to Canada. Enjoy the games!