Yankees and Mets should’ve made these trades in recent years

One of the dumbest running traditions (if you can even call it that) in Major League Baseball is the annual unwillingness of the New York Yankees and New York Mets to make trades. Nobody knows why.

These teams aren’t rivals. They’re in different leagues. They play a handful of times every year just for “fun.” One’s success does not define the other’s.

Maybe they’re both afraid to see one of their players make them painfully regret a move just a short 20 minutes away? The finger has typically been pointed in the Mets’ direction regarding the bizarre hesitation to do business, specifically during the Wilpons’ reign.

But now we’re in the Steve Cohen era! And just about 80 games in, it’s already refreshing for just about everyone involved. Maybe we’ll see some deals down the road? Maybe ask Uncle Steve on Twitter and he’ll provide some insight.

It’s just hard to believe that there wasn’t one time, especially in recent years, that these two teams thought they could help one another out. How?! New York is a better place when someone is winning. The Yankees and Mets haven’t been doing much of that lately … at all.

We truly wish these two teams struck a deal on at least one of these hypothetical trades because neither was keeping the following players and the other certainly could’ve used the help.

Why didn’t the Yankees and Mets make these trades in recent years?

4. Wilmer Flores to the Yankees

The Mets tried to trade Wilmer Flores back in 2015. In fact, it was reported the deal went through with the Brewers. Flores cried on the field and saluted the crowd … and the Milwaukee pulled out of the agreement. All that emotion for nothing.

Fast forward to the end of the 2018 season, one in which the Mets finished 77-85, and Flores hit free agency. He left the Mets and went to the Diamondbacks. How much better would have the 2018 season been if the Yankees didn’t have to play Greg Bird and Neil Walker as much as they did? Months later, the Yankees DFA’ed Ronald Torreyes too. It was clear they knew his fate midway through 2018.

So if the Mets weren’t going to keep Flores and the Yankees needed a more productive utility infielder, how did the two sides not strike a deal? Flores had a solid career with the Mets and has been incredibly productive ever since leaving for Arizona and San Francisco.

The Yankees could’ve signed him the offseason, but that’s when DJ LeMahieu and Troy Tulowitzki came to town to make up a fairly stacked infield ahead of Opening Day. It needed to happen at the 2018 deadline. Bummer.

2. Sonny Gray to the Mets

The Sonny Gray experiment in the Bronx was a disaster, but it could’ve been a lot more beneficial in Queens. Like we said, the Mets seem to get more things right than not with their pitchers and the Yankees … don’t.

Perhaps Gray couldn’t deal with the pressure in New York with the Yankees, but his success elsewhere speaks for itself. The changes he made upon arriving in Cincinnati clearly made a significant difference, so the “pressure factor” wasn’t the only one.

After 2018, that was it. Gray had a 4.51 ERA in 41 games with the Yanks. Wasn’t going to cut it. Brian Cashman shipped him to Cincinnati, and he’s since pitched like an All-Star (for the most part). But couldn’t the Mets have used a guy like Gray?

The Mets were looking to get back on track after that 77-85 season. They knew Zack Wheeler was probably leaving after 2019. They knew Steven Matz was inconsistent. Why didn’t they think of taking a flyer on Gray, who wasn’t fetching a whole lot on the trade market? Maybe the Yankees were afraid he’d revive himself across the city and make them look bad? Again, we don’t know.

Gray signed an extension shortly after the trade, one the Mets would’ve loved to fit in their budget. Three years, $30 million and a $12 million club option for a fourth. Tremendous value for a mid-rotation arm who could top out as a co-ace.

The Mets are obviously OK with their starting pitching right now (they’re the best in the league), but Gray would’ve come in handy after Noah Syndergaard’s injury and Wheeler’s and Matz’s departures. They’re in the market for starting pitching help ahead of the trade deadline due to injuries and lack of depth.

1. Zack Wheeler to the Yankees

Go ahead and grab a pillow. Scream in it, Yankees fans. Actually, rip it open with a knife and eat the feathers. Because this trade was actually the closest to coming to fruition. In fact, it was agreed upon in 2019 until … it felt through because of “medical concerns” regarding another player in the deal. We don’t know who it was.

The Mets hung onto Wheeler for the remainder of his contract year, missed the playoffs by three games, and saw him sign a big time pact with the rival Phillies after the season. Now he’s one of the best pitchers in baseball (2.49 ERA and 1.05 WHIP in 27 starts since 2020).

Just imagine how this could’ve altered the course of Yankees’ history. That 2019 ALCS against the Astros would’ve been completely different had they possessed another capable arm to throw at Houston. If he did well, there’s no question New York would’ve figured out a way to fit him and Gerrit Cole in the rotation. Actually, ha, just kidding! They probably wouldn’t have! But let’s pretend they did.

Cole and Wheeler as a 1-2 punch? The Yankees could’ve avoided all the nonsensical heavy lifting they’ve done the past two years like … signing Corey Kluber, trading for Jameson Taillon, hanging onto Domingo German despite domestic violence allegations only to watch him not validate their decision, and whatever other wrong decisions they made. They could’ve coped with the Luis Severino and James Paxton injuries … at least a lot better than they have.

Instead? We’re wondering who the player was that stopped this trade from going through.

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