6 Potential Early-Season Trade Targets for the Mets

Through the first 35 games of the 2026 season, the Mets sit at 13-22. They field what is among the worst records in all of Major League Baseball, with one of the worst-performing offenses in the game right now.

They’ve seen their season take a huge hit with a 12-game losing streak and being swept at home by teams such as the Athletics and the Colorado Rockies. There are areas to improve, and New York has been no stranger to early in-season trades in recent memory.

Let’s dive into what the front office can do right now to improve the club.

Finding Another Veteran Starter

While the starting pitching has been a bright spot in an otherwise dismal start for the Mets, that rotation could still use another veteran. With the struggles of Kodai Senga and David Peterson, New York has already turned to other options to fill that void. Peterson has been coming out of the bullpen, and the Mets called up Christian Scott as he gets another chance. They are also still waiting on Jonah Tong. A veteran might be what they need right now.

Luis Severino has been a topic of reunion, but the Athletics currently sit in first place in the AL West, so an early in-season trade for Severino seems unlikely at the moment.

Erik Fedde of the Chicago White Sox would be an intriguing option. Fedde has both started and come out of the bullpen for the White Sox and has pitched to a 3.42 ERA.

When the Rockies recently swept the Mets, Michael Lorenzen and Jose Quintana, another former Met, pitched well and could be had for a trade eventually.

Offensive Help

To the biggest concern of the Mets: the offense. Put simply, they’ve been dreadful, ranking toward the bottom of most offensive categories.

It doesn’t help that the injury bug has bitten the offense. Juan Soto missed two weeks with a calf injury. Then, on the same day Soto returned to the lineup, Francisco Lindor injured his calf and will be out for a significant amount of time. Jorge Polanco, whom the Mets signed to fill the void at first base, tried to play through an Achilles injury before finally going on the injured list with a wrist issue. Luis Robert Jr is currently day-to-day with a back injury. Lindor’s replacement, Ronny Mauricio, fractured his thumb over the weekend, too.

As of now, New York is hoping players such as Brett Baty and Mark Vientos step it up after early-season struggles. Carson Benge has hit well lately. A lot of the Mets’ offense depends on players simply playing better—Bo Bichette, Marcus Siemian, Lindor, Baty, and Vientos to name a few.

In terms of bats the Mets could add soon, there’s someone like Luis Arraez, who could play both second base and first base and give Polanco more at-bats at designated hitter when he returns. Arraez is batting .308 so far in 2026 with 40 hits. The San Francisco Giants are at the bottom of the NL West and are trying to compete, so they can wait until the trade deadline.

A Power Bat

Power is certainly one thing the offense is lacking. It’s not for a lack of talent, but the home run just hasn’t hit the Mets’ offense so far. A player that the Mets saw over the weekend and could help them in the power department is Jorge Soler. Soler has seven home runs and could be a big right-handed power bat at designated hitter, especially if the Mets continue to see Vientos struggle at the plate.

Will The Mets Be in Position to Make a Trade?

Teams can make an early in-season trade before the deadline. For the Mets, they may not be able to afford to wait until August 3. The Mets might have to pull the trigger now on a trade to improve elements on the team before the season really starts slipping away. That’s the position the Mets are in right now, playing below their capabilities.