Mets blockbuster trade proposal lands $116 million All-Star pitcher

The New York Mets' starting rotation took a huge blow when Griffin Canning ruptured his Achilles, ending his season. The team could be eyeing starting pitchers as a result.

The Mets do have Frankie Montas and Sean Manaea back now, but they may still want to add some insurance to the starting rotation. David Peterson was named an All-Star this season, and Kodai Senga has looked like a star. However, Clay Holmes' innings could become something to monitor, Tylor Megill is on the injured list and Montas has a 5.04 ERA in four starts this year.

A healthy rotation of Manaea, Senga, Holmes, Megill and Peterson is a great group. However, the Mets have little reason to believe that group can stay healthy. SNY's Joe DeMayo proposed this trade that would bring Zac Gallen from the Arizona Diamondbacks to the Mets:

• Mets receive: Zac Gallen 
• Diamondbacks receive: Zach Thornton and Jesus Baez

Gallen has been a Cy Young Award candidate and an All-Star in the past. He had a 3.34 ERA in 128 starts from 2020 to 2024. He was also a Cy Young Award candidate three times in that span. This year, he has a 5.40 ERA and will be a free agent after the season. Spotrac projects him to sign a six-year, $116 million deal in free agency, and the Diamondbacks may not want to pay him.

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Even in a down year, he could be a solid insurance arm for the Mets. Perhaps a change of scenery could help him get his stuff back to what it was in the past.

"I think Gallen will be a popular trade candidate if available, so the price will not be cheap," wrote DeMayo. "Baez is an infielder who has played second, third, and shortstop. He is slashing .251/.343/.398 with nine home runs and 41 RBI across 71 games between St. Lucie and Brooklyn. He shows a propensity to hit the ball hard with natural loft in his swing and has a good plan at the plate, where he has a low strikeout rate to go with an above average walk rate. Baez would be an upside buy for Arizona."

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