“This could be the end of the Mets core pitching staff …” –Different Matt
NEW YORK, NY – With the All-Star Game in the rear-view mirror, most of baseball will begin their trudge towards the finish line today, as the second half of the season gets underway. 
The Yankees and Mets went into the break going in different directions…
The Yanks have the best record in the American League and sit atop the A.L. East, six and a half games ahead of the Tampa Bay Rays and nine games up on the [Bloody] Red Sox.
The Mets start the second half of the season ten games under .500, 13.5 games behind the Braves in the N.L. East and 7 games out of the Wild Card.
The Pinstripers start the second half with a home stand against the Blue Jays, Rays, and Rockies in a stretch that could put the A.L. East race almost out of reach or could bring both the Rays and Sox back into the fold. Luke Voit and Giancarlo Stanton should return to the team over the next couple of weeks to give an already formidable lineup an added boost.
The Bombers will be looking to add a starting pitcher or two by the July 31st trade deadline. They’re still without Luis Severino, who hasn’t even begun throwing yet and will be starting his season from scratch when he does. It will be a race to get him back and get him enough innings of work for a possible playoff run. Yet, they’ve gotten by without their ace this season, thanks to an offense that hits an astounding number of home runs and a bullpen that has essentially been lights-out from the fifth inning on. We’ll see what Brian Cashman has up his [short] sleeve(s) over the next few weeks as we approach the trade deadline.
Then Mets have had a disappointing first half to say the least. New GM Brody Van Wagenen’s splashes last off-season have not paid off for the Amazins, as they find themselves with the second worst record in the National League, ahead of only the Miami Marlins. You can bet Derek Jeter is barfing someplace.
Los Metsies will be looking to sell going into the trade deadline. They’re listening to offers for Zach Wheeler and Noah Syndergaard. Thor has had a very disappointing season to date. He boasts(?) a 4.64 ERA through 17 starts but his career body of work would suggest bringing some top prospects to Queens in the event of a trade. This could be the end of the Mets core pitching staff that had so much promise and won the National League pennant in 2015. The staff has disappointed since then and now seems that any success going forward will have a very different look. We could see a fire sale or we could see just a few pieces moving. Stay tuned.
Share your trade proposals and thoughts below, and they don’t have to be New York-related. And come back tomorrow for a guy that once traded himself for a player-to-be-named later that was actually him, Junoir Blaber.
