Could the New York Mets actually care more about finding offense at the trade deadline than pitching?
Coming into the season, the Mets looked to have one of the most stacked lineups in baseball, but an iffy, half-injured starting rotation. Instead, every pitching acquisition the Mets have made has paid off handsomely, while the offense has just been good instead of great.
The Mets expect that eventually, superstar Juan Soto will kick into gear and the whole lineup will get a boost as a result. But contending teams typically look to stockpile big bats anyway, and a Baltimore Orioles star might be the biggest name available this summer.
Ryan O’Hearn, a first baseman/outfielder/designated hitter who will be a free agent after the season, has been crushing the ball in Baltimore. With the Orioles 11 games under .500 entering play on Sunday, he looks like a prime trade candidate.
On Sunday, Noah Wright of FanSided listed O’Hearn among potential trade fits for the Mets, especially if Jesse Winker’s injury lasts for most of the summer.
“O’Hearn was picked up by the Orioles in the 2022-2023 offseason for cash from the KC Royals. After two quality seasons at the plate, O’Hearn is now putting up career-best numbers, including a .317/.402/.505 triple-slash, .396 wOBA, and 162 wRC+. He already has nine home runs across 214 plate appearances,” Wright wrote.
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“If the Mets need a lefty-hitting DH option, O’Hearn would be the best by far. He’s having a very underrated season, and if the Mets need someone to support Starling Marte at DH, O’Hearn is the answer.
O’Hearn, 30, could be the best bat traded this summer. The fit might not be perfect, but his ability to play a few positions would allow the Mets to keep him in the lineup at least against right-handed pitching.
Allegiance to Winker could easily be superseded by New York’s desire to put O’Hearn’s surging bat in their lineup.
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