The New York Mets are not finished making baseball headlines this off-season. As it’s becoming clearer, even the big MLB spenders have limits on who gets what, and for how much.
With the risk of alienating their fan base, Mets’ owner Steven Cohen and David Stearns, president of baseball operations, executed the risky move of trading one of their most popular players—Brandon Nimmo. Just a week ago, a 1-for-1 switch—Nimmo to the Texas Rangers for second baseman Marcus Semien to the National League club in Queens— seemed impossible.
Maybe four or five seasons back, yes, moving Nimmo to another team, let alone to the American League could have been considered baseball blasphemy. However, all the greatness and success predicted by Cohen when purchasing the club in October 2020 hasn’t come to fruition after five seasons. Perhaps an outside baseball term, “heads will roll,” best summarizes what’s surely in store for the Mets’ 40-man roster.
Chasing star free-agents prior to the start of spring training in February, unlike in previous winters, it’s not a lock that Cohen will be opening up his wallet. Getting his house in order at Citi Field—first—should be addressed. Having the largest MLB team payroll in 2025 ($323-plus million), and landing in second place in the National League East 13 games behind the Philadelphia Phillies, last season was an embarrassment for the Mets organization.
Signing last off-season’s top free-agent Juan Soto to a 15-year, $765 million contract, and not getting the club into the postseason, let alone the World Series, is a disappointment Cohen nor Stearns would stand for. Tough decisions on personnel once thought to be off-limits, be it by trade, free-agency, or release, seem to be getting easier to broach.
Do the Mets still see their home-grown, mega-star first baseman Pete Alonso as a must to re-sign?
Alonso, who has spent his entire seven-year MLB career with the Mets, is coming off an offensive season that players dream of going into free agency—38 home runs, 126 RBIs, and hitting a career high .272. Having earned $30 million in 2025, Alonso, 30, is surely seeking a multi-year deal that would lock him in with one club for the rest of his career.
With rumors of the Boston Red Sox showing interest in signing Alonso, and having agent Scott Boras representing him, are the Mets still willing topay top dollar to retain their homegrown slugger?
Relief pitcher Edwin Diaz, like Alonso, has opted out of his contract with New York. The Mets are more in need of a closer to stabilize their bullpen than a home run-hitting bat at this time. The Toronto Blue Jays and Los Angeles Dodgers are said to be “kicking the tires” on possibly adding Diaz to their highly successful rosters.
Over the past six seasons it has been Diaz who has anchored the Mets bullpen. The thought of the departure of Diaz, Alonso, and Nimmo from New York National League baseball, and all in the same off-season, is as unfathomable to think of as it is leaning toward the possible.
The shock of Nimmo’s departure from New York to the Arlington, Texas-based club still lingers for Mets’ fans. Armed with a full no-trade clause in his contract, Nimmo had to have given approval for the move to be made.
After speaking with former Mets’ teammate pitcher Jacob deGrom, who took the free-agency route after the 2022 season and has found success with his American League teammates, Nimmo was confident that the trade would work well for his career. Texas won the World Series in 2023 and for his 2025 efforts, deGrom was awarded the American League Comeback Player of the Year honors. After the 2022 season Nimmo re-signed with the Mets dor eight years at $162 million. The contract the Rangers inherit runs through the 2030 season.
Free agent starting pitcher Dylan Cease recently inked a seven-year, $210 million deal with the Blue Jays. With reports having Detroit Tigers’ pitcher Tarik Skubal and the club being far apart in negotiations for a long-term deal, and the left-handed ace being eligible for free agency after the 2026 season, would the mighty spenders in Queens still be willing to open their wallet to bring him into their fold? Outfielder/first baseman Cody Bellinger, last with the crosstown rival Yankees, can also be had by the highest bidder this winter.
Undoubtedly seeking a deal that is nine figures, will the Mets pass on this bona fide superstar in the name of reining in spending?
Although Juan Soto has an annual salary of $53 million, plus, if Cohen gives the green light for Stearns to make a serious offer to Kyle Tucker, 28, the payroll would surely head north in a hurry. Tucker, last with the Chicago Cubs, is rumored to be looking for a $400 million deal.
Outside the Yankees or Dodgers, and maybe the San Francisco Giants, Tucker’s future work place is limited. The Mets already are paying the highest luxury tax, tops in MLB, due to their overspending.
In 2023, the Mets finished fourth in the National League East, and no postseason for them. In 2024, New York finished in third place in the East. They made it all the way to the National League Championship Series, but were bested by Los Angeles. Cohen’s initial five-year plan for his club to be World Series worthy came u short. With shortstop Francisco Lindor as the Mets’ leader in 2026, the club can’t keep a status quo mentality.
Hard decisions, emotionally charged decisions, will need to be addressed between now and the Winter Meetings next month.
The winds of change are blowing through Queens—like it or not.
