SEATTLE _ The Mets completed step one of what they hope is a rapid retooling of the roster, dealing away closer Addison Reed to the Red Sox on Monday in exchange for a package of three pitching prospects.
The Mets officially announced the deal Monday afternoon after it was reported Monday morning.
The non-waiver trade deadline was a critical period as general manager Sandy Alderson attempts to get the Mets back into contention next year after a season of unmet expectations.
In exchange for one of the league's top relievers, the Mets received right-handed pitching prospects Jamie Callahan, Gerson Bautista and Stephen Nogosek. All three rank in the Rex Sox's top 30 prospects, according to MLB.com.
Reed, 28, enjoyed a career renaissance during his tenure with the Mets, who acquired him from the Diamondbacks in an August 2015 waiver trade for a pair of relief pitchers. At the time, the acquisition had been somewhat of an afterthought.
Though he had closing experience earlier in his career with the White Sox and Diamondbacks, he had since bumped back into middle relief. Before his trade from Arizona, the right-hander had even spent a portion of the season in the minors.
But upon his arrival in New York, Reed flourished, posting a 1.17 ERA in 17 appearances. By the postseason, Reed had become the primary setup man for closer Jeurys Familia, forcing the Mets to alter their long-term plans.
When Reed first was acquired, the Mets had leaned toward non-tendering him at season's end, a concession to his projected jump in salary due to arbitration. But he pitched well enough to earn $5.3 million in his second year of arbitration, which proved to be a steal.
In 2016, Reed delivered one of the best seasons by any reliever in the National League with a 1.97 ERA over 77 2/3 innings in 80 appearances.
This season, Reed spent most of the year in the closer's role for Familia, whose season has been shortened by a domestic violence suspension and surgery to repair a blood clot. In 48 games, Reed has a 2.57 ERA with 19 saves in 21 chances.
But the Mets' disappointing season only cemented Reed's spot on the trading block, especially since he's due to be a free agent at season's end. Once Alderson declared the Mets would be selling off their pieces, Reed became the most valuable trade chip, standing out even in a relatively crowded market for relievers.
"I've been traded twice before," Reed said as the deadline loomed. "If it's going to happen, it's going to happen. There's nothing I can do about it. So I'm going to come to the field and if my nameplate's up here, I'm going to suit up and go. And if it's not, I'm going to go somewhere else."
That somewhere else is Boston.
After using prospects (mostly pitchers) to swing major deals in each of the last two trade deadlines to acquire Yoenis Cespedes and Jay Bruce, the Mets' trade of Reed furthered an effort to restock the farm system with arms. And from the Red Sox, the Mets brought back three intriguing prospects who have a chance to become big league relievers.
Callahan, 22, is the closest of the three to reaching the majors. Ranked No. 23 in the Red Sox system by MLB.com, the righty has a 4.03 ERA in 22 appearances at Triple-A Pawtucket. He was taken in the second round in 2012 and considered a project by some scouts, though he has thrived upon his conversion to relief work.
Nogosek, 22, was chosen in the sixth round of last year's draft and features a fastball, slider and splitter that has gotten swings and misses. Boston's 18th ranked prospect has a 4.08 ERA in Class-A Salem this season.
Bautista, 22, has a fastball that has been clocked in the 96-99 mph range with a good slider as his secondary offering. The 28th-ranked prospect according to MLB.com, Bautista has a 5.16 ERA in Class-A Salem.
Trading for prospects was not a fate the Mets had anticipated after beginning the season with high expectations.
Last Thursday, the Mets traded away longtime slugging first baseman Lucas Duda to the Rays for Drew Smith, a hard-throwing Double-A pitching prospect.
And on Friday, the Mets made an unusual move, traded a pair of prospects to the Marlins for closer AJ Ramos. The deal was made primarily to bolster the bullpen for 2018. Ramos is under team control for next season, when he'll be expected to help fill the void in the bullpen left by Reed's departure.
