The New York Mets shocked the baseball world Monday night by reportedly coming to terms with reliever Devin Williams on a three-year deal. While he stays in New York, Williams will shift from the Bronx to Queens and pitch for the other side in the Subway Series rivalry.
Despite adding Williams, the Mets know work is far from over when it comes to additions in the pitching department. The team could reportedly still bring back Edwin Diaz to pair with Williams. That was singlehandedly their biggest downfall last season, and David Stearns is not going to let it happen again.
As a result, Joel Reuter is urging the Mets to push for Kansas City Royals ace Cole Ragans after reports are emerging that he could be traded this winter.
“Seth Lugo and Michael Wacha are both solid veterans, but their salaries limit their trade appeal, leaving controllable ace Cole Ragans as the arm capable of bringing back a lineup-altering return,” Reuter wrote for Bleacher Report. “The Mets are in clear need of rotation help, but would they be willing to drain the farm system to acquire it?”
Here is the full breakdown of Reuter’s hypothetical trade:
Coughing up two of an organization’s top-five prospects is a very steep price for the Mets to pay to land Ragans. Ragans’ numbers this past year didn’t indicate he is worthy of being traded for this large a package, but his previous 1 1/2 seasons with the organization show he is extremely valuable. In his last full season, Ragans pitched to a 3.14 ERA in 32 starts en route to becoming an All-Star.
Ragans is under control through the 2028 season, so the Mets would have him for three seasons before potentially losing him to free agency. He would instantly become the ace of the pitching staff ahead of Clay Holmes and Nolan McLean. While the price may seem steep, Stearns should definitely consider it if his goal is to win a World Series.
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