In 1969 and 1986 when the New York Mets captured their only two World Series titles, they had an elite pitching staff. The organization has reached the postseason three times since 2015, and all of those times they had a strong starting rotation as well.
Historically when the Mets do well, it's because of the pitching. With that being said, in 2024 New York needs to come out with better pitching, as they had 4.31 team ERA in 2023, which ranked 19th in MLB.
Mets owner Steve Cohen banked on Max Scherzer and Justin Verlander to be the team's aces, and it didn't pay off at all. Both are now pitching for new teams in the LCS, but New York did acquire a few elite prospects in return.
New York did bring in Kodai Senga from the NPB in Japan last offseason, which paid off vastly. In his first season with the Mets, he pitched to a 12-7 record with a 2.98 ERA. The 30-year-old asserted himself as a top pitcher in the National League in 2023, but New York needs more.
The Mets have a few solid trade chips at their disposal to get a pitcher or two. Former NL Batting Champion Jeff McNeil's name has been thrown out there as a potential trade candidate, and they also have a ton of intriguing prospects in their farm system.
Cohen hired David Stearns as President of Baseball Operations to fix the problems with this team, and one of the biggest issues right now is the pitching. With just one reliable option right now, here are three pitchers the Mets can trade for over the offseason to make the 2024 playoffs:
3. Milwaukee Brewers, Corbin Burnes
The New York Mets have reportedly been interested in trading for the Milwaukee Brewers ace Corbin Burnes for a while now. With Stearns coming from Milwaukee, we could see a deal between the two teams this offseason.
Burnes has been one of the best starters in the NL since 2020 and the three-time All-Star is just entering his prime too, as he's only 29 years old. The Brewers could be inclined to trade him with one year on his rookie contract remaining, and the fact that the organization might look to rebuild.
Stearns could use some of his young prospects to ship away for Burnes, as the Mets could seriously use the former Cy Young. Going into 2023 the team had to bank on the aging aces, but if they got Burnes he would be another ace for the Mets in the prime years of their career.
The Brewers ace had three consecutive All-Star appearances since 2021 and has rarely missed time. In his last three seasons, Burnes has a 33-21 record with a 2.94 ERA.
In 2023, the Mets had the 19th-ranked rotation in MLB. With the rumors of Burnes being on Milwaukee's trade block, New York should be on the phone once the offseason officially begins.
2. Tampa Bay Rays, Tyler Glasnow
The Tampa Bay Rays are rumored to be interested in dealing Tyler Glasnow this offseason, and the Mets could be the perfect team to send him off too.
It wouldn't take as big of a trade package to acquire the Rays starter as some of the other pitchers on the block this offseason. Glasnow is an effective starter, but his flaws cannot be ignored.
The 30-year-old has never had a season with 30 starts. His career high in games started was 2023 with 21. Glasnow also has a terrible track record in the playoffs, as he has a 2-6 career record in the postseason.
When healthy, Glasnow is a reliable starter though. He does have elite potential, but his health prevents him from showing it consistently. In 2019 he pitched to a 1.78 ERA but only started 12 games. 2021 was very similar, as the veteran had a 2.66 ERA in 14 starts.
If the Mets don't want to give up a haul, but still improve the staff then the Rays starter could be the right guy to trade for. If New York does end up making a deal for Glasnow with Tampa Bay this offseason, it will certainly be a risky move.
1. Cleveland Guardians, Shane Bieber
Among starting pitchers who've appeared in at least 110 games since 2019, Shane Bieber has the fourth-best ERA, with a 3.06. Injuries held him back from being at the top of his game in 2023, but the former Cy Young has been one of the most consistent starters in baseball for the past few years.
At just 28 years old, Bieber has a lot of good years left. The Mets would be a great fit for Bieber, as they could use long-term stability after failing with the aging aces experiment.
Outside of this season and 2021, Bieber has rarely missed time. In 2022, the 2x All-Star threw 200 innings, all while holding his ERA to 2.88.
Not only would Bieber offer the Mets consistency, but he also can dominate opposing teams. His Cy Young season was truly remarkable, as he held a 1.63 ERA while leading the league in strikeouts and wins.
The Guardians could use some young talent, especially considering Gavin Williams and Tanner Bibee are ready to take over the rotation after impressive rookie seasons.
Cleveland would be a perfect fit for some of New York's top prospects, as the Mets have quite a few intriguing young players in the minors. With Bieber having just one year remaining on his rookie contract, the Guardians could think about moving him so they don't lose him for nothing.
If the Mets were to trade for Bieber, that would give them another high-level pitcher atop the rotation. With the struggles the rotation faced in the 2023 season, Stearns's first order of business should be bringing in reliable pitching. Going after the former Cy Young might just be the move to make if the Mets want to reach the 2024 playoffs.