The Mets may have just found a new opening in the trade market, and it comes from an unexpected place: Anaheim.
For years, Steve Cohen’s $2.5 billion purchase of the Mets in 2020 sat at the top of MLB’s valuation ladder. That changed when the Padres sold for $3.9 billion, and now the Angels have pushed the number even higher with a payout rumored to be around $4 billion from real estate mogul Stan Kroenke. Kroenke already owns championship teams in the NBA, NHL and NFL, and now he’ll try to add a World Series to the collection in Anaheim.
That kind of ownership shift usually comes with a splash. Kroenke has built a reputation for chasing stars with his other teams, so the Angels will almost certainly want to make a major move to signal that a new era has arrived. If that happens, the Mets should be ready to take advantage.
This is exactly the sort of moment where a team with expensive, recognizable talent can become a trade partner. The Mets did something similar in Cohen’s first offseason, sending a large package of young players and prospects to Cleveland for Francisco Lindor and Carlos Carrasco, then backing it up with a 10-year contract for Lindor. It was a loud statement about how they intended to operate, even if it was more symbolic than practical.
Now the Angels could be headed down that same path. After a long stretch of frustration under Arte Moreno, they may be eager to do something dramatic as they move into a new ownership era.
That leaves the Mets with a possible chance to move Lindor’s remaining contract, something they reportedly explored at the trade deadline this year and are expected to revisit this winter. Pairing Lindor with Mike Trout would give Kroenke the kind of aging star duo he could easily afford, even if the fit is more about ambition than restraint.
If that idea doesn’t work out because of money or Lindor’s age, the Mets still have other names that could draw interest. Devin Williams remains a well-known reliever with All-Star credentials, and he has two years left on his deal. Bo Bichette would also be a strong candidate if he opts in to his $42 million salary for the 2027 season.
Not every pricey player on the roster makes sense as a trade chip. Juan Soto is in a different category entirely, while Jorge Polanco and Marcus Semien simply haven’t been productive enough to sell to another team. But there is clearly a path here, and if Cohen has to accept that he’s no longer the biggest spender in the room, it could still help him get a deal done.
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