Mets Trade Rumors: New York Will Look for All Types of Pitching Help at Deadline

The New York Mets are dealing with a number of injuries to their starting rotation, and they will reportedly look to address their pitching depth across the roster ahead of the Aug. 2 trade deadline.

Andy Martino of SNY reported the National League East team "will not merely be looking at late-inning relief help over the next two months, but quality pitching more generally, even though they expect to have Jacob deGrom, Max Scherzer and Tylor Megill back."

That the Mets will be a buyer at the deadline is anything but a surprise.

After all, they leads the NL East by nine games at 38-19 after not making the playoffs since the 2016 campaign. This is a golden opportunity to not only reach the postseason, but to also challenge for their first title since the famed 1986 group that defeated the Boston Red Sox in the World Series.

Scherzer and Megill haven't pitched since May, and deGrom is yet to take the mound this season.

While deGrom and Scherzer are two of the best pitchers in baseball and will give the Mets a dominant one-two punch in any playoff series, the team also needs more arms to get through the long season.

What's more, Martino noted "the way teams have game-planned in the postseason in recent years" is also one reason New York is interested in starters in addition to potential bullpen trade candidates such as David Robertson and Andrew Chafin.

Starters can shift to the bullpen in October and help cover all-important innings in the middle of games, which also keeps the elite arms healthier as the pursuit of a World Series continues.

Getting a middle-of-the-road starter who can do just that may be the route New York chooses, because it does not want to trade top prospects like catcher Francisco Alvarez and third baseman Brett Baty, per Martino.

That could limit their ability to land a game-changer, but they already have two of those in deGrom and Scherzer. Additional depth may be the key for a deep playoff run.