Mets prioritize trading top prospects to fill roster gaps, opting for the market over big-name free agents this offseason.
The New York Mets have been involved in many conversations this offseason, including those surrounding key players like Edwin Diaz and Pete Alonso leaving in free agency, as well as those surrounding new additions such as Jorge Polanco and Marcus Semien.
After a collapse at the tail end of the 2025 campaign, the Mets are hungry for a return to the postseason in 2026. To do so, they’ll have to continue making changes to the roster, as there are still a few glaring holes that need to be addressed.
Interestingly, the Mets are preferring to address these holes via the trade market, according to a recent piece from The Athletic by Ken Rosenthal and Will Sammon.
“The Mets hold some interest in the top remaining free-agent starters, including Valdez, but their focus is on first exploring trades, league sources said. As of early Tuesday, no deal appeared imminent and people familiar with the discussions cautioned that things are slow,” Rosenthal and Sammon wrote. “The Mets boast one of the top farm systems. They are also open to dealing infielders Mark Vientos, Ronny Mauricio and Luisangel Acuña.”
It’s somewhat surprising news for a team that seemingly has unlimited money to spend in free agency under owner Steve Cohen. Perhaps these reports are a sign, however, that Cohen cannot continue to keep spending at the same level he has over recent years.
Luckily for them, the Mets are in a good spot when it comes to trade talks. They have several prospects that are enticing to any team in the MLB, including three of the game’s top pitching prospects. There’s almost no chance that Nolan McLean would actually be included in a trade after his dominance last season, but starters Jonah Tong and Brandon Sproat give the Mets two options to dangle in front of teams looking to prioritize youth.
The Athletic article mentioned several players the Mets could be interested in, such as the Detroit Tigers’ starting pitcher Tarik Skubal and the Milwaukee Brewers' starting pitcher Freddy Peralta. New York has the assets available to make a trade happen for one of baseball’s top starters, but it’s a matter on if they’re willing to pull the trigger.
With a reported interest in both rentals and players with years of club control, the Mets are certainly weighing their options on who their targets are. With free agents like starter Framber Valdez still an option, the Mets have multiple directions they can go this offseason. Now, it’s a matter of which route they choose as they start their journey back to the postseason in 2026.