New York Mets outfielder Brandon Nimmo has publicly campaigned on multiple occasions for owner Steve Cohen and president of baseball operations David Stearns to make additions to the roster ahead of Tuesday’s MLB trade deadline.
Mets starting pitcher Luis Severino offered a similar plea following Wednesday’s 12-3 blowout win at the New York Yankees.
“One hundred percent,” Severino responded when asked by Joel Sherman of the New York Post if Stearns should make roster upgrades before the deadline. “Nobody was expecting to be here where we are right now. And we showed everybody what we can do — and we can get better.”
Severino and All-Star first baseman Pete Alonso were among out-of-contract Mets players mentioned in trade rumors when the club sat at 22-33 on May 30. Since that time, New York has improved to 53-48 and climbed into the wild-card portions of the National League standings.
It was reported before the Amazins finished a 3-2 win at the Yankees on Tuesday that “the most likely strategy for the Mets will be to acquire a reliever or two on deadline day, July 30, without sacrificing significant prospect capital.” For a piece published Wednesday, Tim Britton of The Athletic noted that “the Mets can focus more on rental targets for the bullpen” than on longer-term options who may cost more in trades.
With that said, New York Giants legend Tiki Barber warned ahead of last weekend that Cohen and Stearns had “better listen” to what players are saying with their words and their on-the-field performances. The Mets then went out and won four of six games.
“Clubhouses that position themselves well for the playoffs expect their front office to honor that by improving the product,” Sherman wrote. “And (first-year Mets manager) Carlos Mendoza and his group have done that, rallying from 11 games under .500 on June 2 to produce the best record (29-13) since, including 4-0 against a Yankee team that has so much more desperation to be big buyers at the deadline.”
The Mets begin a four-game home series against the rival Atlanta Braves (54-46) on Thursday night. Winning three of those matchups could convince Cohen and/or Stearns that now is the right time for the Mets to make more than a couple of tiny pre-trade deadline moves.