The trade candidacy of Mets righty Zack Wheeler hit an uncertain patch when it emerged recently that he was dealing with a shoulder issue. Though all indications were that it was not a serious malady, teams considering giving up young talent to secure a few months of his services wanted to see for themselves.
Accordingly, Wheeler’s outing this evening represented a major test. It’s his last opportunity to show contenders what they’d be getting. That’s of more importance to the New York team than the player, but there’s something at stake here for him as well. Being dealt would not only create an opportunity for high-profile pitching in advance of his forthcoming foray into free agency, but would eliminate the possibility of a qualifying offer that could leave him burdened with draft compensation.
As it turns out, the night went about as well as could have been hoped for the 29-year-old. While there’s nothing special about allowing three earned runs over 5 1/3 innings, Wheeler ran up seven strikeouts without a walk and sat at his customary ~97 mph level with his four-seam fastball.
There are certainly some limits to Wheeler’s appeal as a trade piece. He’s one of the many pitchers who has seen his home-run rate rise this year. Through 124 1/3 frames, he carries an ugly 4.71 ERA. But Wheeler is also racking up 9.9 K/9 against 2.5 BB/9 for the season and carries the same impressive arsenal that allowed him to deliver an excellent 2018 campaign. As a live-armed, younger hurler, he’s quite an appealing rental target. The injury blip will surely weigh on the market a bit, but he ought to generate significant interest now that it seems he has managed to come through his trial in fine shape.
We’ll see how the market develops over the coming days. There has been some chatter about the possibility of the Mets extending Wheeler rather than dealing him, but it’s not clear just how that’d work out. This is hardly a typical time of the year for contract negotiations, particularly with a pitcher that is just recovering from a health issue, and there are no assurances whatsoever that the club would be able to make a deal to its liking.
Face it. The dude can’t stay healthy. This is the results you will expect from him. Though, the Mets do have an awful training core. I speculate that that’s the reason why so many of their players get hurt.
Probably the best reason to trade for him is that he’s on the Mets so he will instantly become more productive the second he leaves.
3 runs over 5 1/3 is “going as well as could hope”? This is the guy writers on this site have tried to force me to believe is better than Bumgarner…Heshad one good season and can’t stay healthy…hard pass.
I’m curious if it is his 2014 or his 2018 that was his “one good season”, because they look nearly identical to me
Okay, 2 pretty good years. I might’ve shot off my mouth before checking the bbr page. Doesn’t change the fact that he’s nearly 30 and we’re still talking about potential.
677 innings of 3.88 ERA/3.77 FIP. I think he is better than many on here are giving him credit for. On an aside this is what frustrates me about the spaldeen balls, I think this guy figured it out last year but people think he sucks bc guys are launching home runs all over the field this season.
Hard pass while I pass hard gas.
Never mind. If the only other choice is Wheeler I won’t pass on that hard gas. I will hold it in and savor it as long as humanly possible. No matter how uncomfortable it will be it is still better than having Wheeler on my team. If some slips out I will suck it through my mouth. That will be more palatable than Wheelers presence as well.
That’s why you trade them both. Him and Thor (who may be at his peak). Trade Thor now. He doesn’t get another Met start. Yanks, Twins and Astros need him. Blow it up BVW. Keep Degrom, Alonso, McNeil, Conforto. Ur stuck with Cano and Familia. Get a CF, a veteran starter who eats innings a Prospect C and RH hitting OF prospect n some relievers. Let Gimenez play SS if Rosario goes.
Alonso,McNeil,Comforto keep and Trade others starting right know asking for best offer.
No need to keep Conforto. You can find another rf with pop that can hit 250
One top 100 prospect and a middling prospect is an overpay for him. He can’t stay healthy nor be above a #3 or #4 starter when he is. These type pitchers usually have very inconsistent production and more days on the IL than actually playing. Technically the Mets only have one starter they can get a haul for and that’s DeGrom and his trade value is going down by the day. The ship has sailed on the Mets and their overhyped pitchers. Good luck to them trying to move these pieces especially since they want to slam the Yankees that are the only ones willing to overpay for any of them. Way to up your market there you idiotic morons.
Degroms value is going down by the day? Besides max who’s better than him?
He’s an effective pitcher with a live arm as long as he gets a 10 days off in between starts.
I just left the game, and he was good. Granted it was the Pirates they were playing, but there wasn’t much doubt the Mets would win, based on how Wheeler was pitching. On a team with a deep bullpen, pitching into the 6th is plenty. I actually thought he got pulled a little quick, though I figured that Calloway wanted to pull him out while the outing could still be considered a good one
Would he be better suited to being a swing man for a contender? Gives you 3-4 potentially solid innings instead on getting slotted into a rotation…
You need a lot of those in the playoffs lol
But I basically agree. His value is to eat some innings and play somewhat effectively in August and Sept. If someone is getting him to be a 1-3 playoff starter, ouch.
One thing about Wheeler that isn’t mentioned here is the fact that he pitches in front of an absolutely putrid defense. He has a 3.67 FIP and 3.85 xFIP, he’s not giving up a lot of hard contact compared to his past seasons, his walks are down and his strikeouts are up. Wheeler strikes me as somebody who is getting victimized by having butchers like Rosario and J.D. Davis seeing major playing time behind him, along with the league wide rise in homeruns.
I’m not saying that he’s worthy of elite prospects (since at the end of the day, he is still a contract year pitcher with a bad injury history) but I also don’t think he’s as dismal as some commenters are making him out to be.
And give him a catcher who can call a good game. Trade Ramos and select the contract of Rene Rivera from Syracuse. The season is gone. The defense stunk all year. Fix what you can.
Still don’t see how some writers are saying he can bring more back in a trade than Bumgarner.
I’m still wondering why he is considered a top prize. I don’t get it. Is it some “peripheral” stat my simple mind can’t grasp? Cuz from where I stand this guy is serviceable at best. There’s an unlimited supply of these guys in league and below for that matter. I’ll trade my 1995 Bowman frank Tanana for him if anyone wants
Carlos Correa for Wheeler, plus cash?
Yeah, right!
Hi everyone. Whoever trades for him is getting him as a rental. The Mets get
middling potential for him, or they end up with nothing. I am not sure the Mets would extend a QO to him because that would be an overpay. But for someone to say they won’t want a Wheeler pitching every fifth day for them through the end of the year, then you are definitely not watching any game in person, only staying behind your computer. His stuff is good. He is around the plate, and gets swings and misses. Are you watching games or numbers?