Here's the latest Metsnews and buzz ahead of the July 31 MLB trade deadline…
July 23, 1:10 p.m.
As the Mets look to upgrade their rotation ahead of the deadline, they are reportedly among teams who have spoken with the San Diego Padres about right-hander Dylan Cease, according to ESPN's Buster Olney.
As noted by Olney, the Padres are intent on making a playoff push but they would look to use the impending free agent Cease to help fill out other needs on their roster.
AL East teams and the Chicago Cubs have also spoken with the Padres about him.
Cease has been one of the more reliable arms in the game over the past few seasons, but he put together an extremely disappointing first half of the season.
The 29-year-old has pitched to a 4.64 ERA and 1.29 WHIP while striking out 139 batters over 20 outings.
July 5, 3:06 p.m.
The Mets will certainly be in the market for starting pitching ahead of the trade deadline.
One arm they are showing interest in is Pirates right-hander Mitch Keller, according to Noah Hiles of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.
Keller would likely cost a pretty penny in a potential deal, as he is under contract through 2028.
The 29-year-old former second-round pick has been spectacular for Pittsburgh this season, pitching to a 3.53 ERA and 1.16 WHIP across a league-leading 21 starts.
While his strikeouts are down, he has been one of the more consistent arms in baseball this year — recording a quality start in 15 of those appearances, which is also tied for a league-high.
Adding a reliable inning-eater like Keller would be a huge boost for this Mets rotation, which has struggled to work deep into games this year.
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