The National League East has shaped up to be a two-team battle in 2025, with only the Philadelphia Phillies and our New York Mets within 10 games of the division lead. That dynamic all but guarantees the rest of the East will pivot into seller mode as the trade deadline approaches.
While trades within the division are rare, the Mets have proven they’re not shy about breaking that mold — as seen last year when they acquired Jesse Winker from the Nationals. With New York expected to be aggressive buyers once again, here are three rival players from within the NL East the Mets should target in trade talks.
1) Michael Soroka
The Washington Nationals signed Michael Soroka to a one-year deal this offseason, banking on the former All-Star’s potential after a solid bounce-back campaign in the White Sox bullpen. But rather than keep him in relief, the Nats transitioned Soroka back to a starting role — with mixed results so far.
There have been some clear struggles in his return to the rotation. Through 63.1 innings, Soroka owns a 5.40 ERA, is allowing 1.42 home runs per nine innings, and sits in just the 33rd percentile for average exit velocity. He also missed the entire month of April with a biceps strain.
Still, there are encouraging signs that suggest his surface numbers don’t tell the whole story. While Soroka gives up his share of hard contact, he avoids barrels effectively — his 6.5% barrel rate ranks in the 76th percentile. That’s helped by a strong 45.9% ground ball rate (67th percentile) and solid command of the strike zone. He’s striking out 26.2% of batters and walking just 6.4%.
Advanced metrics suggest Soroka has been better than his ERA indicates. His xFIP (3.72), SIERA (3.38), and xERA (3.19, 79th percentile) all point to bad luck — particularly when looking at his inflated 14.9% home run-to-fly ball ratio, which should stabilize over time given his ground ball tendencies.
Overall, Soroka may be a sneaky trade target for a contending team like the Mets, who could bet on his underlying metrics and benefit from a change of scenery.
2) Pierce Johnson
The Mets’ bullpen has been in freefall over the past month, posting a 4.70 ERA, 4.36 FIP, and 1.42 WHIP since the beginning of June — all ranking among the bottom ten in MLB. With Huascar Brazoban struggling and José Butto sidelined, the need for reliable bullpen reinforcements has become urgent. One name that makes a lot of sense: Atlanta Braves right-hander Pierce Johnson.
Johnson has been a steady force in Atlanta’s bullpen, throwing 30.2 innings with a 2.93 ERA, 3.02 FIP, and 1.11 WHIP. He’s been striking out hitters at a strong 28.1% clip while keeping walks low at just 6.6%. Home runs have also been limited, with a 0.88 HR/9 rate.
While he does give up a fair amount of hard contact — evidenced by a 90.2 mph average exit velocity (30th percentile) and 9% barrel rate (39th percentile) — the advanced metrics paint a more complete picture. Johnson ranks in the 96th percentile for expected ERA (2.94), has a SIERA of 2.90, and his xFIP of 3.44 still suggests solid overall performance. His 21.5% strikeout-to-walk differential is the 28th best among 154 relievers with at least 30 innings pitched this season.
Even better, Johnson isn’t just a rental. He comes with a team-friendly \$7 million option for 2026, or a modest \$250K buyout if the Mets choose not to bring him back. With bullpen help now a top priority, Johnson would be an ideal trade target to shore up New York’s late-inning relief.
3) Ronny Henriquez
Pierce Johnson isn’t the only right-handed reliever in the NL East drawing trade interest — Miami Marlins breakout arm Ronny Henriquez is also emerging as a potential deadline target. Claimed off waivers last offseason, Henriquez has turned into a valuable bullpen piece for Miami, and with the Marlins likely selling, they may look to cash in on his rising stock.
Henriquez has logged 42 innings this season, delivering a strong 2.79 ERA, 3.85 FIP, and 1.19 WHIP. While his 9% walk rate is slightly better than average, it’s his elite 32.6% strikeout rate that really jumps off the page — ranking him among the top 20 relievers with at least 30 innings pitched.
He’s also doing a solid job limiting average exit velocity (87.7 mph, 84th percentile), though the one red flag is his 12.9% barrel rate — in just the 4th percentile — which has led to a 1.50 HR/9 mark. Still, nearly every other advanced metric points to dominance. Henriquez ranks above the 90th percentile in both chase rate (35.9%) and whiff rate (36.3%), and his ERA estimators — a 2.70 SIERA, 3.27 xFIP, and 3.65 xERA — suggest the performance is largely sustainable.
In fact, Henriquez may offer even more upside than Johnson. At just 25 years old, he boasts a 109 Stuff+ compared to Johnson’s 101 and comes with two full seasons of team control before arbitration begins. Though less experienced, Henriquez has shown better pure stuff and stronger underlying metrics, making him a high-upside bullpen target for a team like the Mets — especially if they’re looking to invest in both the present and the future.
Leave a Reply