Building the perfect trade deadline for Yankees, Mets

NEW YORK -- Once upon a time, just a few months ago, dreams of a Subway World Series danced across the five boroughs. The Yankees brought back most of a roster that had won 94 games in 2025 before making an early October exit. The Mets blew it all up, looking to rebound from a stunning collapse that ended on the final day of the regular season. Both were considered World Series contenders. So much for that. The Mets dashed those dreams early by becoming one of the worst teams in the majors despite carrying baseball's second-highest payroll, trailing only the two-time defending champion Los Angeles Dodgers. As a result, the Mets roster will look very different -- again -- when the trade deadline passes Monday at 6 p.m. ET. The Yankees, meanwhile, are still in the running for title No. 28, occupying the top American League wild-card spot. A year ago, general manager Brian Cashman acquired seven players in the week leading up to the deadline, effectively transforming his bullpen and bench on the fly. This year, Cashman is looking for quality over quantity to bolster an injury-riddled roster that is currently without All-Star outfielders Aaron Judge and Cody Bellinger. In short, New York's franchises have two very different objectives for this trade deadline. In a perfect world, here are three things each would accomplish. New York Yankees 1. Acquire Mason Miller The Yankees -- by ERA and Win Probability Added -- have had the best bullpen in the majors since June 1. Closer David Bednar hasn't allowed a run in 20 appearances dating back to May 22. So, why would the Yankees pay a huge price for another closer? Because there's nobody like Mason Miller, who would give the Yankees a shutdown relief corps for the stretch run and anchor the bullpen for the next three seasons, at a bargain rate, with Bednar heading to free agency this winter. History suggests Cashman prefers to acquire players at the trade deadline who have multiple seasons of control -- examples over the past two years include Bednar, Jazz Chisholm Jr., Jose Caballero and Ryan McMahon -- and Miller checks that box. More importantly, Miller is the best reliever in baseball. He throws 103 mph. He has 83 strikeouts in 44⅔ innings. He has given up one -- yes, one -- extra-base hit. His ERA is a slim 0.81. His FIP is a slimmer 0.55. Adding him would slide the Yankees' high-leverage relievers -- Bednar, Brent Headrick, Fernando Cruz and Paul Blackburn -- down the pecking order as they look to shorten games in October. The cost would be steep. The Yankees probably won't budge on adding top prospect George Lombard Jr. in any trade, but these front offices linked up for the Juan Soto blockbuster in December 2023, and the Yankees can offer what the Padres desire most: A good major league starting pitcher with years of control (Will Warren or Ryan Weathers), plus prospects. If Miller doesn't happen, Padres left-hander Adrian Morejon, an All-Star last season and a free agent this offseason, would make for a good consolation prize. 2. Acquire Ryan Jeffers (and re-sign him this winter) Judge has not played a game since May 31 because of a rib stress fracture. In related news, the Yankees' offense has been one of the worst in baseball since June 1, ranking 26th in runs scored, 30th in batting average, 30th in on-base percentage and 27th in wRC+. The Yankees have also been without Giancarlo Stanton since April and lost Bellinger over the weekend for four to six weeks because of a hamstring strain. The offense needs a boost, and catcher is where they need one the most. Yankees catchers have been dreadful -- they're 28th in batting average (.186), 27th in on-base percentage (.267), 29th in slugging percentage (.291) and tied for 28th in wRC+ (58) across baseball this season. The anemic production comes from three players: Austin Wells, Ali Sanchez, and J.C. Escarra. Wells, a colossal disappointment in his third full season, has remained in the majors all year, while Sánchez was called up from Triple-A in June to replace Escarra and give the Yankees a right-handed-hitting option. It hasn't made a difference. Now, it's time for an external upgrade. There are several possibilities. They range from solid impending free agents -- such as Tyler Stephenson of the Cincinnati Reds and Jonah Heim of the Athletics -- to solid catchers with multiple years of control -- such as the Mets' Luis Torrens and Francisco Alvarez -- to a pair of All-Star-level contributors who might be an ideal fit. One of them, Hunter Goodman, is a two-time All-Star with the Colorado Rockies under club control through 2029. Goodman has 31 home runs and an .888 OPS this season and offers a long-term solution but would come at a higher cost. The other, Ryan Jeffers of the Minnesota Twins, is a free agent this offseason and would require a lighter package. Jeffers recently returned from a broken hamate and is having a career year, batting .293 with a .930 OPS in 46 games. The pick here is Jeffers, considering, in this scenario, the Yankees already would be surrendering quite the haul for Miller. With Trent Grisham and Jazz Chisholm Jr. among their position players hitting free agency, the Yankees could re-sign Jeffers this winter. That is, of course, if the Twins are willing to trade him first. With the Twins in both the AL Central and wild-card races, that is far from a guarantee. Jeffers would supply a much-needed jolt to a struggling lineup. And with so much uncertainty surrounding three of their four best hitters, the Yankees could use some premium offensive insurance -- not merely an upgrade at catcher. 3. Acquire Zach Neto or another impact hitter The Yankees shouldn't stop with Jeffers. They were already looking around for a right-handed-hitting outfielder before Bellinger went on the injured list. His absence for at least the next month only amplifies this need. While the Yankees expect Bellinger, Judge and Stanton to return this season, nothing is certain, and the current outfield mix of Grisham, Jasson Dominguez, Max Schuemann and Spencer Jones is not championship caliber. There are many available right-handed hitters, particularly outfielders. The possibilities in the outfield include Taylor Ward, Jo Adell, Heliot Ramos, Lane Thomas and Spencer Steer, who was placed on the IL on Monday and is expected to miss at least two weeks because of a wrist sprain. Ward is the best of the bunch, with a .386 on-base percentage this season, while Adell has real power and Ramos is a lefty masher with three years of control beyond this season. Any of them would help. The Yankees could also expand the search and target a left-side infielder regardless of handedness at the plate. The three leading candidates are shortstops: Neto (of the Los Angeles Angels), CJ Abrams of the Washington Nationals, Jeremy Pena of the Houston Astros or Otto Lopez of the Miami Marlins. All of them are under team control for at least one year beyond this season, which means the cost of any of them will be high, if they're dealt at all. Lombard is considered the Yankees' shortstop of the future, but they could use an established upgrade for the remainder of 2026, then move the acquisition to second base in 2027 with Chisholm hitting free agency. New York Mets 1. Unload Freddy Peralta, Luis Robert Jr. and other impending free agents The Mets' trade deadline wish list begins with unloading all of their impending free agents as they pivot to 2027 and beyond. The names include right-handed starters Peralta and Clay Holmes; left-handed relievers A.J. Minter and Brooks Raley; and outfielders Robert and Tyrone Taylor. Finding a team to take Robert could require the Mets to pay down some of his remaining salary -- he's making $20 million this season and is due $5.8 million after Aug. 3 -- but the market lacks prominent right-handed hitters. Robert, despite his extensive injury history, could tempt a team into taking a chance for little prospect capital. The others should be easier to move. Holmes, who had a 2.39 ERA in nine starts before breaking a fibula in mid-May, is one of the best starting pitchers on the market. The right-hander made his second rehab start Tuesday and could make his next start in the majors after he's traded. Peralta has been a disappointment, with a 4.99 ERA, but his track record and relatively low salary (he's owed $2.3 million after Aug. 3) make him attractive. Taylor, a glove-first outfielder beloved by teammates, has been on an offensive tear lately, with six home runs and a 1.094 OPS over his past 15 games. Contenders are always thirsty for bullpen help, and Raley (2.09 ERA) and Minter (2.45) have been effective. 2. Get a big return for relievers Luke Weaver and Huascar Brazobán The Mets' front office is walking a tightrope between moving on from 2026 and fielding a contending team in 2027. Right-handers Weaver and Brazobán, the team's two best relievers, would help the Mets next season, but they could also fetch them a haul on the trade market. Both are available ahead of Monday's deadline. Brazobán is 36, but he was a late bloomer -- he was 32 when he debuted in 2022 -- and is under team control through 2029. Weaver is in the first year of a two-year, $22 million contract. Relievers can be fickle year to year, but the Mets unlocked something in Brazobán, and Weaver has established himself as a top-tier bullpen arm over the past three seasons. Brazobán has pitched to a 2.66 ERA in 44 appearances in a versatile role, and Weaver owns a 1.93 ERA in 40 games. In a recent stretch, Weaver didn't allow an earned run in 28⅓ innings across 25 appearances. Relievers are never more valued than at the trade deadline; the Mets can capitalize on that for some long-term value. 3. Acquire Reid Detmers or another starter for 2027 (and beyond) On Friday, president of baseball operations David Stearns noted that the starting rotation is "an area we're going to have to look to supplement as we head to '27." One avenue for that is acquiring a starting pitcher under team control beyond this season. The problem: The price for good, controllable starting pitchers is steep. The Angels have two notable potential options in left-hander Detmers and right-hander Jose Soriano. Other potential targets include Joe Ryan, though the Twins are unlikely to trade the right-hander, and Emerson Hancock and Luis Castillo of the Seattle Mariners. Maybe the Mets offer the Yankees one of their catchers -- Alvarez or Torrens -- as part of a package for Warren, Weathers, Elmer Rodriguez or Clarke Schmidt, who is slated to come off the IL next month after undergoing Tommy John surgery. The Mets' playoff hopes have vanished, but that doesn't mean they're not looking to acquire major league talent for 2027 and beyond.