The Mets and defending NL East Champion Phillies are currently in a blood bath of a division race. Both teams need seemingly the exact same pieces entering Thursday’s MLB Trade Deadline, making the next few days perhaps the biggest of the season for both teams.

Below I’ll be ranking every trade my Mets make before the clock strikes three quarters midnight on July 31.

Mets acquire LHP Gregory Soto from Orioles for RHP Wellington Aracena and RHP Cameron Foster

In a move that officially sent the first pieces of the deadline past ‘Go’, general manager David Stearns acquired a monopoly on the Sotos of MLB, bringing in veteran left handed reliever Gregory Soto to help sure up an overtaxed Mets bullpen.

Soto fills a position of need for the Mets – the team had been playing a game of DFA hot potato with the likes of Dicky Lovelady, José Castillo, Brandon Waddell, and Gènesis Cabrera since A.J Minter suffered a season ending injury early in the season – and on the surface, I like the move.

A 30-year-old reliever, Soto eats up rival, specifically left-handed bats, especially the few that happen to be the biggest pain in the ass for the Mets. Nick Castellanos, Kyle Schwarber, Shohei Othani, J.T. Realmuto and Freddie Freeman are a combined 1-14 with 6 strikeouts against him. That’ll play.

This move, especially considering it was the one that bought Baltic Avenue and not Boardwalk, or even Marvin Gardens, is fine. Soto has pitched in a couple of games with the Mets so far and has looked the part.

Other than a near air-mail throw to second base against the Padres, the former Oriole has looked composed following his secession from beautiful, yet dysfunctional, Camden Yards to the war-torn National League East race.

If I was just grading the move based on how much I liked Soto it’d be an A-, but it’s getting a B- from me. I’m the furthest thing from a “prospect hugger”, but David Stearns gave up too much. Baltimore punted on its season well before the special teamers on the Ravens reported to OTAs.

Soto is a 30-year-old rental on a bad team that was nowhere near the list of coveted pitchers on the market. David Stearns likely could have acquired him for the equipment manager in Binghamton and a season pass to the National Aquarium.

Maybe Wellington Aracena will just be another Domingo Tapia or Justin Dunn. I don’t know. At least Dicky Lovelady and the band of misfit noodle arms no longer have any “Get Out Of Jail Free’ cards. 

Final Grade: B-

Mets acquire RHP Tyler Rogers from Giants for RHP Josè Butto, RHP Blade Tidwell and OF Drew Gilbert

There’s a meme saved in my camera roll of Tom Holland’s Spider Man looking up at the Washington Monument with both hands on his head and a dumbfounded look on his face (or mask?). The caption of the meme is promptly titled “Breaking News… Holy (expletive) (expletive).

That pretty much sums up how I felt when Keith Raad broke the news to me through the tiny speaker on my Iphone 13 Mini. 

My phone may not be big, but Rogers arm sure is. The submarining right hander refuses to implode under pressure and will be an extremely welcomed edition when he passes through the airport gate near the Pacific Ocean towards the Atlantic. 

The 34-year-old not only has a 1.80 era on the season and 2.79 era for his career, but he doesn’t walk people (1.7 career BB/9) or allow home runs (0.6 career HR/9). This guy is an ELITE set up option for the ELITE closer already on New York’s roster.

As for the haul David Stearns shipped away… it’s a lot. Drew Gilbert was a spark plug during his days at Tennessee and has shown much of that same energy throughout his journey in the minors. Jòse Butto possesses great stuff and should finally get another opportunity to start (which he he deserves), and Blade Tidwell has a cool name.

The willingness of the front office to remove Drew Gilbert from the picture certainly seems like a signal they’ll acquire a center fielder with years of control before the deadline. If they don’t, this move is not only reckless, but possibly stupid.

David Stearns is neither of those things. The Mets aren’t done. At least I hope not. I’m giving the Rogers acquisition an A-, although it would be a B+ if not for the fact Gilbert and Tidwell were Tennessee Volunteers. War Eagle.

Final Grade: A-

Mets acquire RHP Ryan Helsley from Cardinals for SS Jesus Baez, RHP Nate Dohm and RHP Frank Elissalt

I surely didn’t expect to be updating this blog post again today after the Tyler Rogers news, but here we are.

Mere minutes after the Philadelphia Phillies made their inaugural move of the deadline by securing the best reliever on the market in Jhoan Duran, David Stearns shot right back by adding Philadelphia 2022 playoff hero Ryan Helsley to what is now – with the statistics of Rogers and Helsley included – the best bullpen in baseball.

The 30-year-old right hander is having an “off year” according to his standards, but still has a lethal arsenal among the best in MLB. A 2.67 career era closer, Hesley has 105 career saves, including 21 this season. 

I really wish I had more words to write about this move, but the timing and significance have me at somewhat of a loss. David Stearns is not playing around. He’s doing so without moving the top prospects in the organization.

Jesus Baez might turn into a star. If/when he does, the Mets current core (excluding Juan Soto) won’t be nearly as productive as they are right now. 

This ain’t a scene, it’s an arms race. The fallout of which could be felt by the farm systems of the Mets and Phillies for years. Oh boy.

Grade: A

Mets acquire CF Cendric Mullins from Orioles for RHP Raimon Gomez, RHP Anthony Nunez and RHP Chandler Marsh

The White Sox are the dumbest organization in sports. I’d like to think David Stearns hung up the phone on general manager Chris Getz as soon as he began mouthing the first name Jonah, but most likely, he sternly explained to Getz he shold get(z) lost if he thinks any front office views his center fielder as more than a rental.

Those frustrating conversations are what led to this move. A low risk, high reward trade for a center fielder with Juan Lagares-like leaping ability and a pleasant power stroke that should create some more souvenirs for fans in the Coca Cola Corner. 

Kind of like Helsley, Mullins is having a down year by his standards. The thing is, the North Carolina native’s slash line of .229/.305/.433 is about 15 tar heel lengths better than what Tyrone Taylor has given the Mets offensively (.201/.258/.295) this year. 

Mullins lengthens New York’s lineup without sacrificing the defense the aforementioned Taylor provides in the outfield. On top of that, he’s reportedly just a chill guy that will bring good vibes into the dugout. And if you know anything about the Mets of the last year and a half, vibes are everything.

David Stearns moved three prospects that project as relief pitchers at the big league level. This move is beautiful. New York is a Sandy Alcantara or Edward Cabrera away from putting together one of the best deadlines in franchise history.

Grade: A

Final Deadline Grade: A-

David Stearns cooked here. The Mets went into the deadline needing at least two elite bullpen arms and an upgrade in center field. They got just that.

While a starter would have make this deadline an A+, this team is now good enough to compete for a World Series. 

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