New York Mets: What does the Stroman Trade mean for Noah Syndergaard?
The Marcus Stroman deal could have a large impact on Noah Syndergaard’s future with the Mets. Will he stay in Flushing? Is Zack Wheeler on his way out?
This move has a certain duality to it. The New York Mets can compete for a wild card position- however unlikely- in 2019 and 2020, while also taking a firm grip of the starting pitcher trade market leading up into the MLB Trade Deadline.
Brodie Van Wagenen, Omar Minaya, and company must have deemed the return they forfeited for Marcus Stroman as slight because a deal would not have made sense any other way. It is a risky move because, even though they control the market, there is no guarantee Noah Syndergaard is dealt and those prospects are recouped. Thus they must have been confident that the deal favored them.
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The lack of buzz around names such as Robbie Ray and Trevor Bauer are causing the Mets to hold all of the major cards in terms of starters. Syndergaard, Wheeler, and Stroman were the three overwhelming favorites to go to be dealt. Now the removal of supply in Stroman, without removing the demand, sets the Mets up nicely for an overpayment on Syndergaard.
A team such as the Yankees or Dodgers that has long been flirting with a World Series title may be compelled to meet the Mets requirements now due to the fact that there might not be any legitimate alternatives. That is the only line of reasoning that can justify this trade.
The Mets trail in the wildcard standings by 6 games and have a myriad of teams that they must surpass to make up the ground. Therefore, despite a potentially strong second half, the Mets have been buried too deep that reaching the surface with one of those wild card spots is unlikely.
Not to say that they should attempt to lose or give up hope, however, a front office has to self-evaluate and understand what they are. There is no proof at the moment that this current Mets roster- Stroman in place of Jason Vargas– could win the requisite games to surpass the teams they trail.
The only logical follow up is to trade Syndergaard to the highest bidder. The one catch in these negotiations must be that the return for the highly sought after righty must meet the Mets astronomical standards. In the case that it does not, then they can resume talks on a deal such as this in the offseason.
The Mets might turn around quickly and try to find an adequate deal for Wheeler if Syndergaard’s suitors are not willing to pay. Remember the only reason he would be moved is that his value is at a juncture where it can fetch an abundance of high-upside players.
Next. Should the Mets deal Edwin Diaz?. dark
Otherwise, what would be the point in moving him? He can easily still play a significant role in any rotation. If he could only find some consistency, the notation of dealing him might very well seem utterly bizarre.