Coming into the 2015 season, the New York Mets showed plenty of upside with their young pitching and new pieces that were added during the offseason. So far it has gelled together, but how long will it last?

Despite being only four games over .500 as play begins on June 15, the Mets are sitting atop the N.L. East with a half-game lead over their rival, the Washington Nationals. New York’s pitching staff is the main reason for their good record as it is ranked seventh in all of baseball. Unfortunately, the front office seems to be playing games with how it wants this pitching staff to run, and it is causing confusion.

The Mets have plenty of young talent in their rotation with Matt Harvey, Jacob deGrom, and newly-brought-up Noah Syndergaard, but they also have a veteran presence in Bartolo Colon. Each of these four guys has gone through a small rough patch, but they are all clearly mainstays in this rotation. 

Jon Niese seems to be the final piece, but he still does not have the mental capacity to get through a tough inning. Then there is Dillon Gee, who just got designated for assignment, and with young prospect Steven Matz closing in on his call-up, something is going to have to change.

However, while the front office has a tough decision to make with the players it already has, the bigger problem is with the players it does not have. Even though the Mets have a lead in the division, it is a very small lead, and one that could be bigger. The Mets' lineup has been dreadful for most of this season as it ranks 23rd in baseball. The offense has been coming around a little bit lately, but it still needs another bat. 

There are some options out there, but a trade will depend on two things: the Mets' main needs and how much are they willing to give up.

Two perfect candidates for this team would be Ben Zobrist of the Oakland Athletics and Martin Prado of the Miami Marlins. Both of these guys are good veteran players and could play anywhere in the field. But as the trade deadline grows closer, the asking price gets bigger, and if the Mets are going to give up a lot, they should get a lot in return -- Troy Tulowitzki or Todd Frazier, for instance. 

The Mets and their fans have been down the Tulowitzki road before, but the asking price has always been way too high. Tulo may have been a Met already had Zack Wheeler not gotten hurt, but Wheeler was another name on the long Tommy John list.

Now, let us move onto Frazier. Currently, the Reds are 13 games out of both the division and wild card races, and there is no turnaround in sight. This situation could be perfect for both the Mets and the Reds because the Mets need a bat and the Reds need starting pitching. 

Since Sandy Alderson has been in New York, he has done a great job with the trades; there is no denying that. With the three big trades he made officially coming to fruition, they look like this: R.A. Dickey, Carlos Beltran, Marlon Byrd, and John Buck for Zack Wheeler, Syndergaard, Travis d’Arnaud, Dilson Herrera, and Vic Black. That is pretty good, but if Alderson really wants this franchise to take the next step, he should make a blockbuster trade with the Reds -- and make it now. 

With the surplus of pitching that the Mets have, it is time for them to part ways with some of it. Niese needs a change of scenery, and Daniel Murphy would be a good piece to throw in because he could take Frazier’s spot.

The Mets also need some help in the bullpen, particularly some lefty-help, and that leaves us with Aroldis Chapman. The Nationals have already been inquiring about him, so why not sneak in and steal him first? The Mets could throw in Rafael Montero, another young pitching prospect, and Kevin Plawecki, who would give the Reds a young catcher to battle with Tucker Barnhart. So all-in-all, the trade would look like this:

The Mets get Todd Frazier and Aroldis Chapman.
The Reds get Jon Niese, Daniel Murphy, Rafael Montero, Kevin Plawecki, and a player to be named later.

Now it may seem crazy, but this could actually be a trade that works out perfectly for both teams. The Mets would get the bat they need and bullpen help to make a run, and the Reds would get a Major League-ready pitcher, an All-Star hitter in Murphy, and two young prospects that could help out greatly moving forward.

It is time for the Mets to make a move -- and make it now.

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About the author
Thomas Buckley
Hey guys, my name is Tom Buckley. I am a former college baseball player, who is from Long Island. Just looking to expand my writing, so I hope you all enjoy1