It’s somehow almost here – the trade deadline. We know that the Mets need help, that there are some moves that they should make. But what should they be? Here’s what we think the perfect trade deadline would look like for our Mets.
David Melendi
(Almost) everyone goes. Freddy Peralta, Clay Holmes and the relief pitchers. I wish Tyrone Taylor well. If a team out there wants Sean Manaea, Kodai Senga, Mark Vientos, Brett Baty or Jorge Polanco, they can have them. I would stick with Lindor and Alvarez.
Robert Colonna
I’m of the mindset that everyone is available for the right price. But that means Lindor or Alvarez requires a much higher return than, say, Mauricio or Baty. Weaver needs to bring back more than his projected 2027 value. We shouldn’t move players under control just to move them.
But this is a chance to reshape the roster and get more athletic. For all its flaws, the offseason did well starting this, opening spots for young players like Benge and Ewing, but they kept too many holdovers like Senga, Peterson, and Vientos.
I’d love to see the Mets trade everyone they can outside their core while also buying players under future control. Ending this deadline with a strong position player and starting pitcher for 2027, plus a bolstered farm — that’s the dream.
Matthew Tutrone
I want to see no fewer than five separate trades to get that farm system even more flush with potential. Anyone with a pulse except Soto, Lindor, and the kids can go.
Jack Ramsey
A perfect deadline is hard to come by, especially for a team this bad that expects to win so soon in 2027. Big names such as Francisco Alvarez and Luke Weaver, potentially even Francisco Lindor, are big names at this deadline, but would also help the 2027 Mets. The perfect deadline for the Mets, in my opinion, has just one element to hit: honesty. The Mets need to be honest with themselves as to where they are, their path to competition in 2027, and who is going to be a piece of that. That includes being honest about to what degree they can count on names such as Mark Vientos and Brett Baty to provide meaningful contributions, and how replicable they feel Weaver’s 2026 will be. If the Mets feel they can honestly compete next year, keeping Weaver and Álvarez almost feels like a necessity. If their 2027 outlook is bleak, it might be time to move on from a few names with club control.
Allison Waxman
I know the Mets want to compete in 2027, but this iteration of this team isn’t cutting it. And leaving remnants of it besides Soto, Lindor, Benge and Ewing on the position side won’t help. It’s time to blow it up and actually build for the future.
Build around the new core and what’s looking to be a solid rotation in McLean, Scott and Thornton.
If the name isn’t listed, anything goes. However, I will miss Tyrone Taylor and Luke Weaver and their zaniness the most.
Jorge Eckardt
The perfect trade deadline would be a massive sell-off. Almost everyone rumored to be available should be traded. Basically, anyone not named Francisco has to go. Under no circumstances should Lindor be traded, and Alvarez should also probably stay. Other than them, though, cash in and reset. This might be an unpopular opinion, but the Mets are positioned well enough to try to compete next year (if there’s a season), and selling the rentals now would help that happen.
This is a very specific want—and the player might not even be available—but with the smoke between the Mets and Cubs, it would be great if the Mets could try to get Pedro Ramírez back from Chicago. He’s really good, in the majors already and criminally underutilized by the Cubs. It’s an unlikely ask, but if we’re looking for “perfect,” that’s what I think perfect would be. Ideally, the returns are players closer to the majors, but the priority should be talent. If that means taking a DSL guy, then take the DSL guy.
Oh, and this isn’t going to happen, but if they could find anyone to take Bo Bichette, that would be great
Mathias Altman-Kurosaki
My ideal trade deadline for the Mets starts with dealing every rental on the roster – and that includes Luis Robert Jr. Brooks Raley and A.J. Minter have both been strong this season and can net a solid return, and while Freddy Peralta has underperformed, some contender will believe in his talent level. Tyrone Taylor’s recent hot streak has probably been the biggest boost to the team’s trade deadline plans. If the Mets can’t extend Clay Holmes, they should trade him while his value is at its highest, and if they get an irresistible offer, they should deal Luke Weaver. While Weaver is under contract for 2027, it’s hard to envision his value ever getting any higher. Sean Manaea has pitched well enough over the last two months that he could aid a contending team too. Huascar Brazobán is another player they should sell high on – he’s 36 years old and is having the best year of his career (and hasn’t even hit arbitration yet). While I wouldn’t trade Francisco Alvarez, I think they should listen to offers – with Shea Langeliers out for the season, Alvarez could fetch a nice return. Above all, the Mets should not (and will not) trade Francisco Lindor.
Sean Kenny
For the Mets to have a successful deadline, they need to get some value for players they would no longer have after the season. While replenishing the farm system should be the goal, they may be best suited to trade from their bullpen depth while retaining Luke Weaver. If anyone calls on Luis Robert Jr. or Tyrone Taylor, the Mets should be answering and making that deal. Their 2027 outfield of Soto/Ewing/Benge is already penciled in and the one area of this team that doesn’t require much thought.
If the Mets can drum up any interest in Brett Baty, Mark Vientos or Ronny Mauricio, those are pieces that should have been part of the new wave of reinforcements for the Mets but have all failed to fulfill their promise.
In terms of starters, both Kodai Senga and Freddy Peralta should be traded, giving a chance for some of the Mets prospects such as Jonah Tong or Jack Wenninger to pitch in Flushing and see if they can help the 2027 Mets.
An ideal return has the Mets getting some starting pitching depth for the minors and some upper-level players to refill a system that has become depleted since the 2025 trade deadline. One area to look at will definitely be acquiring a first baseman, since Ryan Clifford has taken a step back after hitting 29 home runs across two levels in 2025. Chris Suero has had an uneven season in Double-A but is a name to watch due to his versatility (first base and the outfield corners).
Andrew Steele-Davis
The perfect trade deadline for the Mets would involve a confluence of things happening. Firstly, the Mets will need to use their biggest trade chips, like Luke Weaver, to get back a Top 100 prospect, or as close to that as possible. Secondly, they need to cut bait with a number of veterans. Freddy Peralta needs to go, and hopefully the need for starters results in a better-than-expected deal for the Mets. If there is a buyer for Luis Robert Jr., then take it because there is no way on God’s green earth that playing time should be taken away from either of A.J. Ewing or Carson Benge. If the front office can also find a way to jettison Kodai Senga, then I think that would be the prudent move to make. Thirdly, and I have no faith that this will happen, but the team should look to keep Clay Holmes. That’s a guy you want in your rotation for next year. Lastly, if the Mets can find a way to get a piece back that can help the team to compete now – like a first baseman – while also loading up on capital to use in the offseason, given that the free agency class looks weak, then I think all of that would make for a pretty successful trade deadline.
