Could the Mets make Parnell available in July?

The Mets are likely going to sell some of their pieces around the trade deadline next month, and Bobby Parnell could be one of them. Parnell has played well for the most part this season, and his value is as high as it's ever been. It is common to find relief pitchers being traded in the summer, because teams are always looking to bolster their bullpen for the long run. This raises the question: Would Sandy Alderson listen to offers for the 28 year old Parnell?

Right now, Parnell has a 2.93 ERA with 9 saves in 27.2 innings pitched on the season. He has shown signs on improvement from his previous years in the league, and is definitely moving in the right direction. This season he is earning a pay raise, due to arbitration. However, he is under team control through arbitration until the 2016 season, and that should appeal to opposing teams. 

In general, 'closers' are inconsistent. One year may be good while the next may be horrific. That is why it makes sense to sell high on Parnell right now before his value possibly dips back down. I understand that dominant relief pitchers do not show up everyday, but Parnell is just too valuable right now. When teams are rebuilding, the closer is usually one of the last pieces they add. A dominant closer isn't needed very much for a team that is capable of winning only 70 games or so like this year's team. 

Trust me I like Parnell, and I always have, but the time is right to send him packing. He shouldn't be off limits in any sense. Having a home grown closer and giving him a closer mentality is a great way for non-competitive teams to create value and bring in prospects. The Oakland Athletics have been doing it for years with Andrew Bailey, Huston Street, and others. 

It may be too early to predict what teams would be interested in Parnell, but I know for a fact that the Detroit Tigers will be checking in at some point. The Tigers have been flip-flopping with their closers this season, and right now Jose Valverde is not getting the job done. Detroit has a few interesting players that the Mets could try to get, so perhaps a trade is possible. They have young outfielder Avisail Garcia, but New York would have to add another player to acquire Garcia, whose future looks great. Another player that would fit right in with the Mets would be 3B/OF prospect Nick Castellanos, who is highly regarded in Detroit's organization. Like Garcia, the Mets would have to add another prospect, perhaps a pitching prospect, to pry Castellanos out of Detroit.