The Blue Jays last year depleted their farm system between a trade to the Mets for R.A. Dickey and a trade with the Marlins for the majority of their roster. This year, the Blue Jays are looking to use free agency more as a route to improve their team (Source).
The Free Agency field this year is packed with buyers and players. However, there are a lot of teams this year that can dump a lot of money to get players (Yankees, Red Sox, Angels, Rangers). A few years ago, the Yankees were able to set the tone of the market by outbidding everyone else for major players (the year they picked up CC) but this year with so many of the big market large finance (ie not Mets) clubs ready to go after big pieces, its crowding a lot of teams (like the Mets, Blue Jays) who have multiple holes to fill to the next Free Agent tier.
The Mets have an advantage in that they have some payroll room to buy players, but they also have several pieces they can ship out to other teams in trade.
This is where the Blue Jays come in.
The Blue Jays have very little flexibility in the trade market. If they are going to trade, they need to sell a major player, like a Jose Bautista or Jose Reyes. If they could bring back a major leaguer and a couple of prospects for one or both of those players, they will have the ability to make other trades later or fill in multiple holes so they can focus on what might be a high bidding free agency market.
On the Mets side, the Blue Jays have what they really need, an outfielder that can hit for power. The Blue Jays also have Jose Reyes who is not the same Jose Reyes as the one who left, but would still be a huge upgrade compared to the SS situation we have going on now.
Holding back a move would be the trade talks from last year. Specifically, the highest level prospect the Mets would give up in a trade might be d’Arnaud who was acquired from the Blue Jays. However with Davis who could be moved with Montero, maybe the Mets and Blue Jays could make a deal that helps both teams in the long and short run.
