The Mets haven’t exactly been busy this offseason, and with a potential lockout creeping closer in less than a month, the pressure is starting to build. Free agency is getting most of the attention, especially the Tarik Skubal sweepstakes, but New York may be better served using the trade market to fill some of its biggest holes.
That route makes a lot of sense at first base, where the free-agent board doesn’t offer many obvious answers. David Stearns has already done work to restock the farm system with a wave of strong deadline moves, and that gives the Mets a few pieces other clubs would actually want in serious trade talks.
One of the most obvious names is Ryan Clifford Stafura. The Mets have a logjam of young middle infielders, and that kind of surplus can turn into a real weapon if Stearns decides to deal from it. Mitch Voit and Jefferson Rojas are probably too important to the big-league picture to move, but Stafura has the prospect profile to headline a deal for a player with major club control left on his contract.
Stafura also has some buzz behind him after a 14-homer July for the Pirates’ High-A team in Greensboro before joining the Mets’ system, a stretch that could hint at a breakout coming soon. Stearns has shown before that he’s willing to use deadline additions as currency in bigger offseason moves. In Milwaukee, he turned Esteury Ruiz - acquired in the ill-fated Josh Hader deal at the 2022 deadline - into William Contreras in the three-team trade that sent Sean Murphy to Atlanta.
The Mets like Stafura, but the real value is in what he could bring back if the right star becomes available. If Houston decides to blow up what’s left of its core, Yordan Alvarez could become the kind of prize that justifies a package with Stafura at the center.
Controllable starting pitching is another area where the Mets could cash in. That’s one of the most valuable assets in the game, especially for teams that would rather not shop for arms on the open market. The Padres’ return in the Juan Soto deal before the 2024 season was built around controllable pitching, with the Yankees sending Michael King, Randy Vasquez, Jhony Brito, and prospect Drew Thorpe to San Diego.
Blade Tong fits that mold. He’s a former Top 100 prospect with elite stuff, but there are real questions about whether he’ll stay a starter long term. Even so, that kind of arm draws attention, and his club control only adds to the appeal.
The Mets would probably prefer to keep Tong unless he’s part of a deal for a player with significant control remaining. That possibility becomes more interesting if they miss on Skubal in free agency and have to pivot to the trade market for a true ace.
Brett Baty is another name who could wind up in the conversation, even after the strong praise Stearns gave him at his end-of-season presser. Third base isn’t open now that Bo Bichette opted into his contract, and Baty’s clearest route to playing time would be a platoon at second base with Marcus Semien.
If one of Rojas or Voit grabs the second-base job early, Baty becomes easier to move. Since the Mets don’t seem ready to move on from Semien, the smarter play might be to shop Baty while his value is still high after a strong finish to the season.
He still has three years of club control left, which makes him appealing in a market where infield prices are already trending up. The best use for him could be as part of a package for a rental starter.
Then there’s Brandon Thornton, who looks like the kind of development win the Mets can leverage. He wasn’t a major name before forcing his way to the majors midseason, but he held down a rotation spot the rest of the way and finished 5-6 with a 3.42 ERA and 1.14 WHIP in 15 starts.
Thornton doesn’t miss bats at a huge rate - he struck out 63 hitters in 84.1 innings - but his control stands out. He’s a soft-tossing lefty who could fill a role similar to former Met Jose Quintana, which is about as good an outcome as you can ask for from that type of pitcher.
Because he comes with so much club control, Thornton could be valuable to another team and still movable for the Mets if they’re planning to add multiple starters this winter. He could even be the kind of piece that helps get a deal for Joe Ryan across the finish line, with the Mets using him to chase a higher-upside rotation upgrade now and another arm for the future in Jonathan Santucci.
In Other News...
Mets Prospects Are Sending Very Different Signals In Arizona
The Arizona Fall League has offered a mixed read on a handful of Mets prospects over the past week, with some players stacking productive outings while others have been harder to pin down. The game results from Nov. 2 through Nov. 8 have given the organization a fresh look at where several young names stand, and the season-to-date numbers have started to separate those who are making a clear case from those still searching for rhythm.
Bruin Agbayani, Boston Baro, Cole Mathis, Irving Cota, Brendan Girton, Ryan Lambert, Peyton Prescott and Calvin Ziegler have all been part of that uneven picture, with batting and pitching lines that point in different directions. For the Mets, that is the point of the AFL in the first place: a chance to see which prospects are building momentum, which ones are simply getting reps, and which ones still have a little more proving to do before the winter wraps up. [Read more 🡒]
Mets Could Face An Early Trade Mistake At GM Meetings
The GM Meetings are set to put the Mets in a familiar spot, balancing present-day needs against a roster that still has plenty of moving parts. Mark Vientos and Francisco Alvarez are both part of that conversation, and the front office is weighing whether to use one of those young pieces to bring back help that fits a more immediate need, especially on the mound.
What makes this stretch tricky is the timing. With an impending lockout hanging over the sport, the Mets may not get many clean chances to reshape the roster later, which raises the stakes on every trade discussion now. That is why the idea of chasing short-term starting pitching rentals is being viewed with caution, even as names like Reid Detmers surface in broader talks and the pressure to make the right call only grows. [Read more 🡒]
Mets Bullpen Squeeze Leaves David Stearns Facing Harder Choices
Luis Garcias exit after only six games was a reminder of how little room there is for error in a Mets bullpen that was already packed when the offseason began. Signed as a free agent last winter, Garcia never got much of a runway before the club designated him for assignment, and his departure only sharpened the roster squeeze David Stearns inherited.
The bigger issue now is flexibility, or the lack of it. With no impending free agents to clear space and several pitchers still under review because of availability and performance concerns, the Mets have to sort out who fits where before they can even think about adding to the mix. Setup roles and the ninth inning are part of the conversation, but the more immediate challenge is simply finding enough breathing room to make the bullpen work. [Read more 🡒]