The first-base market took a hit on Friday when Jake Bauers agreed to a four-year, $58 million deal with the Boston Red Sox. That removes one of the more appealing bats from the board, and with him goes a popular New York Mets target at a position of need.
But Bauers was never exactly a clean fit for Queens anyway. He’s 31, carries a spotty track record, and comes with the added baggage of being attached to the qualifying offer. He would have helped the Mets at first base, sure, but he wasn’t a guaranteed answer to replace Pete Alonso or anything close to that.
The better option might still be sitting on the Brewers’ roster.
Andrew Vaughn has rebuilt his value in Milwaukee over the past two seasons after washing out with the White Sox. The former No. 3 overall pick in the 2019 MLB Draft put up a .869 OPS and 142 wRC+ in 64 games with the Brewers in 2025, then backed that up this year with a .306/.390/.444 line and a 134 wRC+.
What makes his 2026 season stand out is how he adapted after suffering a hamate bone fracture on Opening Day. The power dipped - he hit only six homers in 104 games - but he compensated by becoming more of a contact-driven on-base presence. His walk rate climbed to career-best levels, and his contact rates both in and out of the zone were also the best of his career.
He still punished left-handed pitching, too, posting a .938 OPS against southpaws. That’s the kind of profile that would fit neatly alongside Jared Young, who had his own breakout season with a 120 wRC+ against right-handed pitching.
Vaughn wouldn’t have to be limited to a strict platoon. He posted a 117 wRC+ against righties this year, so he’d bring more than just a lefty-mashing specialist’s value. Even so, his biggest appeal for the Mets is obvious: he’d give the lineup far more credibility against left-handed pitching.
There’s also the contract angle. Vaughn is projected to make $8.5 million, and the Brewers have a history of moving players in their contract years, as they did with Freddy Peralta. That could make them willing partners if the Mets decide to push for a deal.
And if Vaughn can’t be kept beyond 2027, he’d still serve as another short-term fix for a long-running first-base issue in Queens since Alonso signed with the Orioles. As temporary solutions go, his fit with Young makes him one of the more appealing names left on the trade market.
In Other News...
Mets Linked To Catcher Swap That Puts Francisco Alvarez In Focus
The catcher market has a way of turning speculative fast, and Shea Langeliers is the latest name to surface in a conversation that naturally pulls Francisco Alvarez into the spotlight. The Athletics have not locked Langeliers up to an extension yet, and if that situation drifts without a deal before the 2028 season, the possibility of a trade could start to feel more real. For the Mets, that kind of opening invites a familiar question: whether they would consider reshaping the position by dealing from a young catcher of their own.
Alvarez remains the more obvious long-term piece for New York because of his offensive upside and his contract status, which is why any swap involving him would have to be weighed carefully. Langeliers brings his own appeal, especially with the bat, and the comparison between the two makes for an intriguing fit-versus-ceiling debate. For now, it is only a proposal, but it is the sort of idea that keeps the Mets catching picture in focus and leaves plenty of room for the front office to decide how aggressive it wants to be. [Read more 🡒]
Mets Offseason Plan Is Starting To Look Very Different Than Expected
The GM Meetings came and went without a splashy Mets move, but the quieter message may have been just as important. Rather than treating a right-handed bat as the central offseason need, the club appears more intent on adding multiple starting pitchers, a shift that says plenty about how it views the roster after an offense that was slowed by injuries and underperformance last season.
There is still work to do on the position-player side, with first base and possibly the fourth outfielder spot still on the radar. Even so, the Mets seem more comfortable leaning on internal answers at second base and catcher, while banking on a healthier lineup to look more like the version that improved in September. [Read more 🡒]
Mets Just Clarified Devin Williams Role In Their Bullpen Overhaul
The Mets are already looking ahead to a bullpen overhaul for 2027, and the early outline is pretty clear: add more high-leverage arms and make life easier for Devin Williams. Williams, who signed a three-year deal last offseason, is still the closer despite a down 2026 season, so the front office is treating him as part of the solution rather than a question mark.
President of baseball operations David Stearns put the emphasis on finding relievers who can simply get outs, no matter their handedness or whether they have closed before. For a bullpen that needs more dependable late-inning options, that leaves the Mets with a broad shopping list and a very specific goal, and the next step is whether the roster can actually be reshaped around Williams in the way the team wants. [Read more 🡒]