The New York Mets have already made plenty of noise this offseason, retooling their roster with a clear win-now mindset. But with the way things are shaping up, they might not be done yet.
They’ve added star power in key spots - Bo Bichette, Freddy Peralta, and Luis Robert Jr. headline a group that signals the Mets are pushing their chips to the center of the table for 2026. And with that kind of aggressive approach, it makes sense they’d continue exploring ways to fine-tune the roster.
One area that still feels a bit unsettled? The outfield.
Enter Brett Baty.
Once viewed as a cornerstone of the Mets’ infield future, Baty now finds himself in a bit of a roster squeeze. The addition of Bichette has pushed him out of a starting spot, and with the Mets’ infield depth looking solid, Baty could become one of the club’s most valuable trade chips. He’s still just 26, under team control for four more seasons, and has flashed enough potential to draw real interest across the league.
One intriguing trade concept that’s been floated involves a straight-up swap: Baty to the Boston Red Sox for outfielder Wilyer Abreu - a 26-year-old Gold Glover with pop in his bat and upside to spare.
On paper, it’s a clean one-for-one deal. Both players are the same age, both are pre-arbitration, and both are under club control through 2029. But beyond the symmetry, the fit for each team is what really makes this compelling.
The Red Sox, after losing Alex Bregman to the Cubs, have a clear need in the infield. Baty, despite some inconsistency in the majors, still brings a left-handed bat with power potential and the kind of athleticism that could thrive in Fenway Park. For Boston, he’d represent a controllable, high-upside option at third base - a position of need.
For the Mets, Abreu answers a more immediate question in the outfield. While Carson Benge has shown promise, penciling him in as an everyday starter might be a stretch for a team with postseason aspirations.
Abreu, on the other hand, is coming off a strong season in Boston - 22 homers, 69 RBIs, a .786 OPS and 116 OPS+ across 115 games. That’s legitimate production, and when you add in his second consecutive Gold Glove, you’re looking at a player who impacts the game on both sides of the ball.
There’s also the matter of timing. The Mets are clearly built to contend right now.
Their infield depth gives them the flexibility to move Baty, and if 2027 brings a need to reshuffle, that’s a problem for another day. For now, the goal is to maximize the 2026 window, and adding Abreu would be a major step in that direction.
It’s rare to find a trade that makes this much sense for both sides. The Red Sox get a potential everyday infielder to fill a pressing need, while the Mets add a proven outfielder who fits perfectly into a win-now roster. If this deal is on the table, it’s hard to imagine the Mets hesitating.
Bottom line: Baty-for-Abreu isn’t just a fun hypothetical - it’s the kind of move that could pay real dividends for a Mets team looking to make a deep October run.