Mets’ Drew Gilbert trade might come back to bite them as outfielder propels unexpected Giants playoff rise

Mets Acquires Tyler Rogers from Giants Amid Hopes for Playoff Push

The Mets entered the season with great expectations after bringing Tyler Rogers over from the Giants before the trade deadline. They appeared ready to pay a considerable price, which John Heyman described as a “heavy price,” to secure this right-handed relief pitcher, sending right-handed Jose Boto and pitching prospect Blade Tidwell the other way.

So far, Rogers has performed well in Queens, but there’s a catch—he’ll be a free agent at the end of the season.

On another front, Drew Gilbert seems to be making waves with the Giants. After a solid start to his MLB career at 31-3 with the Giants, he has shown impressive skills with ten strikeouts and a significant extra-base hit recently.

The 24-year-old has a record of 19-10, with six extra-base hits in just the last six games. This recent performance follows a challenging stretch for the Giants, who, after a four-game losing streak on August 22nd, fell below .500. However, since then, they have turned it around, losing only once in their last 11 games, with Gilbert playing a key role in this resurgence.

Former Met Dominique Smith described Gilbert’s energetic nature likening it to “lightning in a small bowl.” Another teammate, infielder Casey Schmidt, mentioned, “He’s just waiting for it to explode and he’s like a little fireball. We love it.” Willie Adams echoed this enthusiasm, saying, “He shows up every day like he has a new battery… People often wonder where he gets that energy.”

This isn’t to say that the Mets didn’t notice similar traits in players acquired during trades, including Justin Verlander at the 2023 deadline. Prior to the Rogers deal, Gilbert had been a candidate for a call-up from Triple-A Syracuse. While there were lingering questions about his hitting, he was expected to contribute as part of a platoon with right-handed Tyrone Taylor.

In July, he recorded an impressive .990 OPS, marking his best performance this season. Soon after moving to the Giants and joining Triple-A Sacramento, Gilbert made his way to the majors.

In terms of his competitive spirit, Gilbert explained, “When you get into the heat of competition, it feels like it’s kind of turning on something. I think I’m a little different from the field, but when you’re competing to win, the emotions come out. It can be fun to get a good group to help me come out of my shell and show who I am.”