The New York Mets find themselves at a familiar crossroads this offseason - balancing the need for immediate outfield help with a desire to hold onto their young infield talent. And if there’s a team that makes sense as a trade partner, it's the Boston Red Sox.
The Sox have an outfield logjam and a clear need at third base, while the Mets have a surplus of infielders and a glaring hole in left field. On paper, it’s a clean fit: outfielder for infielder.
But as always in baseball, the reality is a little more complicated.
At the heart of the discussion is Brett Baty, a player the Mets continue to show strong commitment toward. According to reports, New York has been reluctant to include Baty in trade talks - and it's easy to understand why. After a season where he made strides both at the plate and in the field, the 24-year-old third baseman has started to look like the kind of homegrown piece you build around, not trade away.
The Mets already passed on the opportunity to move Baty in a proposed deal with the Marlins that would’ve brought back right-hander Edward Cabrera. That tells us something: the front office still believes Baty has another level to reach, and they’re not ready to give up on that potential just yet.
But here’s the thing - the Mets still need a left fielder. And the Red Sox, with their crowded outfield, have pieces to offer.
Jarren Duran stands out as the most likely trade chip. He’s a few years older than Baty and has already shown flashes of being a game-changer at the top of the lineup with his speed and athleticism.
If Boston is serious about clearing space and addressing third base, Duran could be the centerpiece of a deal.
The challenge, of course, lies in matching value. The Red Sox have other intriguing young outfielders like Ceddanne Rafaela and Wilyer Abreu, both of whom are coming off Gold Glove-caliber seasons.
They’re younger, more controllable, and would command a higher price - likely more than just Baty. And that’s where the Mets have to ask themselves: how much are they willing to give up to fix the outfield?
Names like Ronny Mauricio and Luisangel Acuña have been floated, but neither moves the needle much for Boston. Mauricio’s injury complicates his trade value, and the Red Sox already have a crop of young infielders. As for Acuña, his upside is intriguing, but he alone won’t pry away a premium outfielder.
Even the Mets’ top infield prospects like Jacob Reimer probably aren’t enough to get Boston’s attention in a win-now scenario. Boston is looking for major league-ready help at the hot corner, not long-term projects.
So what’s the path forward? The simple one - a one-for-one swap - might not be enough. This could require a bigger swing.
One idea that’s been tossed around in fan circles is a package deal: Duran and right-hander Brayan Bello heading to Queens in exchange for Baty, top shortstop prospect Jett Williams, and pitching prospect Jonah Tong. That’s a blockbuster-level move, and while it doesn’t solve the Mets’ third base situation directly, it does bring in two players who’ve already proven they can contribute at the big-league level.
Bello, in particular, would give the Mets a young, controllable arm with upside - a valuable asset in any rotation. And Duran fills the outfield need immediately.
The cost, however, is steep. Williams is one of the Mets’ most exciting prospects, and Tong has been gaining traction as a legitimate future rotation piece.
It’s the kind of deal that forces a front office to weigh present needs against future potential. Do the Mets want to go all-in on 2026? Or are they still playing the long game?
For now, New York seems content to stay patient with Baty. But if the right deal comes along - especially one that brings back major-league-ready talent like Duran and Bello - it might be too tempting to pass up.
The Mets and Red Sox have the pieces to help each other. It’s just a matter of whether either side is willing to give up what it takes to make a deal happen.