Mets going in? New York picks up Tyler Clippard from Athletics

It's been a couple seasons, but the New York Mets are buyers again at the trade deadline. The team proved as much Monday, trading for Oakland Athletics reliever Tyler Clippard.

On the surface, the Mets' bullpen was actually performing pretty well. The team's relievers combined to post a 2.89 ERA, which ranks sixth in the league. The club's 3.40 FIP was also solid.

[Play a Daily Fantasy contest for cash today!]

But given Clippard's track record, picking him up is, at the very least, a modest upgrade. Clippard's peripherals have declined a bit this season, but he's still been effective. His strikeout rate has dropped to 22.8 percent, while his walk rate has jumped to 12.6 percent. Those figures are alarming considered where Clippard has been in previous seasons, but he's still managed a 2.79 ERA and 3.89 FIP.

Clippard also takes innings away from lesser players currently on the Mets. Bobby Parnell's 2.70 ERA doesn't look bad on the surface, but he's nearly walking as many batters as he's striking out this year. That's never a good sign for any pitcher.

Alex Torres has also been erratic on the mound. He's struck out more than a batter per inning, but his control is awful and he's given up a ton of home runs.

On top of that, Jenrry Mejia will not be eligible for postseason games as part of his suspension, so Clippard helps absorb that blow if the team plays in October.

The Clippard deal should move both of those players into lower-leverage roles, and that's a good thing for the Mets. The club is just 2.0 games out of the division lead, so making small moves like this can go a long way over the next few months.

[Yahoo Sports Fantasy Football: Sign up and join a league today!]

In return, the Mets parted with a promising, young pitcher in Casey Meisner. Meisner has a 2.35 ERA over two levels, but has peaked in High A this season. He's just 20, and remains at least a couple seasons away from making an impact at the majors.

It will take time to see whether the move works out for Oakland, but they identified a young pitcher they liked, and acquired him by trading away an impending free-agent reliever. Even if Meisner washes out, it's a gamble worth taking.

Clippard will make an immediate impact, making the Mets side of the deal more interesting for now. The club has made modest upgrades recently, grabbing Clippard, Juan Uribe and Kelly Johnson in the last couple days. While none of those acquisitions are huge, they will help a team that's only a few games out of the race.

A big splash would help, though. It's still unclear whether the Mets have the financial flexibility to take on a player like Justin Upton, Jay Bruce or Yoenis Cespedes, but those are the types of players that would excite the fan base.

For now, the small moves will have to do. If Monday's acquisition was any indication, the club is ready to make a push over the second half. For Mets' fans, that has to be a welcome change.

More MLB coverage from Yahoo Sports:

- - - - - - -

Chris Cwik is a writer for Big League Stew on Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him at christophercwik@yahoo.com or follow him on Twitter! Follow @Chris_Cwik