A new year but an old trade discussion, Bleacher Report put together a list of candidates to swap uniforms and were courteous enough to include a whole package to get a real reaction. The New York Mets weren’t ignored here. Pablo Lopez was the man mentioned as a fit for them.

There’s no disagreement here. A top of the rotation arm these days for the Minnesota Twins, Lopez is much better than the guy he was with the Miami Marlins often getting roughed up by the Mets. His career numbers at Citi Field aren’t superb, but we can overlook that. It’s not a ballpark that should scare any pitcher.

The deal proposed at Bleacher Report got a little extensive and paired catcher Christian Vazquez and his remaining $10 million. In return, the Mets send the Twins Jett Williams, Drew Gilbert, and David Peterson. It’s not a case of “giving up too much” but more so the turnoff comes from exactly who is included. The Mets would be selling low on Williams and Gilbert who each spent much of last year injured. Lopez wouldn’t be the preferred pitcher to use them on. So, how do we improve this deal?

The Mets swap David Peterson for Paul Blackburn

The Mets definitely need to include a starting pitcher in the deal to simply make room on the roster. David Peterson and Paul Blackburn are the only two that make any sense. Swapping Peterson for the lesser Blackburn would make this a much easier deal to accept.

Peterson is coming off of a very good season and with an extra year of control than what Blackburn has, lessens the loss for the Mets slightly. His remaining minor league option, as well, adds to his value. It’ll give the Mets slight flexibility navigating the year with their six-man rotation plans.

If Christian Vasquez is included, a lesser prospect should be needed than Jett Williams or Drew Gilbert

One of those exciting Mets prospects is a must in the deal. If it’s Peterson and Williams for Lopez and Vasquez, the finishing piece should be a lesser prospect than Gilbert. Gilbert might not have quite as much of a chance to impact the Mets in 2025 as originally intended since they’ve fully stocked the outfield with veterans. However, both he and Williams would be candidates to at some point play center field in the big leagues. A less notable prospect paired with one of them would make this a more palatable deal.

The group of Brett Baty, Ronny Mauricio, and Luisangel Acuna might not be exactly what the Twins are looking for as all three have just one remaining minor league option. The Mets are already doing the Twins an added favor by taking on Vasquez’s contract.

A salary of $21.75 million in each of the next three years at age 29-31 makes Lopez an intriguing option for the Mets to target. He’s coming off of a 15-10, 4.08 ERA campaign with good walk and strikeout numbers. I’m doubtful the Mets would pursue him at this point in the offseason at the price of Gilbert and Williams who only a year ago were trending as the top two prospects in the system. The Mets will eventually need to make some trade with how crowded the upper part of the farm system is getting. This trade package, while fair, sets off an alarm system. At the trade deadline is one thing. In the offseason, the team is always better off paying someone, even slightly more than they should, to fill out the roster.