Mets urged to 'kick the tires' on blockbuster trade for $50 million Red Sox star

The New York Mets' lineup is almost perfect on paper, but there's one gaping hole.

Tyrone Taylor and the injured Jose Siri have given the Mets next to nothing from the center field position. To date, Mets center fielders have combined for 0.4 fWAR and a .641 OPS.

It's still early in the season, but the Mets might be motivated enough by their wide-open championship window to make a trade for a center fielder. But because it's early, it's not easy to determine who might be available.

Many have named Luis Robert Jr. of the Chicago White Sox as a fit for the Mets, because it's known that Robert will be on the trade block. But what if the Boston Red Sox's younger, cheaper center fielder gets in the mix?

On Tuesday, Bleacher Report's Kerry Miller urged the Mets to "kick the tires" on trading for Red Sox center fielder Ceddanne Rafaela, who is 24 and already signed a team-friendly $50 million extension that runs through 2031.

"Could (the Red Sox move Rafaela)?" Miller wrote. "Plenty of contenders can't be thrilled with the production they've gotten out of their center fielders thus far this season."

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"The Phillies, Mets and Tigers should all at least kick the tires on a possible trade for Rafaela, while the Diamondbacks, Astros and Guardians—who entered play this past Friday with a combined zero home runs from center fielders—would perhaps engage in a battle royale of a bidding war."

Rafaela still has a lot of maturing to do at the plate, as he owns just a .602 OPS and 43.1 percent chase rate this year. But his strikeout rate has gone down and his hard-hit rate is up, and his .335 xwOBA suggests that he's been very unlucky so far this season.

Do the Mets believe enough in the metrics to make a bold play for Rafaela? He should be at least somewhat available, due to the logjam the Red Sox have in the outfield.

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