The New York Mets are turning over their roster this winter after failing to make the playoffs this year.
Within the last few weeks, the organization has moved on from fan favorite Brandon Nimmo in order to add Marcus Semien to the roster. Barring any unforeseen circumstances, Semien will take over second base as Francisco Lindor’s double play partner.
Now, David Stearns has three choices on what to do with McNeil: Use him as a corner outfielder, use him in a utility role on the bench or trade him elsewhere. MLB insiders Kiley McDaniel and Jeff Passan believe the final option is the most likely of them all, and they believe the Pittsburgh Pirates would be a good fit for him.
“McNeil is a ‘nice to have’ utility player who can play capably all over the field and hit at a league average or better rate from the left side.” McDaniel and Passan wrote. “He’ll be 34 in April, isn’t an impact type of player and has had some injuries the past few seasons. But he’s a valuable role player on a contender or a nice upgrade for a smaller-market club looking to upgrade its offensive floor. Team fits: Pirates, Giants, Royals.”
The insider duo believes there is an 80% chance of McNeil being traded this winter, and they noted the Mets may need to eat some of his salary for next year. He is slated to make $15.75 million in 2026.
For the Pirates, this deal would make a lot of sense. Normally, they are the ones looking to dump salary, but Pittsburgh would be on the other end of the deal now. As a result, general manager Ben Cherington would not have to give up much in order to land McNeil.
Even if the Mets retain as much as 50% of McNeil’s salary, it would still free up some funding to help them chase a higher quality outfielder that is strong at the plate and in the field.
Unless New York believes it can turn McNeil into a major league outfielder over the next months, trading him to a team like the Pirates may be the best thing for both parties.
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