Mets trade Harvey to Reds for Devin Mesoraco

The Mets have rid themselves of Matt Harvey, and in so doing may have addressed their longstanding catching problem.

In a trade between two teams trying to get rid of problems, the Mets sent Harvey to the Cincinnati Reds for catcher Devin Mesoraco.

While Harvey's issues have been well documented, the Mets are getting a catcher in Mesoraco who has spent a better part of the past four seasons on the disabled list. Since putting together an All Star campaign in 2014, Mesoraco has not lived up to the billing since. He has played in only 133 games since 2015, with the most games he has played in a season during that stretch of 56 back in 2017.

Injuries have been a problem for him. Inconsistency another. Mesoraco is a lifetime .233 hitter, and is a mediocre defensive catcher. Still, this is a guy who has a lot of power in his bat. At his best, Mesoraco hit 25 home runs and drove in 80 in 2014, making him the first Reds catcher to do so since Johnny Bench back in the 70's.

If the Mets can keep Mesoraco healthy, and if they can get anything out of him they will be more than grateful.

As for Harvey, the Reds are hoping that he can reclaim some of his old self so they can package him in a deal come July. The Reds are 9-27, they are baseball's worst team and want prospects in return. Although it is hard to imagine they will get the best out of Harvey. He wanted to go to a contending team, and the Reds are not that. New York did him no favors by sending him to a disaster in Cincy. Since the Mets are playing the Reds this week, Harvey won't pitch against his old team, but will reportedly join the Reds when they head to L.A. Have fun Cincy.

Mesoraco did bat for the Mets on Tuesday night and struck out and is in the lineup on Wednesday for the finale of a three-game series. The Mets and Reds won't see each other again until the beginning of August at Citi Field. Chances are Harvey won't be a Red by that point, if he pitches himself into another trade.