David Stearns begins his work to bolster Mets' roster for tight NL East with Phillies

New York Post

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00:00The Mets, they continue to make moves in a tight NL playoff race,

00:03and their latest addition is a power arm to help stabilize a stretch bullpen.

00:07On Friday, the Mets, they traded for reliever Gregory Soto from the Orioles,

00:11but with the trade deadline fast approaching,

00:13this might not be the last move that David Stearns makes.

00:16Could Dylan Cease be next?

00:18Is an impact bat still on the shopping list for the Metropolitans?

00:22Joining me to break it all down is the New York Post Mets beat writer.

00:26His name is Mike Puma, and he's with me now from the West Coast.

00:29Mike, how you doing?

00:30Dexter, how are you?

00:31I'm good, man. I'm good.

00:33Mets making moves. It is trade season.

00:35So let's start with the move that's official,

00:37the Mets adding Gregory Soto here to the team, to their bullpen.

00:42What's your initial reaction to the trade,

00:45and how do you see Soto fitting in to this relief course right away?

00:51Yeah, and David Stearns has identified the bullpen

00:55kind of as the Mets' biggest focal point here, heading to July 31st,

01:00and particularly lefty relief because you have to remember now you had A.J. Minter and Danny Young

01:07go down early in the season, your two lefty relievers.

01:10It's been a scramble since then to fill that, and they just got Brooks Raley back after the All-Star break,

01:18and he's looked good in his first few appearances here.

01:21But Soto's a big arm, strikeout, a lot of swing and miss with him.

01:28So this looks like a good addition here to help bolster this bullpen.

01:36Yeah, it looks good so far, and you just mentioned it there with the big arm of Soto.

01:40He's got closing experience, which should help as well, too.

01:43Bring some nasty stuff from the left side.

01:45You talked about them needing a lefty, and with Diaz's role unclear for the future right now

01:50with the fact that he could opt out after the season,

01:52could you see Soto becoming a trusted late-inning option

01:55and maybe even getting some save opportunities if needed down the stretch for the Mets?

02:00Yeah, and they're going to need different guys in the ninth inning.

02:04We saw that this past week where, you know, Diaz pitches two days in a row,

02:12and you get to the third day, and you need somebody else.

02:14And Ryan Stanek's been doing it, and he's been better lately.

02:19You know, before the All-Star break, he had blown a few save opportunities.

02:23But they need more.

02:26You know, Reid Garrett's another guy with the kind of arm that can do it.

02:31So the more options you have, the better.

02:34Yeah, always good when you've got some more options there in that pen.

02:38I want to switch over to the rumor mill here for a second, Mike,

02:40because Dylan Cease's name of the Padres keeps coming up.

02:43We know the Mets have at least shown some interest.

02:46Do you think that Cease is the type of impact arm that would be worth parting with a top prospect for here for the Mets

02:53if they were going to make a trade for Cease?

02:55Is he the kind of guy you'd have to?

02:57Yeah, it depends what the asking price would be.

03:01And listen, in talking to Mets people, they feel that the starting pitching market is so thin right now

03:09that they would have to hit the jackpot, really, to land a starter here before the deadline.

03:15Doesn't mean it won't happen, but they feel it's a slim chance that there's not a lot of deals to be made out there.

03:25And the ones that are, the arms that are available, the asking prices are too astronomical.

03:31So let's just say I'd be surprised if Dylan Cease is here.

03:37All right, be shocked if Dylan Cease is in Flushing.

03:40Last thing for me here, Mike, if you're David Stearns and you could just make one more move before the deadline,

03:46are you going for another arm in the bullpen?

03:50Do you look to bolster the lineup with an impact bat?

03:52How do you think David Stearns might play it here?

03:55Yeah, if I only had one more move to make, I think I'd still go for another reliever.

04:00You know, I know the lineup has underperformed for much of the season,

04:06but I still think that the ammunition is there and that they'll get enough out of this lineup.

04:14Whereas, you know, you get into September and then into the postseason,

04:21it's the arms that ultimately make the difference.

04:23And all it takes is an injury or two to really upset that apple cart.

04:28We saw that in June with what they went through with all the pitchers on the IL.

04:34So if I had one more move to make, it would be to get that other reliever.

04:39All right.

04:40See if the Mets do that.

04:41Will they bolster the bullpen?

04:42Will they try to impact the lineup?

04:44Trade deadline coming up in less than a week.

04:47But trade season officially beginning today as the Mets get Gregory Soto adding that arm to the bullpen.

04:53That is Mike Puma covering the Mets out on the West Coast as they open up their series with the Giants this weekend.

04:58Mike, we appreciate the time.

04:59Talk to you soon.

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