The Boston Red Sox and St. Louis Cardinals have been busy trade partners lately, and it’s easy to see why fans in Queens might be wondering: where’s that kind of action for the Mets?
Since Chaim Bloom took over the reins in St. Louis, the Red Sox have swung a pair of notable deals with the Cardinals-moves that brought in talent like Sonny Gray and Willson Contreras.
Now, there’s buzz that Boston might not be done yet, with second baseman Brendan Donovan reportedly on their radar. The pipeline between Boston and St.
Louis is alive and well-and it’s built on more than just mutual need. There’s a shared front office history, a comfort level, and a willingness to deal that’s clearly working for both sides.
Which brings us back to the Mets. With David Stearns now leading the charge in New York, fans are asking a fair question: why hasn’t that same front office familiarity paid off with his former team, the Milwaukee Brewers?
After all, the Brewers have exactly what the Mets need-a legitimate ace in Freddy Peralta-and Stearns knows that organization inside and out. If the Red Sox can capitalize on their ties to the Cardinals, why can’t the Mets do the same with Milwaukee?
Well, it’s not quite that simple.
First, let’s talk about competitive timelines. The Cardinals are in the middle of a retooling phase.
That’s why they’re open for business and willing to part with established veterans. The Red Sox, looking to climb back into contention, are in a perfect position to pounce.
It’s a classic buyer-meets-seller scenario.
The Mets and Brewers? That’s a different story.
Both clubs are in the thick of the National League playoff picture. That makes trading with each other a lot more complicated.
You’re not just helping another team-you’re potentially helping a direct competitor.
Then there’s the way Milwaukee operates. The Brewers aren’t strangers to trading away talent, but their approach is calculated.
They don’t sell just to sell-they move players before they hit free agency, often targeting major league-ready talent with years of team control. That’s how they’ve managed to stay competitive despite their small-market constraints.
That strategy makes it tough for a team like the Mets to line up on a deal. New York’s best trade chips are often already on the big-league roster, and subtracting from that group to land someone like Peralta could end up weakening the team elsewhere.
And let’s not forget the financial side. When Boston took on contracts like Sonny Gray’s and Willson Contreras’s, they were able to use their financial flexibility as leverage.
The Mets have that same financial muscle, but it doesn’t carry the same weight with a team like Milwaukee. The Brewers aren’t looking to shed bloated contracts-they’re looking to maximize value from affordable, productive players.
Peralta, for instance, is locked into a team-friendly deal, which means there’s no financial burden to offload. That takes away one of New York’s biggest potential trade advantages.
At the end of the day, the Mets and Brewers aren’t set up to be natural trade partners-not because of any bad blood or lack of familiarity, but because of where they are competitively and how they operate. If a deal for Peralta ever does materialize, it won’t be because of any front office connection. It’ll be because the Mets were willing to outbid everyone else.
So while it’s tempting to look at the Red Sox-Cardinals flurry and hope for something similar in Queens, the reality is a bit more complicated. Relationships matter, but in this case, they don’t override the fundamental differences between how these teams do business.
For now, don’t expect the Mets to raid the Brewers’ roster. If they want to land a player like Freddy Peralta, it’s going to take more than a familiar face in the front office-it’s going to take a serious offer that Milwaukee simply can’t refuse.