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4 players Mets could consider trading during 2026-27 MLB offseason
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- 4 players Mets could consider trading during 2026-27 MLB offseason
Barring a huge surprise, the Mets will not have nearly as much turnover this offseason as they did last year, when Pete Alonso, Brandon Nimmo, Edwin Diaz, and Jeff McNeilall became former Mets.
But while upheaval is not expected this time around, New York is very much in retool mode after sinking to 74-88 and missing the postseason for the second straight season.
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The core of Juan Soto, Francisco Lindor, Bo Bichette(who is expected to opt in to his contract for 2027), Carson Benge, A.J. Ewing, and Nolan McLeanwill almost certainly be untouched, but moving and shaking will proceed elsewhere.
Part of that will be turning to the free agent market, potentially for a frontline starter and more.
There's also a chance the Mets use some of their newly acquired prospect depth to help facilitate a trade for an impact player.
As far as established players who could be on the move via trade this offseason, four stand out above the rest...
Kodai Senga
Senga is entering the final guaranteed season of the five-year, $75 million contract he signed ahead of the 2023 season. There's a conditional $15 million club option for 2028 that would be available to the Mets if Senga has Tommy John surgery or a right elbow injury that keeps him on the IL for 130 days or more. However, in the event that happened, it's fair to believe New York would move on instead of exercising the option.
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So, 2027 feels like Senga's last season in Queens. Unless he's traded before the year starts.
If Senga remains a Met, his role going forward is somewhat murky.
"I think we'll make that determination as we get into spring training and see where we are," president of baseball operations David Stearnssaid after the season. "We know where Kodai's passion is. He's been very honest with that.
"We also understand that we need a level of production, in whatever role he's going to be in, to contribute to a winning team. And so, we'll ultimately make that role determination as we get into next year."
Sep 6, 2026; New York City, New York, USA; New York Mets pitcher Kodai Senga (34) reacts after getting the games final out against the San Francisco Giants at Citi Field. / John Jones - Imagn Images
The "passion" Stearns was alluding to had to do with Senga's desire to start.
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For the Mets, though, it wouldn't make much sense to shift Senga back to the rotation given how he performed in that role last season. That means that Senga's future could be in a bullpen role in New York (if he buys in and can handle the workload) or in the rotation for another team.
Mark Vientos
Vientos is entering his first season of arbitration and is under team control through 2029. He's also just 26 years old (turning 27 in December).
However, it feels like Vientos' five-year tenure with the Mets could be coming to an end.
In 87 games this past season, Vientos hit just .212/.258/.394 (.652 OPS) with 13 homers. Meanwhile, his defense at first base remained subpar.
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While Vientos is still relatively inexpensive and possesses serious power, he does not provide much value defensively, is not versatile, and has seen his offensive production go backwards the last two seasons.
There was also the moment during the season when Vientos ran through a stop sign at third base, was nailed at home plate, and said after that he "followed his instincts" instead of his coach's directive .
New York could conceivably tender Vientos a contract and use him as part of a DH platoon or as a power bat off the bench, but the most sensible outcome for both sides could be finding a partner via trade before the Nov. 20 non-tender deadline.
Marcus Semien
To understand why the Mets traded Nimmo for Semien last offseason, read this story from last month .
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To understand how difficult it could be for New York to move on from Semien now, all you have to do is look at his contract, which calls for him to be paid $26 million in 2027 and $20 million in 2028 (with a luxury tax hit each season of $24 million).
While Semien is under contract and handsomely paid, Stearns made no assurances after the season that Semien would enter 2027 as the starting second baseman . A likely scenario, then, would mean Semien eventually being relegated to the bench. The unlikelier scenario would be a trade.
Jun 24, 2026; New York City, New York, USA; New York Mets second baseman Marcus Semien (10) turns a double play during the sixth inning against the Chicago Cubs at Citi Field. / Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images
In order for the Mets to find a taker for Semien, though, it would almost certainly mean taking back another bad contract.
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There has been some outside speculation about a Semien for Rafael Deverstrade, but that would make very little sense from New York's perspective since Semien will be off the books after 2028 and Devers' deal with the Giants runs through 2033.
The truly awful contracts in MLB all extend beyond (and in some cases well beyond) the end of Semien's. So moving him would probably take some real creativity.
Francisco Alvarez
Despite being right around league average offensively or better in each of his first four full big league seasons, there are many who continue to lump Alvarez in with the group of younger Mets player that includes Vientos, Brett Baty, and Ronny Mauricio.
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That makes little sense, since Vientos and Baty have just one average or better offensive season each, and Mauricio has been a consistently poor producer at the plate since making his major league debut in 2023.
Alvarez hasn't reached his ceiling since getting his first taste of the bigs in 2022, but above average offensive catchers with legitimate power are difficult to find -- and that's what Alvarez is.
He also made strides defensively in the second half of the 2026 season -- something Stearns called out at his end-of-season news conference.
Moving Alvarez in a trade to fill another big need could make some sense. If that isn't on the table, there's no reason for the Mets to shake up their catching situation when it's quite good.
