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MLBTR Podcast: Some “Classic Baseball Trades,” Nimmo For Semien, And Ward For Rodriguez

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The latest episode of the MLB Trade Rumors Podcast is now live on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and wherever you get your podcasts! Make sure you subscribe as well! You can also use the player at this link to listen, if you don’t use Spotify or Apple for podcasts.

This week, host Darragh McDonald is joined by Anthony Franco of MLB Trade Rumors to discuss…

Check out our past episodes!

  • Offseason Preview Megapod: Top 50 Free Agents – listen here
  • Surprising Option Decisions, Qualifying Offers, And Paul DePodesta – listen here
  • Offseason Preview Megapod: Top Trade Candidates – listen here

The podcast intro and outro song “So Long” is provided courtesy of the band Showoff.  Check out their Facebook page here!

Photo courtesy of Jerome Miron, Imagn Images

Nimmo, Stearns, Young Discuss Semien Trade

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The Mets and Rangers lined up on a surprising one-for-one swap over the weekend, with outfielder Brandon Nimmo heading to Texas and infielder Marcus Semien to Queens. Today, members of the media got to speak with many of the parties involved. Arguably, the most notable comment came from Nimmo himself, who waived his no-trade clause to become a Ranger. “I would not have waived that no-trade clause if I didn’t think I could come here and win,” Nimmo said, per Shawn McFarland of the Dallas Morning News.

It has been fair to wonder about the direction of the Rangers recently, as they’ve clearly been trying to dial back their spending. They pushed their competitive balance tax a bit over the line in 2023 and 2024. In 2025, they hoped to duck under the line but may have gone over with in-season trades, such as acquiring Merrill Kelly from the Diamondbacks. Their 2025 status won’t be official until MLB releases the final calculations, likely in December, but it’s possible the Rangers will be tax payors for a third straight season.

Even if they did go over the line, it was surely by a narrow margin, so the tax bill won’t be huge. Regardless, it seems they are going to be extra motivated to pinch pennies in 2026. The club parted ways with manager Bruce Bochy at the end of the regular season. President of baseball operations Chris Young admitted that the club didn’t have a lot of financial certainty, which played a role in that separation. Esteemed pitching coach Mike Maddux also left, heading to the Angels, which prompted speculation that was financially motivated as well.

In terms of the roster construction, the Rangers were recently trying to trade outfielder Adolis García and catcher Jonah Heim, despite both players being part of the 2023 championship club. Each could have been retained via arbitration for 2026 but the Rangers clearly didn’t want to pay them at their projected prices. Ultimately, no trade came together. On Friday, the Rangers non-tendered both, along with relievers Jacob Webb and Josh Sborz.

Amid all of that, rumors have swirled that the Rangers could trade a more expensive franchise players such as Corey Seager or Semien as part of a larger step back. Now Semien has indeed been traded but the Rangers have taken on another sizable contract by getting Nimmo in return. The remaining contracts are somewhat analogous, with Nimmo making less annually, but signed for two extra years. The Rangers are therefore taking on more money overall but less per year.

It seems that Nimmo has been assured that the club is still planning to compete and isn’t doing a big teardown. That’s somewhat encouraging for fans in Texas but the club will probably still have some tight parameters to deal with. RosterResource estimates the club has a pure payroll of $169MM next year and a competitive balance tax figure of $187MM. Last year, those numbers were $224MM and $237MM.

Getting back up to those levels would give the Rangers roughly $50MM to work with but the signs are pointing to them setting a lower target. They have a number of things on the to-do list this winter. The rotation could use some shoring up. Almost the entire bullpen reached free agency, meaning there’s work to do there. Replacing Heim behind the plate and potentially Semien at second are other potential areas to target, though it’s possible the Rangers are happy with Willie MacIver as a backup to Kyle Higashioka behind the plate. It’s also possible they feel Josh Smith and/or Sebastian Walcott can take over at the keystone.

President of baseball operations Chris Young also spoke today and echoed Nimmo’s comments that the Rangers want to win. “I do think we are focused on winning moving forward,” Young said, per Kennedi Landry of MLB.com. “The last two years have been very difficult as we feel like we have not lived up to our expectations, and when you don’t meet expectations, you have to make tough calls, and that’s part of this.”

Young also said Nimmo will likely end up in right field, per McFarland, but there are still conversations to be had there. Nimmo has primarily been a left fielder in recent years, with Statcast ranking him as having 48th percentile arm strength. The Rangers could perhaps keep Nimmo in left while moving Wyatt Langford to right. Langford’s arm strength was slightly ahead of Nimmo in 2025, with Statcast giving him 59th percentile arm strength. However, Langford has no professional experience in right, while Nimmo has over 600 big league innings at that spot.

Turning to the other side of the trade, Mets president of baseball operations David Stearns also spoke to the media today, complimenting his new second baseman. “It’s notable that this is a player that can contribute to winning baseball in a variety of different ways,” Stearns said, per Deesha Thosar of Fox Sports, “and the bat may not actually lead the way at this point in his career. We think there’s likely some bounce back in his offensive profile and his offensive game. But what we’re counting on at the top of his skillset is the contributions he can make for us defensively, how he can perform on the bases, and we think those are going to help us win games.” Stearns has highlighted a desire to improve the Mets’ run prevention, so it’s understandable he would focus on Semien’s defense.

Naturally, Stearns was asked about what’s next for the Mets. While the story in Texas might be scaled-back spending, that doesn’t appear to be a concern with the Mets. “Sure,” Stearns said, when asked if it’s possible for the Mets to re-sign Pete Alonso and Edwin Díaz and a notable free agent outfielder. “I think anything would be realistic right now.”

Under owner Steve Cohen, the Mets have been one of the top-spending clubs in the majors. Per RosterResource, they had a $340MM payroll and $337MM CBT number in 2025. For 2026, those numbers are at $263MM and $264MM. That gives the Mets something like $70MM in wiggle room if they are willing to get to the same level and it’s entirely possible they could be willing to go even higher.

MLBTR predicted Díaz to secure an $82MM deal over four years. He is reportedly setting his sights higher than that, targeting a deal in the same range as his last one, which was a $102MM guarantee over five years. Either way, a deal worth roughly $20MM annually is probably likely. MLBTR predicted Alonso for $110MM over four years, which would be $27.5MM in terms of average annual value.

Put together, those two would likely eat up something near $50MM of next year’s payroll. If the Mets do have $70MM of space right now, that would leave them another $20MM to spend on an outfielder, though they also presumably want to make additions to the rotation as well. The Mets have already been connected to Cody Bellinger and the Nimmo deal opens a corner, raising immediate speculation about a run at Kyle Tucker. MLBTR predicted Bellinger for $140MM over five years and Tucker for $400MM over 11 years, respective AAVs of $28MM and $36.36MM.

There are other moving pieces at play. With Semien now at second base, it’s possible Jeff McNeil’s chances of getting traded have increased. He can play other positions, such as left or center field, but it’s possible the Mets would rather ship him out the way they did with Nimmo. Even before the Nimmo deal, McNeil’s name was in trade rumors. McNeil is owed $15.75MM next year, plus a $2MM buyout on a $15.75MM club option for 2027. There’s also a $500K assignment bonus if he’s traded. Then there’s also Kodai Senga, who is owed $14MM annually over the next two years and has been in trade rumors as well.

If the Mets can find a taker for McNeil and/or Senga, they could free up some more money for their other pursuits, or perhaps address another area of need by taking back another veteran player, like they did by grabbing Semien. Stearns also mentioned today that McNeil could also play some first base, expanding his versatility, per Mike Puma of The New York Post. McNeil has played every position on the diamond outside the battery but has just three innings of first base experience. If Alonso isn’t coming back, McNeil could be part of the solution there, alongside guys like Mark Vientos. Though it’s also possible the Mets aren’t done shaking up their roster by trading out long-time mainstays.

Photo courtesy of Kyle Ross, Imagn Images

Rangers Trade Marcus Semien To Mets For Brandon Nimmo

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Nov. 24: The two teams have formally announced the swap.

Nov. 23: In an intriguing one-for-one swap of prominent veterans, the Mets and Rangers have agreed to a trade that will send second baseman Marcus Semien to Queens in exchange for outfielder Brandon Nimmo.  New York is also sending $5MM to help Texas offset some of the difference between the two players’ remaining salaries.

Reports emerged earlier this week that the Mets were open to moving Nimmo, though as of Thursday, trade talks reportedly hadn’t developed to the point that the Mets had approached Nimmo about waiving his contract’s no-trade clause.  Mike Puma of the New York Post wrote today that the team raised the subject of the Texas trade with Nimmo on Friday.  After a day’s consideration and a chat with Rangers ace (and his former Mets teammate) Jacob deGrom, Nimmo agreed to approve the deal.

Given the trade buzz this week, it isn’t entirely shocking to see the veteran outfielder’s time in New York come to an end.  That said, a straight-up swap for Semien is eye-opening, given how Semien is coming off a dismal year at the plate and comes with a significant future price tag in his own right.

Semien has $72MM and three seasons remaining on the seven-year, $175MM free agent deal he signed with Texas during the 2021-22 offseason.  Nimmo is owed $101.25MM through the 2030 season, as he has completed three years of the eight-year, $162MM free agent he signed to remain with the Mets in December 2022.  Since luxury tax figures are re-calculated to account for just remaining money owed in the wake of trades, Semien’s tax number is $24MM, and Nimmo has a $19.25MM figure (when factoring in the $5MM Texas is getting from New York).

The Mets are therefore taking on a slightly bigger tax hit while reducing the amount of overall dollars owed, while the Rangers are reducing their tax number but adding more overall money to their books.  That adds an interesting wrinkle for a Texas club that was expected to reduce payroll this winter, though it is worth noting that the Rangers cleared a good chunk of money off the books (a projected $21.1MM) on Friday with four non-tenders.

While the financial elements can’t be overlooked, the trade is also something of an old-school, need-for-need “baseball deal” that allows both the Mets and Rangers to address needs.  Beginning with Texas, the team was prioritizing a different offensive approach based around contact hitting and getting on base.

Nimmo’s strikeout rates have been overall middling throughout his career, though his chase and whiff rates have been consistently above average.  His walk rates had also been strong before suddenly dropping to 7.7% in 2025, in a career-low for the outfielder over a full season.  Still, Nimmo hit .262/.324/.436 with 25 homers over 652 plate appearances, translating to a 114 wRC+ over 652 plate appearances as New York’s everyday left fielder.  Public defensive metrics have also looked a lot more fondly on Nimmo’s glovework since he moved to left field from center field.

Since Adolis Garcia has now been non-tendered, Nimmo can slide into the left field position in Arlington, with Evan Carter or (probably more likely) Wyatt Langford moving into Garcia’s old spot in right field.  Second base is now opened up for Josh Smith or Ezequiel Duran in the short term, and top prospect Sebastian Walcott could also potentially find a home at the keystone depending on how long Corey Seager remains at shortstop.  The Rangers could also now explore the market for trade or free agent options at second base, with Semien no longer in the picture.

Selected 13th overall by the Mets in the 2011 draft, Nimmo has spent his entire career with the Amazins, becoming a fan favorite due to his consistent offense.  Injuries were a major hindrance for Nimmo earlier in his career and he is entering his age-32 season, but he has played in at least 151 games in each of his last four seasons.

In short, it seems like the Rangers feel more comfortable about paying Nimmo a bit of extra money over a longer term than they were paying Semien over his age 35-37 seasons.  A picture of durability throughout his career, Semien suffered a rare serious injury in 2025, as he was limited to 127 games by a Lisfranc sprain and a small fracture in his left foot.  Beyond just the health issue, Texas was perhaps more concerned about Semien’s dropoff at the plate over the last three seasons.

2023 was Semien’s last year as a premium hitter, as he hit .276/.348/.478 with 29 homers over 753 PA for the Rangers’ World Series team.  Semien delivered a 128 wRC+ that year, and his key role in Texas’ first championship will forever make him a beloved figure in Arlington.  After that dream season, however, Semien dropped to a 101 wRC+ in 2024, and then a subpar 89 wRC+ in 2025.  A .251 BABIP over the last two seasons is a partial explanation, yet the bigger culprit is a sizeable decline in power.

A change of scenery could perhaps get Semien’s bat going, even if Citi Field is known as a pitcher-friendly ballpark.  Semien does bring a right-handed hitting element to a Mets lineup that leaned left, and has now subtracted an everyday lefty swinger in Nimmo.  Beyond just Semien’s offense and his reputation as a clubhouse leader, he remains an outstanding defensive second baseman who just won his second career Gold Glove.

Mets president of baseball operations David Stearns stated that run prevention was a chief area of improvement for his team, so installing Semien at second base is a big defensive upgrade.  Removing a solid defender like Nimmo from left field is a hit unto itself, yet Jeff McNeil could make up some of the difference since left field now looks to be McNeil’s primary position with Semien locked into second base.  McNeil could also get part-time work in center field, or it is possible he might also end up on another roster, as rival teams have been discussing McNeil in trade talks.

It is a little surprising to see New York make such a prominent move to address second base, given how first and third base were the far more unsettled infield positions heading into the winter.  Pete Alonso’s free agency leaves first base open, and Brett Baty now looks to be staying at third base with Semien on board.  Top prospect Jett Williams is expected to make his MLB debut in 2026, and the outfield could now be Williams’ future position since Semien and Francisco Lindor have accounted for the middle infield.  Semien’s addition also brings fresh questions about how the Mets will incorporate Mark Vientos, Luisangel Acuna, and Ronny Mauricio into the infield mix, or if any of these players (or Baty) could now be trade chips.

Nimmo’s departure also means that the Mets could make a larger move to address their outfield.  The club was already expected to be looking for center field help, and Juan Soto could possibly be shifted over to left field if the Mets wanted to acquire a new right fielder.  This will probably spark some inevitable Kyle Tucker speculation, but Cody Bellinger is already known to be a player on the Amazins’ radar.

ESPN’s Jeff Passan was the first to report that the two teams were in the final stages of a deal involving Semien and Nimmo, and the New York Post’s Jon Heyman had the additional detail about the $5MM heading to Arlington.  The Athletic’s Will Sammon reported that Nimmo has agreed to waive his no-trade clause. 

Inset pictures courtesy of Jerome Miron (Semien) and Vincent Carchicetta (Nimmo) — Imagn Images

Mets Have Not Asked Brandon Nimmo About Waiving No-Trade Clause

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It was reported recently that the Mets are making outfielder Brandon Nimmo available in trade talks. Andy Martino of SNY characterizes those talks as preliminary, noting that Nimmo and his representatives have not yet been asked about the possibility of waiving his full no-trade clause.

It appears that the Mets have a few moving pieces in their early offseason planning. There have also been rumors about infielder/outfielder Jeff McNeil and right-hander Kodai Senga being available in trades. Today, reporting from Ken Rosenthal and Will Sammon of The Athletic notes that the Mets may need to trade from their roster before targeting other pursuits.

The piece mentions that this is both due to the roster fit and the financial picture, though the money is presumably not that big of an issue. Under owner Steve Cohen, the Mets have been one of the top-spending clubs in baseball. RosterResource currently projects them for a $253MM payroll and $256MM competitive balance tax figure in 2026. At the end of 2025, those numbers were $340MM and $337MM. Even without moving money away, there should be powder dry for additions.

The roster situation is a bit more interesting. The piece mentions Kyle Tucker, Cody Bellinger and Alex Bregman as completely speculative names that the Mets could pursue, depending on how their trade talks go. Currently, there’s not a great path to getting Tucker onto the roster, with the Mets having Nimmo and Juan Soto in the corners. The designated hitter spot is open and could make it more viable to have all three in the lineup regularly, but the fit would be much easier if Nimmo were moved.

It would be a somewhat similar situation with Bellinger, who the Mets have already been connected to. He’s a bit of a better fit than Tucker since he can play center field and first base, but he’s spent more time in the outfield corners than anywhere else in recent seasons.

With Bregman, there are the many unanswered questions of the Mets infield. Brett Baty, Mark Vientos, Ronny Mauricio and Luisangel Acuña have all been jockeying for playing time in recent years. Since all of them can play multiple infield positions, there are many possible combinations. The ideal arrangement would depend upon if Pete Alonso comes back, if the Mets sign someone like Bregman or Munetaka Murakami, and so on. There’s also the McNeil factor, as he has mostly played second base and the outfield corners. He has dabbled at third but hasn’t played there since 2022. He played some center field in 2025 but didn’t get great marks for his work out there.

When considering the names currently on the roster, the guys who could be traded away and the guys who could be added, there are infinite possibilities for how it ends up. Based on the reporting, it appears the Mets are using the early parts of the offseason to explore those possibilities. If they can line up a trade they like, perhaps they would then pivot to replacing a traded player by pursuing a free agent. If the roster ends up with more continuity, then perhaps they get less ambitious with their free agent pursuits. If they make any traction, then perhaps Nimmo will be approached about his no-trade clause, but it seems things are still very theoretical at the moment.

One way or another, the Mets are sure to be on the lookout for relievers. They’ve already been connected to Devin Williams. Francys Romero of BeisbolFR reports that the Mets were interested in Raisel Iglesias before he re-signed with Atlanta last night.

Mets relievers had a collective 3.93 earned run average last year, which placed them 15th out of the 30 clubs in the majors. After the season, Edwin Díaz opted out of his contract and became a free agent at season’s end. Tyler Rogers, Ryan Helsley, Gregory Soto and Ryne Stanek also departed for the open market.

Given their needs in the bullpen, the Mets will probably be connected to just about every available reliever. They have the resources to go after top guys like Díaz and president of baseball operations has also shown a penchant for getting creative in targeting lower-cost additions.

Photo courtesy of Bill Streicher, Imagn Images

Mets Making Brandon Nimmo, Kodai Senga Available In Trade Talks

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With Pete Alonso and Edwin Diaz headed into free agency on the heels of a season where the Mets shockingly missed the postseason, it goes without saying that some significant changes will be coming to the Mets’ roster this winter. Much of the focus, naturally, has been on potential additions, whether that’s bringing back Alonso and Diaz or making a splash in the starting pitching market. There’s also been plenty of talk regarding players the Mets could look to part ways with on the trade market, however, and today Jeff Passan of ESPN made clear that two more names are available on the Mets’ roster: outfielder Brandon Nimmo and right-hander Kodai Senga.

Nimmo, 33 in March, is a somewhat surprising trade candidate due to the many complications surrounding a potential deal. The veteran has spent all ten seasons of his MLB career in Queens and has a no-trade clause. Nimmo would have to agree to any trade, which would naturally limit his suitors. While hardly an albatross, his contract isn’t exactly appealing, either. Nimmo has five years left on the eight-year, $162MM contract he signed with the Mets during the 2022-23 offseason. Just over $101MM of that money has yet to be paid out, and it’s hard to imagine Nimmo approaching five years and $101MM in free agency this winter if he was a free agent.

That would likely leave the Mets in a position where they would need to pay down a significant portion of Nimmo’s contract in order to facilitate a deal. Nimmo has been generally productive throughout his time in New York but has watched his numbers fall off a bit over the past two seasons. Since the start of the 2024 campaign, he’s slashed a combined .244/.326/.418 with 48 homers and 52 doubles, a 22.7% strikeout rate against a 9.8% walk rate, and a wRC+ of 111. He’s been worth 5.8 WAR according to Fangraphs and 5.1 WAR according to Baseball Reference over the past two years. While he was once a capable center fielder, his defense has dropped off enough that he’s more of a roughly average glove in a corner outfield spot, with -1 Outs Above Average and +3 Defensive Runs Saves in outfield this season with him starting 146 of his 147 games in the field out in left.

A two-to-three win corner outfielder is certainly something plenty of teams could use, and Nimmo does deserve acknowledgement for his reliability. Outside of his 32-game debut season in 2016, Nimmo has never posted a wRC+ below 108. Injury woes early in his career have subsided as well, and he’s played in at least 150 games with at least 650 plate appearances in each of the past four years. That four year stretch has seen him average 22 homers, 28 doubles, and a 10.2% walk rate against a 21.0% strikeout rate. With an above average track record in the outfield, he’ll surely be appealing to teams if the Mets were willing to pay down enough of his salary to make the inevitable decline as Nimmo enters his mid-to-late 30s easier to stomach.

Finding a fit for Nimmo’s services depends entirely on how much money the Mets would be willing to eat and where Nimmo would be willing to be traded. The Royals and Guardians are two of the teams most desperately in need of outfield help in the game, but they operate with small budgets and may not be the sort of consistent contender a veteran like Nimmo would surely prefer to play for. The Phillies have money to spend, a hole in the outfield, and recent success, but it would be a shock to see the Mets trade a franchise stalwart to one of their biggest rivals. Perhaps the Yankees would be a fit as they look for outfield help, though the club may simply prefer to re-sign Cody Bellinger or Trent Grisham rather than bring Nimmo into the fold.

As for Senga, the mercurial right-hander has already been known to be garnering interest on the market, though the Mets’ level of interest in moving hasn’t been clear. Passan reports that the righty is “extremely available,” however, and adds that multiple executives expect him to be traded this winter. The Orioles, Cubs, Red Sox, Blue Jays, and Padres are on a long list of teams known to be looking for starting pitching help this winter, and any could make sense as trade partners for the Mets if they do decide to move Senga. The two years and $28MM guaranteed remaining on Senga’s contract could make him a particularly intriguing fit for teams hoping to fill a rotation spot on a budget like San Diego.

While the Mets are expected to add to their rotation rather than subtract this winter, room will need to be made in the rotation mix for external additions as well as up-and-coming youngsters like Nolan McLean and Brandon Sproat.  That’s enough to make a Senga trade worth thinking about for the front office, especially given the highs that could make him enticing to suitors have been matched by equally distressing lows.

The righty sports a career 3.00 ERA and 3.82 FIP across three seasons in the majors to go with a 26.8% strikeout rate, but an 11.1% walk rate, struggles bouncing back from injuries, and the fact that he’ll turn 33 in January all raise questions about his future. Senga struggled badly enough in the second half this past year that he agreed to be optioned to the minor leagues in September and would only have been part of the Mets’ playoff picture if their rotation mix suffered multiple October injuries, suggesting that the organization had little faith in the righty at the end of this past season.

Mets Getting Jeff McNeil Reps In Center Field

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The Mets recently lost outfielder Jose Siri to a fractured tibia that will sideline him for a yet-to-be-determined (but obviously significant) period of time. That leaves Tyrone Taylor, Brandon Nimmo and infielder Luisangel Acuña as the three players on the roster with center field experience. Taylor and Nimmo have both played the position extensively in the majors, of course. Acuña has logged 299 minor league innings in center but has primarily been a middle infielder. Outfielder Jose Azocar, who has nearly 6000 professional innings in center (442 in the majors), is down in Triple-A but not on the 40-man roster.

Though they have plenty of candidates to help cover Siri’s absence, the Mets are apparently considering an outside-the-box possibility to further bolster their center field depth. Manager Carlos Mendoza announced today that Jeff McNeil’s next start during his minor league rehab assignment will come in center field (video link via SNY).

“He’s off today. He’s going to play center field tomorrow in Port St. Lucie,” Mendoza said. “This is nothing new for him. He’s played there before. We wanted to take advantage of this opportunity in the minor leagues. He’s on board with it. … We’ve also got Acuña, we’ve got Tyrone, but we just felt like since he’s down there now, why not use this opportunity to get him some exposure?”

McNeil does indeed have some experience in center, but it’s fleeting at best. He’s logged three partial big league games at the position — a total of 16 innings. He handled all six fly-balls that went his way without issue. McNeil has had some sporadic center field appearances in the minors as well, but he’s totaled only 28 innings there in his entire professional career. He’s surely had additional reps in non-game settings, but it’s not exactly a familiar position for him. McNeil has more than 2200 total innings of corner outfield work under his belt between the minors and the big leagues, however.

Asked if getting McNeil some occasional time in center with the big league club was a real consideration, Mendoza replied: “Well, there’s a reason we’re doing it.” It seems unlikely that McNeil would be installed for regular center field work, but there’s little harm in expanding an already versatile position player’s skill set in the wake of a notable injury — particularly when it can be done organically while on a minor league rehab assignment.

McNeil has missed the entire season thus far after straining his right oblique late in spring training. The two-time All-Star and 2022 NL batting champion is coming off a pair of down seasons, at least relative to his prior standards. McNeil has been a league-average hitter dating back to 2023, slashing a combined .257/.323/.381 over his past 1120 trips to the plate in the majors.

In place of McNeil, the Mets turned to Acuña and Brett Baty to handle second base in the season’s first few weeks. Baty had enjoyed a monster performance in spring training but has gotten out to a dismal start while playing second — a position that’s still largely unfamiliar to him. The 25-year-old former first-rounder is a third baseman but has begun to see time at second in the wake of Mark Vientos’ breakout last year. However, Baty is struggling once again in what’s now his fourth season with at least some time in the majors; he’s received 36 plate appearances but turned in a .139/.139/.222 slash. Acuña, despite being on the short side of a would-be platoon, has seen an uptick in playing time as a result and is batting .265/.359/.353 in his own small sample of 39 plate appearances.

Starling Marte Discusses Trade Talks, Bench Role

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Reports surfaced back in December that the Mets were looking into the possibility of a Starling Marte trade, and were willing to eat some of Marte’s $19.5MM salary.  The Athletic’s Will Sammon reported today that the Mets “did not come especially close to” moving Marte, though some teams did check in about the possibility and some discussions took place.

Marte shared his own take on the process with Sammon, MLB.com’s Anthony DiComo, and other reporters today at the Mets’ spring camp, revealing that the team was in contact with him about trade possibilities.  “They spoke to me before the [Juan Soto] signing, and then after the signing, they reiterated that they would try to move me,” Marte said.  “They were very clear, very honest with me up front.  They obviously want the best for this team, but also the best for my future.  They were really helpful, and they were really transparent about the situation.”

The Mets have yet to tell Marte whether or not a trade might still happen, Sammon writes, though the possibility looks increasingly less likely now that Spring Training is underway.  As a result, Marte is penciled in for part-time duty at best, slated to mostly work as a backup outfielder and as the team’s DH whenever a left-handed starter is on the mound.  Marte has offered to also chip in as a center fielder, even if he has played just three games at the position in the last three seasons, and with Jose Siri and Tyrone Taylor seemingly having things covered up the middle.

Regardless, Marte’s willingness to return to his old position underscores his desire to help the Mets win, even if he’s receiving less playing time than usual.

“Whenever you’re with a team for the amount of time I’ve been with the team, you get comfortable, you don’t want to get traded because you’ve created relationships with the staff, the players, everybody around here,” Marte said.  “But at the same time, any baseball player would love to play every single day because that’s how a player gets reps, gets better day in and day out.  But at the same time, I’m here and I’m going to do the best I can do.”

While his four-year, $78MM contract is (incredibly) barely a tenth of Soto’s megadeal, it wasn’t long ago that Marte was a prized free agent contract in his own right, joining the Mets in the 2021-22 offseason.  He delivered an All-Star performance in the first year of that deal, even if a fractured finger prematurely ended his regular season and hampered him during the Mets’ playoff run.  The finger issue proved to be a harbinger for the next two seasons, as Marte battled a number of different health issues and played in 180 of a possible 324 games, while hitting .258/.314/.357 with 12 home runs in 711 plate appearances.

Most of those struggles were focused into the 2023 season, as Marte had a more respectable 104 wRC+ in 370 PA in 2024.  As DiComo noted, Marte had some pretty sharp splits last season with the bulk of his production coming against southpaws, so a more specialized role against mostly left-handed pitching could help Marte become an impact bat even in a limited capacity.

Of course, Marte might well earn himself more at-bats the better he hits, or he could get more playing time if injuries strike any of New York’s other outfielders.  To that end, Brandon Nimmo dealt with plantar fasciitis in his left foot for much of the 2024 season, and he told Sammon and Tim Britton that he received a PRP injection to deal with the problem over the offseason.

The early returns in camp are promising, as Nimmo estimated he was moving at 91 percent of his top speed during a running drill on Friday.  The plan is to ramp up relatively slowly during the spring, with Nimmo again planning to wait until the first week of March to start playing in games.  If all goes as expected, Nimmo felt he should be ready for Opening Day.

Mets Notes: Bregman, Nimmo, Minter

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Infielder Alex Bregman remains unsigned, with his market taking some turns recently. While returning to the Astros once seemed impossible, it now seems that door is open a crack. Other teams are still lurking but it doesn’t seem like the Mets will be jumping in. Ari Alexander of KPRC 2 reports that the Mets are no longer in the running.

The Mets were connected to Bregman earlier this winter but it always seemed like a somewhat less-than-perfect fit since the club has a lot of other options for the infield corners. First baseman Pete Alonso and the club have been in a bit of a staring contest for months and it’s still possible that he comes back to Queens. Even without Alonso, the Mets could have Mark Vientos as their regular first baseman and then have third base open for a competition between Brett Baty, Ronny Mauricio and Luisangel Acuña. Bregman is reportedly willing to move to second base but the Mets have Jeff McNeil there. McNeil can also play the outfield but the Mets have a somewhat crowded mix there.

Bregman is a more established big leaguer than any of the Mets young options but he wouldn’t come cheap. He reportedly has been unwilling to accept a six-year, $156MM offer from the Astros this winter, hoping to get something in the $200MM range. While the Mets might have had some interest in going with a more certain player like Bregman for the 2025 season, signing Bregman would be a larger commitment in terms of dollars and years. He’s about to turn 31 years old and the Baty/Acuña/Mauricio trio are all in the 22-26 range, so perhaps the Mets would rather dedicate their money elsewhere.

It also seems like Alonso is more likely to sign a short-term pact, having pitched a three-year deal to the Mets, while Bregman is still holding out hope for a long-term deal. Considering all those factors, it seems that a reunion with Alonso is probably more likely than pivoting to giving a big deal to Bregman.

Turning to players already on the roster, the club held Amazin’ Day recently, which allowed members of the media to get updates on certain players. Per two reports from Bill Ladson of MLB.com, both outfielder Brandon Nimmo and left-hander A.J. Minter are hoping to be ready before or around Opening Day.

Nimmo, the longtime Met, was playing through plantar fasciitis in his left foot during the latter parts of last year’s schedule. It’s possible that affected his performance, as he slashed .248/.361/.454 in the first half but just .190/.277/.319 in the second, followed by a tepid .220/.328/.280 performance in the postseason. He tells Ladson that he had an injection in his foot after the season and has ramped up to jogging, but has not yet started sprinting. He says he will probably miss some early spring training games but expects to be ready to go by Opening Day.

Getting a healthy season out of Nimmo hasn’t always been easy. Due to various injuries from 2016 to 2021, he only once topped 92 games and maxed out at 140. In 2022 and 2023, he finally showed what he could do with proper health. He got into at least 151 games in both of those campaigns and slashed a combined .274/.365/.450 for a 131 wRC+. Last year, despite the foot injury, he got into 151 contests but his production dipped to .224/.327/.399 and a 109 wRC+.

Nimmo turns 32 in March but his contract runs through 2030, so the club will obviously want to keep him healthy and productive for as long as possible. The fact that he’s trending towards Opening Day readiness is a good sign but the club will probably opt for playing things slow for long-term health if any speed bumps arise.

Minter, 31, was just signed a few days ago. His 2024 season was ended by left hip surgery in August. Regardless, the Mets liked him enough to give him a two-year, $22MM deal with an opt-out after year one. His recovery timeline in the wake of that procedure has been a little murky but he’s hoping to be ready for the start of the season as well.

“The goal is to be ready for Opening Day, hopefully,” Minter said. “With that being said, my hip does feel really good. I’m happy where I am. I don’t want to put a date on it. … The Mets are going to have their protocols. They want me to take it day by day. But for me, personally, my goal is to be ready close to Opening Day.”

Over the past five years, Minter has posted an earned run average of 2.85 over 267 appearances. He has struck out 30.1% of opponents while limiting walks to a 7.8% clip. His contributions were more limited last year due to the hip injury but the Mets are clearly hoping he can be back to his old self once that’s fully in the rear-view mirror.

Brandon Nimmo Playing Through Plantar Fasciitis Injury

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Brandon Nimmo is 0-for-12 with four walks over his last 16 plate appearances, and was removed from both Game 1 (for a pinch-hitter) and Game 2 (for a defensive sub in left field) of the Mets’ NLCS clash with the Dodgers.  It seems the issue is health-related, as Nimmo told The Athletic’s Tim Britton that he believes he re-aggravated a case of plantar fasciitis in his left foot during the sixth inning of Game 3 of the NLDS against the Phillies.  The fact that Nimmo was dealing with plantar fasciitis is itself news, as Nimmo said he has been playing through the injury since May.

The discomfort is only an issue when running, Nimmo said, and “I think when I really need it, I’m probably not 100 percent, but I can get going pretty good.”  He has been able to hit and throw with relatively little problem, so while it is clear that Nimmo isn’t quite himself, he is intent on staying in the lineup and will wait until after the season to pursue any more long-lasting tretament.

Nimmo hit .224/.327/.399 with 23 home runs over 663 plate appearances in the regular season, translating to a 109 wRC+.  This was a step back from the 134 wRC+ Nimmo produced in 1966 PA during the 2020-23 seasons, though the downturn is understandable considering that Nimmo has been battling plantar fasciitis for much of the year.  Interestingly, Nimmo stole a career-high 15 bases and was a perfect 15-for-15 on the basepaths, despite playing through the pain in his foot.

If the discomfort ever became so severe that Nimmo couldn’t start in left field, the Mets could install Jeff McNeil (himself just returning after a wrist fracture) in left or move Tyrone Taylor into left field while Harrison Bader plays in center field.  But, the plan seems to be to just keep Nimmo in the starting lineup and then manage his time with tactical substitutions, as in the first two games against Los Angeles.

It obviously isn’t good for the Mets that one of their key hitters has been hampered at such a pivotal time in October, or that the three off-days between the NLDS and NLCS provided only scant relief.  (“It wasn’t as good as I was hoping when I got out there,” Nimmo said of how his foot responded to the three-day break.)  While some injury cases like Freddie Freeman’s bad ankle are obvious, Nimmo’s situation is an example of how there are likely several players trying to grit out non-publicized injuries through these key postseason games.

NL Injury Notes: Kim, Marte, Nimmo

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In what might be remembered as a pivotal day in the National League postseason race, all three wild-card teams and the top club below the playoff line lost a key member of their lineup to injury.  We’ve already covered Austin Riley’s hand/wrist injury earlier tonight on MLBTR, but let’s look at some other concerning injuries for the Padres, Diamondbacks, and Mets…

  • Ha-Seong Kim will undergo an MRI after suffering what the Padres described as a jammed shoulder in today’s game.  Kim hurt himself on a dive back to first base on a pickoff attempt in the third inning, and immediately left the game in obvious discomfort.  Jeff Sanders of the San Diego Union-Tribune writes that Kim was briefly wearing a sling, but didn’t have the sling on when speaking with the media post-game.  “It doesn’t feel too good at the moment…But I’m just trying to stay optimistic and try to come back as soon as possible,” Kim said via his interpreter.  Taking over as the Padres’ full-time shortstop this season, Kim has delivered strong defense and roughly league-average (102 wRC+) offense, hitting .233/.330/.370 over 470 plate appearances with 11 homers and 22 stolen bases in 27 attempts.  As Sanders notes, former shortstop Xander Bogaerts, utilityman Tyler Wade, or possibly Jake Cronenworth could be candidates to take over at shortstop if Kim is facing a trip to the injured list.  In the more long-term view, Kim is also slated to hit free agency this winter.
  • Ketel Marte has been battling a sore ankle for over a week, and had to leave today’s game after aggravating the injury during a pinch-hit appearance in the ninth inning.  The Diamondbacks sat Marte for three games earlier this week and he wasn’t in today’s starting lineup in order to further help keep him fresh, but Marte hurt himself on a check swing during the second pitch of his at-bat off the bench.  Manager Torey Lovullo told MLB.com’s Brian Murphy and other media after the game that Marte “just needs a little bit of rest” and that “I think we’re in a good spot” with the injury, though the skipper isn’t sure when Marte will be back in the lineup.  An NL MVP candidate this season, Marte has been the driver of Arizona’s offense with 30 homers and a .298/.370/.560 slash line over an even 500 PA. Losing him for any amount of time isn’t ideal in a tight playoff race, but since the D’Backs have off-days upcoming on August 22 and 26, a 10-day IL stint now would allow for Marte to heal up while minimizing the amount of games he’d actually miss.
  • After making a diving catch and landing on his right shoulder in the seventh inning of today’s 3-2 Mets loss to the Marlins, Brandon Nimmo felt soreness in the shoulder during his at-bat in the bottom half of the frame, as he told the New York Post’s Mike Puma and other reporters.  Nimmo was replaced in left field for the eighth inning, and he’ll undergo an MRI tomorrow to determine the extent of his injury.  The outfielder missed time due to a right shoulder sprain right at the end of the 2023 season and was known for being plagued by injuries earlier in his career, but Nimmo has been quite durable over the last three years, playing in 419 of a possible 448 games since Opening Day 2022.  Despite some very streaky production at the plate this season, Nimmo still has a 119 wRC+ from a .229/.343/.414 slash line, 11 stolen bases, and 18 homers, including a long ball in today’s game before his injury.  With Starling Marte just back from the IL today, New York’s outfield was seemingly back at full strength, but now Jesse Winker, Tyrone Taylor, and Jeff McNeil could all be cycled into left field if Nimmo has to visit the injured list himself.
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