The most appealing player currently on the trade market is probably Mets outfielder Carlos Beltran. He's very good, he's been healthy, he's very much available, and the Mets have no reason to keep him around. Previously we've been told that there were 6-7 teams in the mix, but courtesy of Ken Rosenthal, we may now know the favorites:
The Phillies and Red Sox are among the most aggressive suitors for Mets outfielder Carlos Beltran — if not the most aggressive, according to major-league sources.
Other clubs remain strongly in the mix for Beltran, who returned to the Mets’ lineup on Tuesday night after missing three games with the flu.
The Phillies have yet to get much offensive production out of either Raul Ibanez or Domonic Brown. The Red Sox, meanwhile, have thus far tolerated an underproductive J.D. Drew. Given that both the Phillies and the Red Sox have openings, and given that both the Phillies and the Red Sox are obvious World Series contenders, it makes sense why their interest in Beltran would be so high.
The Giants are also among the teams watching Beltran through the telescope in their bedroom. The Mets have expressed a willingness to eat some, if not all of Beltran's remaining salary, so with so much interest, Beltran may well get dealt in advance of the deadline.