The Philadelphia Phillies and New York Mets have mirrored each other in so many ways to begin 2025.
After the Wild Card Mets took down the division champion Phillies in the 2024 playoffs, the two teams have duked it out for first place all season. When one gets hot, the other gets cold, and the two teams have exchanged the lead in the division a combined nine times so far.
Ironically enough, both teams also look to be seeking center fielders at the trade deadline. In fact, they might be the only two contenders with a real hunger to improve at the position.
In that light, it's no real surprise to see that a pair of ESPN insiders, Jeff Passan and Kiley McDaniel, foresee a chance that the two clubs could battle over the most likely center fielder to get dealt at the Jul. 31 trade deadline.
On Tuesday, Passan and McDaniel assigned Baltimore Orioles center fielder Cedric Mullins a 70 percent chance of being traded, while naming the Mets, Phillies, and Cleveland Guardians as the three "best fits" for his services.
"Mullins is a 30-year-old center fielder in a contract year who contributes in a number of ways, but his power numbers are trending up this season and are at their best since 2021," Passan and McDaniel wrote.
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The 2021 season was Mullins' only All-Star campaign, and it doesn't look like he's headed back in 2025. His defense has taken a step back this year as well, as he currently has -14 defensive runs saved on the season, bringing his career total to -10.
However, power talks, and Mullins has 12 home runs, compared to two combined by Phillies center fielders, which is last in all of Major League Baseball.
It will be intriguing to see whether the Mets and Phillies duke it out over Mullins, but a lot can still change ahead of the Jul. 31 deadline.
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