The New York Mets could be in the market for some second base help at the trade deadline. With Luisangel Acuña back in the minor leagues, Jeff McNeil has seen a lot of time at second base.
While McNeil is a fine second baseman, the team may need his bat in the outfield. Tyrone Taylor has not been great offensively, carrying just a .570 OPS, and McNeil has started to see some time in his place as well. Realistically, the Mets could trade for a center fielder or second baseman, and deploy McNeil in the other spot. However, there may be better second baseman available at the trade deadline than centerfielders.
Ideally, the Mets would want a rental who can play multiple positions in their infield. FanSided's Noah Wright suggested the Mets trade for Willi Castro of the Minnesota Twins. Castro can even play in the outfield if the Mets need him too. He would be an ideal option to give their lineup some flexability, allowing McNeil to play wherever he is most needed on any given day.
"The best part is that Castro can help the Mets out at nearly any position," wrote Wright. "Third base has been a problem for the Mets since the start of June, and Castro has appeared in 80 games at the hot corner since joining the Twins in 2023. Second base has also been a question mark, and is a position that Castro has over 1300 career innings at. If the Mets need help in the outfield, Castro has played nearly 200 games in the grass since ‘23."
Castro was an All-Star last seaosn, and his numbers are even better this year. He is slashing .269/.360/.437 with eight home runs. While Castro is not an elite defender, he would give Carlos Mendoza so many options when building his lineup. Castro is a switch hitter with an OPS+ above 100 against both righties and lefties.
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If struggles at third base continue, the Mets could play Castro there and keep McNeil moving between center field and second base. If Mark Vientos finds the form he was in last year, the Mets could make Castro an everyday second baseman and play McNeil in the outfield. He would give the Mets many options on a nightly basis. He will also be a free agent after the season, meaning he could be a cheaper acquisition.
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