Here's the latest Mets buzz and rumors ahead of the 2022 MLB trade deadline...
Aug. 2, 5:59 p.m.
After adding a bat earlier in the day, the Mets have indeed added a bullpen arm.
The Mets have acquired right-handed reliever Mychal Givens from the Chicago Cubs, according to SNY MLB insider Andy Martino.
Givens, a 32-year-old veteran, has pitched to a 2.66 ERA with 51 strikeouts in 40.2 innings this season.
Aug. 2, 4:51 p.m.
The price on Chicago Cubs catcher Willson Contreras would have to come down "a lot" for the Mets to trade for him, reports SNY's Andy Martino.
Martino notes that talks between the Mets and Cubs have never really ignited.
Contreras is set to be a free agent after the season, and seemed certain to be dealt, but the Padres are no longer a suitor, leaving perhaps the Tampa Bay Rays and Cleveland Guardians as the likeliest landing spots aside from the Mets.
Aug. 2, 3:45 p.m.
The Mets had David Robertson in their sights, but he's headed for a division rival instead.
The Phillies traded for Robertson, the Cubs' ace reliever this season, per ESPN's Jeff Passan, in exchange for Ben Brown. Brown is ranked their 26th-best prospect, per MLB Pipeline.
The Mets still need bullpen help and have two hours left to get some.
Aug. 2, 3:40 p.m.
The Mets are trading J.D. Davis for San Francisco Giants DH/1B/OF Darin Ruf, reports SNY's Andy Martino.
New York also added LHP Thomas Szapucki and A-level pitchers Nick Zwack and Carson Seymour, per the New York Post's Joel Sherman.
Ruf is slashing .216/.328/.373 with 11 homers, nine doubles and 38 RBI in 90 games with San Fran this season. He is hitting much better against lefties this season with a .252 average and .364 OBP compared to .191 and .302.
Aug. 2, 1:17 p.m.
The Los Angeles Dodgers have interest in trading for Chicago Cubs closer David Robertson, reports Mark Feinsand of MLB.com, who adds that the Dodgers are also interested in Cubs OF Ian Happ.
The Mets have interest in Robertson, according to SNY's Andy Martino, who has also reported that New York is interested in trading for Cubs catcher Willson Contreras.
In addition to Robertson, who has been closing for the Cubs and would be in a setup role with the Mets, other relievers the Mets have been linked to include lefty Andrew Chafin righty and Michael Fulmer of the Detroit Tigers.
Robertson has been terrific this season, with a 2.23 ERA (3.51 FIP) and 1.04 WHIP with 51 strikeouts in 40.1 innings over 36 appearances.
He has been strong against both righty and lefty hitters this season, holding right-handers to a .169/.247/.323 slash line and left-handers to a .156/.294/.247 slash line.
Aug. 2, 12:03 p.m.
In one of the biggest deals in MLB trade deadline history, the Washington Nationals have traded Juan Soto and Josh Bell to the San Diego Padres for a package led by three top prospects and two rookie major leaguers.
The prospects the Nats are receiving are OF Robert Hassell III, OF James Wood, and RHP Jarlin Susana. LHP Mackenzie Gore and SS C.J. Abrams are the major leaguers.
Per multiple reports, Eric Hosmer -- who has a no-trade clause -- was in the deal and hasn't approved being sent to the Nats. But the deal will happen regardless of how things shake out with Hosmer.
With Bell heading to the Padres, it is likely that San Diego is out on Chicago Cubs catcher Willson Contreras, whom the Mets have been pursuing.
In addition to the Mets, the Tampa Bay Rays also have interest in trading for Contreras.
Meanwhile, Soto joins a Padres team that already has Manny Machado and Fernando Tatis Jr., giving them a truly scary offense.
Aug. 2, 10:18 a.m.
The Rays are interested in Mets target Willson Contreras, reports SNY's Andy Martino.
Meanwhile, another potential Contreras suitor -- the San Diego Padres -- are in discussions with the Washington Nationals to acquire not only Juan Soto, but Josh Bell.
It's fair to believe that acquiring Soto and Bell would take the Padres out of the equation for Contreras.
That could benefit the Mets in their Contreras pursuit, with Martino reporting that there was no traction between the Chicago Cubs and Mets on Monday night.
Last year, the Cubs liked Mets pitching prospect Matt Allan and "not a lot else" in their farm system, per Martino.
Aug. 2. 12:05 a.m.
With some of the Mets' trade targets going elsewhere, it seems that the team may focusing most on bulking up the bullpen.
SNY's Andy Martino reports that the Mets are more optimistic about adding relievers than adding a DH, as they have been unable to match up with the Chicago Cubs or Boston Red Sox on Willson Contreras, David Robertson and J.D. Martinez.
Martino adds that the Cubs don't love the Mets' prospects.
With less than 24 hours until the 6 p.m. deadline things can change, but Martino says the Mets are talking with the Detroit Tigers for Andrew Chafin and Michael Fulmer, among other relievers.
Aug. 1, 6:37 p.m.
Another potential Mets trade target has moved on, and again it’s to the Houston Astros.
First, it was Trey Mancini as part of a three-team trade. Now, the Boston Red Sox traded C Christian Vazquez to Houston.
So Willson Contreras from the Cubs, J.D. Martinez
from the Red Sox and Josh Bell from the Nationals are the three bats remaining that have been linked to the Mets in some capacity.
Aug. 1, 4:34 p.m.
The Baltimore Orioles have traded OF/1B/DH Trey Mancini to the Houston Astros in a three-team trade with the Tampa Bay Rays, per multiple reports.
The Rays will reportedly send RHP Seth Johnson to Baltimore and RHP Jayden Murray to Houston. The Astros will send RHP Chayce McDermott to the Orioles.
Tampa Bay is acquiring OF Jose Siri from Houston in the deal.
The Mets had expressed interest in trading for Mancini, who is set to become a free agent after the season.
With Mancini off the board, Josh Bell of the Washington Nationals, Willson Contreras of the Chicago Cubs, and J.D. Martinez and Christian Vazquez of the Boston Red Sox are among the options remaining.
Bell had been an Astros target, and it's not clear whether their acquisition of Mancini takes them out of the running.
Aug. 1, 3:37 p.m.
Two teams that have spoken with the Mets came away with the impression that they're not willing to trade prospects Mark Vientos, Ronny Mauricio, or Alex Ramirez for a player who is set to be a free agent after the season, reports SNY's Andy Martino.
Martino adds that there isn't "total internal unanimity" on the Mets sticking to the above approach, but that there is no pressure from owner Steve Cohen to "make a splash just to do it."
Francisco Alvarez and Brett Baty, the Mets' Nos. 1 and 2 prospects, respectively, were already viewed as off-limits in any deal for a rental and are unlikely to be traded in any deal that doesn't have Juan Soto or Shohei Ohtani coming to the Mets.
Among the rental players the Mets have been linked to are Willson Contreras of the Chicago Cubs and Christian Vazquez and J.D. Martinez of the Boston Red Sox.
The Mets have also been interested in relievers including David Robertson of the Cubs and Andrew Chafin and Michael Fulmer of the Detroit Tigers, but it's hard to see any team asking for (let alone receiving) a team's top 5 prospect for one of those relievers.
Aug. 1, 1:22 p.m.
The Mets continue to be in on Boston Red Sox DH J.D. Martinez and catcher Christian Vazquez, reports SNY's Andy Martino.
Per Martino, nothing is imminent.
In addition to the Mets' interest in Martinez and Vazquez, they also like Detroit Tigers reliever Andrew Chafin, according to Martino.
Martinez and Vazquez set to become free agents after the season.
Chafin is under contract through 2023.
Aug. 1, 10:55 a.m.
Teams looking to trade offensive pieces have been attempting to make the Mets pay a price they are not interested in paying, reports SNY's Andy Martino.
Specifically, those teams are asking the Mets to trade a prospect who is similar in value to how Pete Crow-Armstrong was viewed when the Mets dealt him to the Chicago Cubs at last year's trade deadline.
At the time, Crow-Armstrong was viewed by most as the No. 4 or No. 5 prospect in the Mets' organization.
Francisco Alvarez and Brett Baty are obviously off-limits in any deal for rentals, and Martino reports that the Mets feel essentially the same way about Mark Vientos, whom SNY contributor Joe DeMayo has ranked as the No. 5 prospect in the Mets' system, behind (in order) Alvarez, Baty, Kevin Parada, and Alex Ramirez.
Any team demanding a prospect within a team's top 5 for a rental seems to be overplaying its hand, considering the package the Kansas City Royals just got for Andrew Benintendi (no prospects within the Yankees' top 15).
July 30, 5:12 p.m.
The Mets have been linked to Cubs catcher Willson Contreras, who is undoubtedly one of the best players on the trade block.
But an NL West team could very well end up landing him.
According to ESPN's Buster Olney, the San Diego Padres are "involved in conversations" about Contreras, who is hitting .252 with 14 homers and 37 RBI this season.
The Padres are also reportedly in the running to land Juan Soto, so expect to see them make at least one big move ahead of Tuesday's deadline.
July 29, 12:33 p.m.
The Boston Red Sox may decide to sell before the deadline, and have liked Mets prospect Mark Vientos in the past, reports SNY's Andy Martino.
Per Martino, the Mets and Sox once "seriously discussed" a deal that would've brought catcher Christian Vazquez to the Mets for Vientos and more.
In addition to Vazquez, Red Sox DH J.D. Martinez would also be a strong fit for the Mets.
Both Martinez and Vazquez are set for free agency after the season.
It should be noted that the Mets have been reluctant to trade their most highly valued prospects, especially in deals for rental players.
Vientos, 22, is hitting .261/.343/.511 with 18 homers in 72 games this season for Triple-A Syracuse after a breakout 2021 season, where he hit .281/.352/.581 with 25 homers in 83 games for Double-A Binghamton and Syracuse.
July 29, 8:54 a.m.
With trade buzz circling around Los Angeles Angels two-way star Shohei Ohtani, he weighed in on the rumors on Thursday night.
"Regardless of where I'm playing, I'm going to give it my all and try to win that ballgame in front of me," Ohtani told reporters, including Rhett Bollinger of MLB.com. "I'm with the Angels right now and I'm very thankful for what they've done. I love my team and my teammates. Right now, I'm an Angel and that's all I can focus on."
With the Angels having nosedived after a hot start and staring at another lost season, there has been increased speculation that Ohtani could be traded, either now or during the offseason.
Ohtani, who is earning just $5.5 million this season, is arbitration-eligible for a final time in 2023, after which he's set to hit free agency.
July 28, 10:59 p.m.
The Mets made a trade with the Cincinnati Reds on Thursday night, acquiring outfielder Tyler Naquin and minor-league LHP Phillip Diehl.
But don't expect that to be their last move.
According to SNY MLB Insider Andy Martino, the Mets are “working the phones” in search of relief pitchers and “will trade for at least 1 or 2 before long."
With Drew Smith on the IL, the Mets could certainly use upgrades in their pen.
July 28, 12:36 p.m.
The Mets are talking to multiple teams about the next trade they'll make to address their offense, reports SNY's Andy Martino.
Per Martino, Chicago Cubs C Willson Contreras and Baltimore Orioles OF/DH/1B Trey Mancini are still among the options the Mets are exploring. Both Contreras and Mancini are set for free agency after the season
Andrew Benintendi, another rental player the Mets were interested in, was traded from the Kansas City Royals to the Yankees on Wednesday night.
The package the Yanks parted with for Benintendi (which featured three prospects, none who were ranked in their top 18), could be instructive when it comes to what the Mets might have to give up for a player like Mancini.
Contreras could cost more due to the scarcity of impact catchers available.
July 25, 1:37 p.m.
There has been no momentum in trade talks between the Mets and Washington Nationals about DH/1B Josh Bell, reports SNY's Andy Martino.
The Mets have been in on Bell, but the sense is they have a better chance to land Trey Mancini, C.J. Cron or even Willson Contreras.
July 24, 6:50 p.m.
According to the New York Post's Joel Sherman and Jon Heyman, rival executives see the Cardinals having enough in their farm system to trade for Juan Soto, with some viewing them as the frontrunner.
The Cardinals also have plenty of young players who are already in the majors whom the Nats may want.
The Mets and Yankees are part of at least a half-dozen teams who have checked in with the Nats.
Aside from the Cards, Mets and Yanks, the Los Angeles Dodgers, Seattle Mariners, San Diego Padres and San Francisco Giants are all expected to make runs for Soto's services.
July 22, 8:10 p.m.
GM Billy Eppler signaled to reporters before Friday's game against the San Diego Padres, after the Mets traded RHP Colin Holderman for Pittsburgh Pirates 1B/DH Daniel Vogelbach, that New York is not done making moves.
"We're going to be open-minded on everything," Eppler said. "When we can run into some other opportunity and that'll maybe help us score more runs or maybe the next opportunities only help us prevent runs -- and that's fine, too -- we just kind of want to grow that differential, and I think those are signals of strong teams. We want to be right there and do those things, so that's what we'll look for."
Asked specifically about his interest in acquiring a right-handed batter that can hit left-handed pitching more, Eppler kept the Mets' approach general.
"I'll stay open-minded to it, but I wouldn't say -- I generally don't just walk into things with a shopping list," Eppler said. "When I talk to another GM, I just generally frame it as, 'We want to get better and we want to get better in run scoring and run prevention, so what are you open to? What are some maybe points there, some players you may talk about?' And that's how we approach it."
July 22, 10:25 a.m.
The Houston Astros are pursuing Mets target Josh Bell, reports SNY's Andy Martino.
Bell, who is a free agent after the season, is expected to be traded by the Washington Nationals.
In addition to Bell, other DH options the Mets are pursuing include Daniel Vogelbach of the Pittsburgh Pirates, Trey Mancini of the Baltimore Orioles, and C.J. Cron of the Colorado Rockies.
July 21, 4:45 p.m.
The Mets are in "active conversation" with the Pittsburgh Pirates about lefty slugger Daniel Vogelbach, sources tell SNY MLB Insider Andy Martino, with the team also working to try to trade Dominic Smith.
Vogelbach, 29, is hitting .228/.338/.430 with 12 homers, 10 doubles, and 34 RBI in 75 games this season. He is set for free agency after the season.
Meanwhile, Martino reports that trade chatter between the Mets and Nats regarding Juan Soto has died down in recent days, with high-ranking officials believing it to be "an extreme longshot" that Soto ends up in New York.
July 14, 1:47 p.m.
Kansas City Royals OF Andrew Benintendi is not vaccinated against COVID-19, which will likely rule out a trade pursuit by the Yankees. But the Mets -- who, unlike the Yankees, have unvaccinated players -- would have no such pause, reports SNY's Andy Martino.
Benintendi and nine other Royals players are unvaccinated, and prohibited from entering Canada for their upcoming series against the Toronto Blue Jays.
The Mets don't play any road games in Toronto during the regular season. So if they acquire Benintendi, his status would only be a game-related concern if the Mets meet the Blue Jays in the World Series.
Benintendi, 28, is hitting .317/.386/.401 with three homers, two triples, and 14 doubles in 87 games this year. He is set for free agency after the season.
July 12, 10:02 a.m.
In addition to the Mets, the Yankees, Seattle Mariners, St. Louis Cardinals, and Los Angeles Dodgers are among the teams that have reached out to the Cincinnati Reds about a potential trade for RHP Luis Castillo, reports Jim Bowden of The Athletic.
The Reds, at 32-54, are already out of contention, but a trade of Castillo is not close, per The Athletic.
Castillo, 29, is earning $7.35 million this season and is under team control through the 2023 season, so the cost to acquire him will be high.
June 30, 2:45 p.m.
The Mets are looking to trade for a DH and bullpen help, but strongly prefer to use their financial advantage to improve the team -- and are not open to trading their most highly-regarded prospects, reports SNY's Andy Martino.
That could mean taking on a bad contract in order to lower what the Mets might have to otherwise give up via trade.
Per Martino, the Mets know an upgrade at DH is necessary, with Washington Nationals slugger Josh Bell among the possibilities on the trade market.