The Mets completed their first major move of the offseason on Monday, trading left fielder Brandon Nimmo — their longest-tenured player — to the Rangers for second baseman Marcus Semien. For New York, the deal could be the first step in a broader plan to reconfigure its roster.
Pete Alonso, the franchise’s all-time home run leader, is a free agent again, and it’s unclear how aggressively the Mets will pursue another reunion. They re-signed him last offseason, but only after he lingered on the open market for months and agreed to a short-term deal — two years, $54 million with an opt-out after ’25. This time, he’s believed to be aiming for a much longer commitment.
Utility man Jeff McNeil isn’t a lock to return, either. He’s under contract for 2026, but his name has surfaced in trade rumors, and Semien’s arrival pushes him off his primary position. Yes, Nimmo’s departure opens a spot in left field, where McNeil has plenty of experience, but his skill set plays far better at second base than it does on the grass.
In any case, Monday’s swap only adds more intrigue to the Mets’ roster puzzle. That said, the club’s biggest goals this winter haven’t changed much, if at all. Here’s what the Mets still need to accomplish before the 2026 season.
1. Add a frontline starter
What they don’t have, though, is a proven ace, someone they can lean on to provide stability when things are going poorly. They certainly could have used that in the second half of 2025, when McLean was their only reliable starter.
The question is, where will they look to fill their need? President of baseball operations David Stearns typically steers clear of higher-priced pitchers in free agency, and it remains to be seen if he’ll break from that mold in a year when all of the best available free-agent starters have their share of question marks.
It could make more sense for Stearns to explore the trade market, though two of the most attractive would-be targets — the Tigers’ Tarik Skubal and the Brewers’ Freddy Peralta — are uncertain to be moved.
In other words, the club’s relief corps could look quite different in 2026. But maybe that isn’t such a bad thing — New York ranked 15th in bullpen ERA (3.93) on the year and tied for fifth with 27 blown saves, even with Edwin Díaz doing an excellent job in the ninth inning.
After Díaz opted out of his contract, finding a closer is a priority for the Mets. But they also need an eighth-inning guy, preferably a right-hander. Huascar Brazobán is their only healthy reliever of note who throws from the right side on the 40-man roster.
3. Re-sign Alonso … or find a comparable replacement
It’s reasonable to question whether signing a first baseman to a long-term deal ahead of his age-31 season would be a wise move. But there’s no debating how important Alonso’s bat has been to the Mets’ lineup since his debut in 2019. If they aren’t going to re-sign him, they’ll need to replace him with another middle-of-the-order hitter.
In terms of pure power, Kyle Schwarber would also be a viable alternative to Alonso. As a bonus, bringing in Schwarber would deal a blow to the division rival Phillies, who are looking to bring back the slugger. But Schwarber comes with similar drawbacks as a full-time designated hitter who will turn 33 in March. And unlike Alonso, the Mets would have to forfeit Draft picks and international bonus pool money to sign Schwarber after he turned down Philadelphia’s qualifying offer.
