The Mets took another chunk out of their old core, trading away their longest-tenured player as they continue to retool.
The Mets sent Jeff McNeil and cash considerations to the Athletics for minor-league pitcher Yordan Rodriguez, the team announced Monday.
The 33-year-old McNeil, a 12th-round pick by the Mets out of Long Beach State in 2013, has spent all eight seasons of his career with the team. Rodriguez is a 17-year-old righthander who pitched for the A’s rookie league affiliate in the Dominican Summer League last season.
“I want to thank Jeff for his time and contributions to the organization,” president of baseball operations David Stearns said in a statement. “He was drafted by the team and grew up in our system. I wish Jeff and his family success and good luck going forward. We are excited to bring Yordan into our system. He is a young righthander with a promising future.”
The Mets will send $5.75 million to the A’s to help cover McNeil’s $15.75 million salary and pay his $2 million buyout if his 2027 club option is not exercised, according to ESPN. McNeil also has a $500,000 trade assignment bonus that will be paid by the A’s, according to Spotrac.
The trade is the latest move for an organization that has lost several of its cornerstones this offseason as Stearns enters a pivotal third season in 2026.
Brandon Nimmo, the Mets’ 2011 first-round pick, was traded to the Rangers for Marcus Semien last month. Earlier this month, Pete Alonso, the franchise’s all-time home run leader, inked a five-year, $155 million contract with Baltimore. Edwin Diaz, one of the best closers in baseball, signed a three-year, $69 million deal with the Dodgers.
David Peterson, who debuted in 2020, currently is the longest-tenured Met. The next one is Francisco Lindor, who made his Mets debut in 2021.
Last season, McNeil posted a .243/.335/.411 slash line with 12 homers and 54 RBIs. He played all over the diamond, starting 69 games at second base (his main position throughout his career), 28 in centerfield, nine at designated hitter, five in leftfield and two in rightfield.
McNeil won the MLB batting title in 2022, when he hit .326. He was named an All-Star in both 2022 and 2019, and he finished sixth in NL Rookie of the Year voting in 2018.
The Mets’ infield takes on a new look next year, with Semien at second base and former Mariner Jorge Polanco likely at first base despite logging only one pitch at the position in his MLB career. The left side looks the same for now, with Lindor at shortstop and Brett Baty, Mark Vientos and Ronny Mauricio as options at third. Polanco, in a Zoom call with local media Monday, also said that he was “offering my services to teams as a first baseman, second baseman, third baseman.”
In a news conference after acquiring Semien, Stearns was asked how he views McNeil fitting into the roster. He said he could still impact the team with his positional versatility and mentioned multiple possibilities – corner outfield, second base behind Semien and perhaps first base – but seemingly no clear starting lane.
“I talked to Jeff yesterday,” Stearns said on Nov. 24. “He understands where we’re headed. I think he wants to be a part of this, and he understands his positional versatility is a real asset for us.”
Instead, McNeil will head to West Sacramento, California, to join the young Athletics, who finished 76-86 last season and feature the 2025 AL Rookie of the Year in Nick Kurtz and the runner-up in Jacob Wilson.
Rodriguez signed with the A’s as a non-drafted free agent for a reported $400,000 signing bonus in January 2025. He pitched in eight games (one start) and went 2-0 with a 2.93 ERA, 1.239 WHIP, 20 strikeouts and eight walks in 15 1/3 innings. He has a four-seam fastball that sat in the low-90s and touched 96 mph this summer and a slider that spins at 2,500-to-2,800 revolutions per minute, according to Baseball America.
Notes & quotes: The Mets officially announced the signing of former Yankees reliever Luke Weaver to a two-year contract.
The 32-year-old righthander, who agreed to a two-year, $22 million deal last Wednesday, went 4-4 with eight saves, a 3.62 ERA, 1.021 WHIP, 72 strikeouts and 20 walks in 64 2/3 innings (64 games) with the Yankees last season.
“Over the past few seasons Luke has emerged as one of the most reliable leverage relievers in baseball and we’re excited to add him to our pen,” Stearns said in a statement. “Luke’s stuff, combined with his experience in high pressure situations in New York, sets him up well for success going forward.”
Weaver’s best season as a reliever came in 2024, when he posted a 2.89 ERA and 0.929 WHIP in 84 innings, but he especially shined in the Yankees’ run to the World Series. He had four saves, a 1.76 ERA, 16 strikeouts and two walks in 15 1/3 innings in the 2024 postseason.
Weaver will reunite with former Yankees teammate and fellow reliever Devin Williams, whom the Mets signed to a three-year, $51 million deal on Dec. 3.
Newsday’s Laura Albanese contributed to this story.
Ben Dickson is Newsday Sports’ general assignment reporter. He joined Newsday’s high school sports staff in 2023 after graduating from Maryland, where he covered several of the Terrapins’ teams.