As the Mets continue to explore ways to shore up their rotation, former GM Jim Duquette is offering a more grounded alternative to the high-profile trade buzz making the rounds. While names like Freddy Peralta and Sandy Alcantara have headlined the rumor mill, Duquette is pointing to a name that might not grab headlines but could bring real value: Nick Pivetta.
Appearing on SNY’s “Mets Hot Stove,” Duquette laid out a potential trade with the Padres that centers around Pivetta, a veteran right-hander coming off a career-best season. It’s not the kind of splashy move that dominates talk radio, but Duquette believes it’s the kind that could quietly stabilize the Mets' rotation for years to come.
“So I think the more realistic one is what we’ve been hearing a lot more recently, (which) is a guy like Nick Pivetta ... who had a career season last year,” Duquette said during the segment, highlighting the righty’s recent surge and team-friendly contract.
Pivetta’s appeal isn’t just about what he did last season - though that certainly helps. It’s also about what he represents: a durable, mid-rotation starter with three years of team control remaining.
According to FanGraphs, he can opt out after the 2026 season, but even that gives the Mets a solid two-year window before any decision needs to be made. For a team looking to build sustainable success, that kind of control matters.
The proposed deal Duquette mapped out would send Pivetta to Queens in exchange for a package headlined by Brandon Sproat - a near-big league-ready arm - plus prospects Nick Morabito and either A.J. Ewing or Jett Williams. It’s a price that reflects Pivetta’s value without dipping into the Mets' top-tier farm talent.
“(Pivetta) wouldn’t be a number one type starter, but a number two, solid guy, maybe right behind (Nolan) McLean,” Duquette said. “And you’d have him under control for three years. That’s the most important thing.”
The Mets have been linked to bigger names this offseason, and there’s no denying the upside of landing a top-of-the-rotation ace. But Duquette’s proposal is rooted in practicality.
Pivetta may not have the Cy Young ceiling of an Alcantara, but he brings something just as important for a team trying to find consistency: dependability. And with the way his contract is structured, he might even offer more value over the long haul.
If the Mets are serious about building a rotation that can compete now while staying flexible in the future, this kind of move - calculated, cost-controlled, and quietly effective - could be exactly the kind of pivot they need.