What will the New York Mets do next? It’s the question we’d all ask any sentient being with the knowledge of the world. Forget the meaning of life, next week’s megamillions numbers, or why everything hurts. We want to know what the plan is for this team.
The trade market seems to be the place where the Mets could end up being most aggressive. Already flipping Brandon Nimmo for Marcus Semien, the team’s reluctance to hand out lengthy deals will force them to take on already existing contracts.
If this is indeed the route they go, there is a wider net to explore. A little over a week ago, ESPN took a look at some of the top trade candidates. Using that list along with some actual Mets rumors, I came away feeling like trades for any of these five players don’t make enough sense.
1) Yandy Diaz
Yandy Diaz to the Mets makes sense in some ways, but he’s not about to replace Pete Alonso at first base. His $12 million for the 2026 season fits into the mold they’re creating. I just question why the Tampa Bay Rays, after already paying Cedric Mullins and Steven Matz, would be so willing to trade him for anything short of a haul.
Diaz finished last year batting .300 with 25 home runs. Those satisfyingly even numbers stand out with a nice mix of power and hitting for average. Diaz’s biggest flaw is his defense. The Rays moved him off of first base last year. When he did play, he wasn’t very good. Just 36 starts at the position with another 114 at DH, it’s clear where he belongs.
At 34, Diaz isn’t about to emerge as a late-bloomer on defense like he did as a hitter. A nice all-around hitter who profiles a little more like Luis Arraez with power but more strikeouts, there’s a lot to really like about him as a DH. The Mets just don’t need to use trade assets to acquire a player who’ll rarely grab a glove.
If run prevention truly is at the forefront of what they want to do, Diaz isn’t the guy.