Now what?
That was one of the many questions posed to Mets president of baseball operations David Stearns during a virtual media session conducted Monday morning. The zoom presser came less than 24 hours after Stearns conducted perhaps the most surprising trade of his administration: a one-for-one swap of veterans with the Texas Rangers, sending outfielder Brandon Nimmo to Arlington and second baseman Marcus Semien to Queens.
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Nimmo, a first-round draft pick by the Mets out of a Wyoming high school in 2011, had been the club’s longest-tenured player and a highly respected fan favorite. Despite signs of offensive decline and a move from center field to left, the 32-year-old remained a productive player in 2025. But while Nimmo held real sentimental value for Mets fans, his departure should enable Stearns and Co. to rejuvenate a roster that just authored an all-time embarrassing, late-season collapse.
“Beyond the immediate player-return part of this deal, we think this opens up possibilities and flexibility for us going forward,” the quarter-zip-clad exec explained to reporters. “Both from a near-term perspective and also allowing space for a number of very young outfielders who are coming.”
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In other words, this deal is about much more than acquiring Marcus Semien, who is a solid, defense-first player at this point in his career.
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Those young outfielders — Jett Williams and Carson Benge, two prospects Stearns went on to mention by name — are expected to contribute at the big-league level in 2026. Benge, in particular, has drawn rave reviews for his offensive skillset and looks like a special bat that should slot into the middle of New York’s lineup for years to come.
Yet trading away Nimmo means far more than opening up a spot for any incoming prospect. Swapping Semien for Nimmo gives Stearns a wide array of avenues to upgrade the club, including via free agency. The Mets, under the stewardship of billionaire owner Steve Cohen, have established themselves as one of MLB’s biggest spenders. At this point, it would be a surprise if the team enters spring training without reeling in one of the top hitters on the market. That includes franchise home run king Pete Alonso, who ranks No. 5 on Yahoo’s Top 50 Free Agents list.
“We’ve got a lot of offseason left,” Stearns said Monday. “I would expect us to continue to be active in a variety of spaces, to bring players in here.”
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Looking to next season, there aren’t too many sure things among the Mets’ position-player group. Francisco Lindor will play shortstop. Juan Soto will play right field. Semien will be at second, and Francisco Álvarez will be behind the dish. Jeff McNeil, barring another trade, will be somewhere. The rest is a haze. Brett Baty, Ronny Mauricio, Mark Vientos and Luisangel Acuña are all infielders aged 26 or younger with varying levels of big-league success. It’s unlikely the entire quartet is wearing blue and orange come Opening Day; one or more could surely be dealt away for pitching help.
The positive side of all that uncertainty? Given New York’s positional flexibility, the Mets can make serious calls on pretty much every top free-agent bat.
Alonso, given his seven years of service in Queens, is the most obvious fit. But the Mets could certainly pivot to Kyle Schwarber if they believe the stout DH projects as a better hitter. The same applies to the über-hyped Japanese 25-year-old, Munetaka Murakami. Despite the Mets’ current glut of corner infielders, Alex Bregman also makes a ton of sense. New York could move one of Baty and Vientos to first and trade the other — or keep both, DH one of them and move on from Alonso.
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Cody Bellinger is another compelling upgrade, considering he fills the Mets’ most obvious hole: center field. McNeil can fake it out there, but he isn’t a viable every-day option. Tyrone Taylor is a stellar defender, but he’s coming off an abysmal year with the stick. A long-term pact with the sweet-swinging former Dodger, Cub and Yankee would push McNeil to left and give the Mets one of baseball’s best outfields.
Then there’s Kyle Tucker, the consensus top player on the market. But even though the Nimmo deal frees up left field in Queens, a long-term pact with Tucker doesn’t feel likely, given Soto’s presence on the roster. Locking in both corner outfield spots for the next decade-plus doesn’t seem like the type of thing Stearns would do. That said, perhaps the Mets approach Soto about a preemptive move to DH and splash the cash on Tucker. Lord knows Steve Cohen has the dough.
But when asked about a big-money external upgrade in the outfield, Stearns predictably kept things close to the chest. “I think it would be too early for me to really determine how our outfield alignment is going to shape up,” he said.
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No matter which path the Mets take, another trade involving some of those younger players feels exceedingly likely. Conveniently, there are a number of enticing, controllable pitchers on the market who would slot right into New York’s starting staff. Minnesota’s Joe Ryan, Miami’s Sandy Alcantara, Washington’s MacKenzie Gore, St. Louis’ Sonny Gray and Milwaukee’s Freddy Peralta all come to mind. Landing back-to-back Cy Young Tarik Skubal is a pipe dream that would require a haul and a half, but the Mets are one of the few teams with the pieces to make it happen.
“I don’t know what the next transaction is right now,” Stearns opined. “But I know we’re going to keep going into the offseason. I’m very confident we’re gonna have a productive offseason.”
