Mets should make a major move at deadline

Give the New York Mets credit, they have been active at the trade deadline for the first time in years. General manager Sandy Alderson is dipping his proverbial toe into the water so far, making a pair of minor deals to bolster the club.

Last week,. Alderson made a trade with the rival Atlanta Braves to acquire Kelly Johnson and Juan Uribe, getting much-needed help in the lineup. Then Alderson dealt with his old pal Billy Beane of the Oakland Athletics, a man Alderson hired over 20 years ago to give him a start on the front office side of things. Beane dealt his mentor closer Tyler Clippard, and in return got minor leaguers.

However, the Mets need to make a serious move if they want to catch the Washington Nationals in the National League East, or keep up with some of the clubs contending for the two wild card spots. New York has plenty of starting pitching both of the young and veteran variety. Noah Syndergaard, Matt Harvey and Jacob deGrom are a trio of phenomenal talent and potential, while Bartolo Colon and Jonathan Niese give the Mets some saavy.

Yet, even with the additions of Johnson and Uribe, and the potential return of third baseman David Wright at some point in August, the Mets need more help. The offense has been nothing short of dreadful, and it needs to be fixed with a big bat. Luckily for Alderson, there are a few to be had for the right price.

Even though they are playing coy, the Detroit Tigers know that they are done. Detorit has an aging club that needs to be retooled, especially with some of the contracts (see Justin Verlander) looking worse by the day. General manager Dave Dombrowski would like to start building for the future before that thing goes south in a major way, and can begin to do that by dealing left fielder Yoenis Cespedes.

Cespedes only have one year remaining on his contract and is only owed about $4 million for the rest of the season. Cespedes would give the Mets some power, major flair and a nice touch of speed. The 29-year-old Cuban is hitting .289 with 17 home runs and 58 RBI.

Then there is Justin Upton of the San Diego Padres. Upton has bounced around recently – much like Cespedes – but not because he can’t play. Upton is one of the few players who would have no problem hitting balls out of Citi Field, showcasing his raw power this year with 16 home runs and 50 RBI in the massive Petco Park. Upton would give the Mets a player who they can build around, along with a bat other pitchers are genuinely nervous to face.

It’s time for New York to make a move.