We’ve already told you who we think should be the Mets’ top priority free agent. We’ve also already told you what we think the Mets should do with the trio of Brett Baty, Mark Vientos, and Ronny Mauricio. Now we’re here to share with you who we think should be a top trade target for the Mets.
Nick Kalantzopoulos
I think a top starting pitcher is going to be everyone’s pick here. My choice would be Sandy Alcantara. He has just enough time post-Tommy John surgery, showed his pre-injury ace-form in the second half, and has always done what this team sorely missed in 2025. He goes deep into games, and we’ve already seen Mets players go on the record as to what a good acquisition he’d be. To all you “trade everyone for Skubal” fanatics, I thought the whole point of Steve Cohen was that you didn’t have to give up the entire farm for the guy a year before FA when you can just wait to pay him. The multiple years of control and the fact that Alcantara is on a team that isn’t an obvious contender in 2026 (good teams like the Tigers probably want major league pieces back and will naturally need a better return in a trade to satisfy their fans) make him the ideal choice.
Matthew Tutrone
Trading for a marquee starting pitcher, like Skubal or Skenes, seems to me like a pipe dream. One constant of Steve Cohen’s tenure as owner has been building a top farm system, and they’d have to move a significant number of prospects for either of those arms. Instead, I’d like to see them try to trade for both Sandy Alcantara and Freddy Peralta. Alcantara has top-of-the-rotation stuff and will likely reach 180 innings over each of the next three or four years if he can leave his health issues behind him. Peralta is more middle of the rotation, but he, too, can give you well over 160 innings per year. The prospect cost for Alcantara would be high, but not farm-emptying level like Skubal or Skenes. Peralta should come relatively cheap since he’ll likely be a one-year rental. Joe Ryan is another similar type of arm to Peralta, but he’d likely cost more due to being under control until 2028, which matters more if they do spend prospects on acquiring Alcantara.
Johnluke Chaparro
This might be one of the shortest replies I’ll give for one of these, but I think the priority is looking to pry Tarik Skubal away from Detroit. He’s only getting better as a pitcher, and now is the time for the Mets to get someone who can stabilize their rotation. I’m sure Joe Ryan or Sandy Alcantara can fit the bill well, but if Steve Cohen wants to make a statement, the mandate should be Skubal.
Kai Chang
I think the Mets have two routes for acquiring a top-tier starting pitcher: pursuing the rebound candidate in Sandy Alcantara or the already proven ace in Tarik Skubal. These types of high-ceiling commodities are rare finds on the open market. While my personal opinion is that the Mets are most in need of a workhorse, like Luis Severino and Jose Quintana were in 2024, those are relatively simple to acquire in free agency. Pitchers with the upside of Alcantara and Skubal are not. I personally prefer Alcantara over Skubal, depending on the asking price from Miami. One has to assume that Skubal would cost a pretty penny, and I would be reluctant to trade more than one of the Mets’ top five prospects this offseason.
David Melendi
I guess I am a “trade everyone for Skubal” fanatic. (Except Nolan McLean.) The Mets finished 13 games back of the Phillies and six behind them in 2024. The biggest reason was the starting pitching. Also, if the goal is to compete for a title in 2026 and not just a playoff appearance, the Mets must think about matching up with the repeat champion Dodgers, who have four pitchers with All-Star potential in their rotation.
Mathias Altman-Kurosaki
Priority number one for the Mets this offseason needs to be acquiring an ace for the pitching staff. It would be unfair to put that responsibility all on Nolan McLean’s shoulders in his first full season as a big leaguer. If Tarik Skubal is really available, the Mets should do whatever it takes to get him – as long as they don’t have to trade McLean. Skubal is about to win his second straight Cy Young award and had a dominant postseason, striking out 36 batters in three starts. The Mets are one of the few teams with a farm capable of acquiring Skubal, and they need to take full advantage of the opportunity.
