Mets' offseason acquisition drawing interest ahead of trade deadline

Left-hander José Quintana has started just one game for the New York Mets this season, but he might be on the move soon.

According to SNY's Andy Martino, several clubs have scouted Quintana through his five-game rehab stint and Mets debut. New York signed Quintana to a two-year, $26 million deal last December, but a spring training rib fracture sidelined him until Thursday's 6-2 loss to the White Sox. 

Additionally, FanSided’s Robert Murray named Quintana “an underrated trade candidate” on “The Baseball Insiders” podcast, adding that the 34-year-old “has a real shot of being moved.”

In five innings of work on Thursday, Quintana limited Chicago to six hits and two earned runs while striking out three batters. The savvy veteran is slated to make his next start on July 26 against the Yankees in the Bronx, which will surely attract a lot of attention from scouts. 

The 2023 season continues to slip away for the team with the highest payroll in MLB history. The Mets sit 17.5 games back of first place in the National League East and seven games out of the final wild-card spot. 

Last month, owner Steve Cohen told reporters that he was preparing team brass "for all possibilities" ahead of the trade deadline if New York didn’t turn things around. Considering that the Mets are 9-8 since Cohen's news conference, they would be wise to sell off some of their veterans to gear up for 2024.

Aside from Quintana, the Mets could move on from outfielder Mark Canha, who is drawing interest from teams, per Buster Olney of ESPN. Olney mentioned that the Seattle Mariners could be "a possible match" to acquire Canha as they were interested in signing him during free agency in 2021.

However, recent injuries to outfielders Tommy Pham and Starling Marte, two players that have also been the subject of trade rumors, might impact any potential deal involving Canha.

With just nine games left until the Aug. 1 trade deadline, the Mets' veterans have no time to waste if they intend to make a postseason push in Queens and not elsewhere.