Mets & Rays
Submitted by: mp2891
Mets
| Name | Age | Level | P1 | P2 | Availability | Years | AFV | Salary | Surplus | Low | Median | High |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Taj Bradley | 23 | Majors | SP | 4.4 | 80 | 37.4 | 42.6 | 34.1 | 42.6 | 51.1 |
Total Value:
42.6
Rays
| Name | Age | Level | P1 | P2 | Availability | Years | AFV | Salary | Surplus | Low | Median | High |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nolan McLean | 23 | Minors | SP | 0 | 0 | 0 | 19.7 | 15.7 | 19.7 | 23.6 | ||
| Yovanny Rodriguez | 18 | Minors | C | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2.5 | 2 | 2.5 | 3 | ||
| Carson Benge | 21 | Minors | OF | 0 | 0 | 0 | 16.9 | 13.5 | 16.9 | 20.2 | ||
| Jonathan Santucci | 21 | Minors | SP | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4.3 | 3.5 | 4.3 | 5.2 |
Total Value:
43.40
Comments
2
Do the Mets need starting pitching? Do they care about payroll costs? If the answer to both questions is Yes, then they may have an interest in Bradley. This is a high price to pay for SP though. From the Rays standpoint, they have a 7 man rotation and can afford to trade Bradley for either immediate help or prospects for the future. This trade goes after future prospects, and allows the Rays to trade others within their system for the immediate help they need to make a run in 2025.
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I don't think Taj helps a club wanting to get to the post season. I don't see a playoff team giving up this much talent for a project. I think it's more likely we see a Paredes to the Cubs type of deal. The Cubs weren't a playoff team last year, but the Rays wanted rid of Paredes and the Cubs snuck in to acquire a valuable asset. I think a non-playoff team could make a move for Taj betting they can tinker with his command for the rest of the year and hope it pays dividends for the next 4 years. I also think the Rays would want MLB asset(s) back, and not players years away. For this reason, I think the Braves, Rangers, Pirates would be most likely to acquire Taj. As for this trade, the timeline just doesn't make sense. The Rays upper minors are barren. Trading 4.5 years of Taj for 20 year olds, after spending last season trading controllable talent for 20 year olds, leaves the 2027 Rays in rebuild mode. There has to be a Drew Smiley/Ryan Pepiot/Drew Rasmussen in the deal in my opinion. A slight downgrade of what you have traded away, but someone with several years of control that can be immediately plugged in to lessen the blow. Maybe that's Nolan McLean. His FIP is projected to be about the same as Taj's. If that's the plan, that McLean could be a bulk/relief option in September, then this trade works. But I'd hate to repeat 2024 and trade a ton of MLB talent for really, really far off guys. This core is getting old. BLowe, Yandy, Ras, Pete, McLan...what a waste if we don't try to supplement the MLB roster for this year and next.