Mets Should Add Fireballer With 'Big-Time' Stuff To Bolster Pitching Depth

New York should be in the market for a hurler at the upcoming trade deadline

Jun 27, 2024; Chicago, Illinois, USA; Chicago White Sox pitcher Michael Kopech (34) reacts after a game against the Colorado Rockies at Guaranteed Rate Field. Mandatory Credit: Matt Marton-USA TODAY Sports / Matt Marton-USA TODAY Sports

If the New York Mets can continue to play like they have recently they certainly will be looking to add at the trade deadline in three weeks.

New York may not swing a blockbuster deal for someone like Chicago Cubs superstar Cody Bellinger or Detroit Tigers ace Tarik Skubal, but they still could improve the roster with a smaller move. The Mets have plenty of talent and the bullpen is the biggest area that needs to be addressed.

One player who could be a solid option for the Mets would be Chicago White Sox fireballer Michael Kopech. His numbers don't look great this season, but he still boasts one of the best fastballs in baseball and is under team control in 2025.

Kopech is in the 99th percentile in fastball velocity, 82nd percentile in expected batting average against, and 90th percentile in strikeout percentage so there is reason to have hope that he can turn things around in the near future.

The 28-year-old was called one of the top hurlers who could be traded at the July 30th deadline by CBS Sports' R.J. Anderson.

"When it comes right down to it, player evaluation's main goal is figuring out what comes next," Anderson said. "Oftentimes, what a player has done can provide hints; sometimes, not so much. There are cases, and clearly we mean like Kopech's, where teams will overlook meager or lacking topline performance in pursuit of glimmering innate traits. Kopech has struggled with walks and home runs dating back to last season, but we're confident some enterprising clubs will view him as a worthy buy-low candidate.

"Why? Because it seems to these eyes that he has a big-time arsenal that could lend itself to him serving as a late-inning stopper with the right supervision. Add in how he has an additional season of team control to get it right, and we expect his market to be more robust than you'd think."

Kopech may not have great numbers so far this season, but he could add some intriguing swing-and-miss stuff to the Mets' bullpen while also providing even more help next season.

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