Padres division-by-division trade targets: NL East

Mets

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The New York Mets are a very interesting team entering the 2020 season as we’re not sure if they’re going for it or rebuilding.

Everyone thought they were going to rebuild and trade off assets before the 2019 trade deadline, but then they traded for Marcus Stroman and appear to be building for contention in 2020.

Still, there is the notion that Noah Syndergaard could be available and the Padres should have interest in trading for the 27-year-old who is under team control through arbitration for two more seasons.

He posted the worst ERA of his career in 2019 with a 4.28 ERA in a career-high 197.2 innings with 202 strikeouts and a WHIP of 1.23.

Like many pitchers in 2019, he gave up the most home runs of his career with 24.

It was still a very strong season for Syndergaard and he has the ability to be the ace of the Padres staff if they can land him.

Something that could be interesting and potentially disastrous is a trade for Yoenis Cespedes. The 34-year-old missed all of 2019 with an injury and there hasn’t been much talk about him sense.

He’s owed $29.5 million in 2020, the last year on his deal, so there’d have to be some money swapped somewhere.

But if Cespedes can prove himself healthy, that could be a big outfield bat for the Padres. This may be one to revisit during the season once Cespedes proves he’s healthy.