National League Foe Seen As 'Best Match' To Acquire Mets Star This Summer

The Mets will have a tough decision to make with the trade deadline looming

Jun 18, 2024; Arlington, Texas, USA; New York Mets pitcher Luis Severino (40) throws a pitch in the fourth inning against the Texas Rangers at Globe Life Field. Mandatory Credit: Tim Heitman-USA TODAY Sports / Tim Heitman-USA TODAY Sports

The 2024 Major League Baseball trade deadline is about five weeks away and the New York Mets are one of the most intriguing teams to keep an eye on.

New York has been inconsistent this season but has been red-hot lately and continued its hot streak on Tuesday night by taking down the New York Yankees.

The Mets have plenty of talent and should be able to compete for a playoff spot -- especially in a weak National League -- but things didn't go as planned for the team to begin the season. New York should be looking to add, if the the club starts racking up losses again, major changes could be coming.

One player who has been mentioned as a trade option on multiple occasions and seems like the club's most likely trade chip at this point is starting pitcher Luis Severino. He will be a free agent at the end of the season and certainly could help a contender down the stretch if the Mets sell.

The team that is seen as the "best match" to land Severino is the San Diego Padres, according to ESPN's Jeff Passan.

"Best match: Luis Severino," Passan said. "The Padres are pot committed, and they're a starter -- OK, maybe two -- away from taking control of one of the NL wild-card slots. Severino fits almost all of their needs. He's been very good with a 3.29 ERA over 90 1/3 innings in 15 starts for the Mets.

"His slider is a true out pitch, elite in shape and outcome. And with San Diego's budgetary concerns, he would be coming from an organization that just last year was willing to eat tens of millions of dollars when the Mets traded starters Justin Verlander and Max Scherzer. With Yu Darvish suffering a setback in his attempt to return from the injured list, Dylan Cease, Michael King, and Matt Waldron are the only three reliable starters in San Diego's rotation."

While it isn't a guarantee that Severino will be moved, it's clear there will be interest in him at least.

More MLB: Angels All-Star Could Be Traded Soon; Should Mets Join Sweepstakes?