Less than two months into MLB\u2019s offseason, the New York Mets look completely different. Fan favorites and franchise stalwarts Pete Alonso, Edwin D\u00edaz and Brandon Nimmo are gone. Now a year removed from landing Juan Soto to the richest contract in sports, the Mets again loom as arguably the most fascinating team, just for different reasons.<\/p>\n
After adding second baseman Marcus Semien, reliever Devin Williams and infielder Jorge Polanco (set to play first base for the first time in his 12-year career), what\u2019s next for the Mets under president of baseball operations David Stearns?<\/p>\n
The Athletic spoke to a handful of league sources and people familiar with the club\u2019s thinking in an effort to address that question. The answer is below, along with reporting on\u00a0intriguing issues such as who they are open to moving, a new player profile they\u2019re considering and a possible bullpen scenario.<\/p>\n
What happens next?<\/p>\n
The Mets still want to add a starter for somewhere in the front half of their rotation, league sources said.<\/p>\n
Also, New York is eyeing another bat, league sources said. It would be surprising if the Mets didn\u2019t supplement their outfield. Such an addition may or may not come in the form of a star player, though.<\/p>\n
The Mets’ Mark Vientos hired Scott Boras as his agent, league sources said. Vientos, 26, is arbitration-eligible for the first time after the 2026 season.<\/p>\n
\u2014 Will Sammon (@WillSammon) December 15, 2025<\/a><\/p>\n Despite the desire to be a better defensive team than last year, the Mets believe they now have enough flexibility to seek more of a bat-first player, people familiar with their conversations said. So, the addition could be someone for the outfield, or it could be someone who occupies more time at designated hitter.<\/p>\n For example, and as previously reported<\/a>, the Mets have had conversations with the St. Louis Cardinals about Lars Nootbar, but that is just one name out of many that New York has discussed.<\/p>\n In center field, the Mets would be comfortable starting the season with Tyrone Taylor and prospect Carson Benge as options, league sources said, but they are exploring ways to add there, too.<\/p>\n Are trades more likely than free-agent additions?<\/p>\n The Mets boast a deep farm system, making it possible for them to swing a trade or two for major-league help that doesn\u2019t involve parting from the top of their prospects group.<\/p>\n As previously reported<\/a>, the Mets have had wide-ranging discussions this offseason about some of their best prospects. There are players believed to be available \u2014 Tarik Skubal and others \u2014 who warrant parting with such prospects, league sources said. The Mets\u2019 best prospects (the list includes Benge, Jonah Tong and Brandon Sproat) are either not yet established in the big leagues or are very close to receiving some runway in the big leagues. Therefore, the Mets are only parting with the top of their system if they feel strong about what they\u2019re getting back.<\/p>\n Who might the Mets move?<\/p>\n The Mets are open to moving infielders Ronny Mauricio, Luisangel Acu\u00f1a and Mark Vientos, league sources said.<\/p>\n Those three players look redundant on the Mets\u2019 roster. New York appears willing to give Brett Baty every chance to stick at third base after a solid defensive season and .748 OPS added up to a 2.3 fWAR. After adding Marcus Semien and Jorge Polanco to the infield mix, at second base and first base, respectively, there\u2019s only so much time to go around.<\/p>\n The Mets have engaged<\/a> with other teams about Jeff McNeil, David Peterson and Kodai Senga<\/a>, but they are not moving those players just for the sake of moving them \u2014the return matters quite a bit, league sources said. Clearly, nothing has lined up to the Mets\u2019 liking yet. In the cases of Senga and Peterson, especially, they are not exactly locks to get traded.<\/p>\n What\u2019s expected for the pitching staff in a post-Edwin D\u00edaz world?<\/p>\n There\u2019s a decent possibility that the Mets end up using some of their younger starters in bullpen roles, league sources said.<\/p>\n The Mets may be viewing the situation like this: They have a handful of talented arms and want to utilize the group in the major leagues rather than having certain players linger in Triple A.<\/p>\n As an example of how this could work, Sproat could be used as a multi-inning reliever. For the long term, Mets officials view him as a starter. But his role (and the role for others) in 2026 may depend on the team\u2019s roster construction by spring training.<\/p>\n The Mets mulled taking such a path<\/a> with their young starters in the lead-up to last summer\u2019s trade deadline. Ultimately, they needed Nolan McLean, Tong and Sproat in their rotation. But Mets president of baseball operations David Stearns took this direction in the past while in Milwaukee, breaking in Corbin Burnes and Freddy Peralta as relievers before transitioning both (and others) back to starters.<\/p>\n Elsewhere in the bullpen, the Mets are expected to add. However, I don\u2019t get the sense they are eyeing pitchers with closing experience more so than other profiles. The Mets appear comfortable with Williams as their closer.<\/p>\n Still, they need additional options in the bullpen to get the ball to Williams. It\u2019s just that a bullpen supplementation may not come in the form of a high price tag. Several clubs view bullpens as an area where they can develop pitchers or strike gold while shopping in less expensive tiers. The Mets might end up being one of them.<\/p>\n Is there a path in which the Mets add a big-name free agent?<\/p>\n Yes \u2014 I just don\u2019t know if it ends up being the path they take. From the position player side, there is an openness to add someone like Cody Bellinger or Kyle Tucker, for instance. However, it likely depends on the market developing to the Mets\u2019 liking. The Mets might not prefer to go long on a contract for either player (or others<\/a>, for that matter). So adding one of them seems more plausible if it\u2019s on a shorter deal.<\/p>\n One thing the Mets are considering is next year\u2019s free-agent pitching class, people familiar with their conversations said.<\/p>\n The top end of next year\u2019s free-agent pitching class features highly talented front-line options. Among the pitchers set to be free agents after the 2026 season are: Tarik Skubal, Chris Sale, Kevin Gausman, Freddy Peralta, Sandy Alcantara (club option), Corbin Burnes (opt-out), Brandon Woodruff, and Jes\u00fas Luzardo, among several others. There is also more depth compared to this offseason\u2019s group, evaluators from different teams said.<\/p>\n Next year\u2019s class isn\u2019t expected to necessarily preclude the Mets from spending money on a top starter from this year\u2019s class. But if it were to happen, it might work similarly to the position-player side: If a deal for someone such as Framber Valdez or Ranger Su\u00e1rez evolves to the Mets\u2019 liking, they\u2019d be interested in adding such a pitcher.<\/p>\n This year\u2019s market is slow to develop, particularly for the top starting pitchers. After Dylan Cease\u2019s seven-year deal with the Toronto Blue Jays, things have stalled. It would not surprise me if the situation for Valdez, Suarez or someone similar ultimately aligns with what the Mets view as reasonable. Trading for a starter, however, may end up being the Mets\u2019 play.<\/p>\n