Mets' $72 million trade set up 2 more deals before new season
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Mets' $72 million trade set up 2 more deals before new season originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
The New York Mets made a ton of roster moves this offseason to try and maximize the 2026 MLB season and beyond.
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That included a handful of trades, including a few that were quite connected.
ESPN's Jorge Castillo broke down the domino effect of moves the Mets made, writing in a new article Monday that the Marcus Semien trade led to two further deals.
Semien came to the Mets from the Texas Rangers in a trade for outfielder Brandon Nimmo.
"He has three years and $72 million left on his contract," Castillo writes of Semien. "But he remains an elite defensive second baseman and is widely considered a positive clubhouse presence -- two attributes that should help a team that struggled in the field and did not produce good vibes off the field."
Once the Mets had Semien, they were in position to deal away two other players, Jeff McNeil and Luisangel Acuna.
"Second base wasn't a glaring need for the Mets with Jeff McNeil and Luisangel Acuna still on the roster," Castillo writes. "Adding Semien made McNeil and Acuña expendable, and they were soon out the door. Trading Nimmo opened an outfield spot that the Mets would eventually attempt to fill with the top free agent on the market before deciding to move Juan Soto from right field to left field and create a competition for playing time in right field."
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Acuna was a key part of the package that brought Luis Robert Jr. to the Mets to solve their centerfield woes.
The Mets also, not entirely related to the second base movement, signed the likes of Bo Bichette, Jorge Polanco, Devin Williams and Luke Weaver this offseason while also swinging a trade for ace Freddy Peralta.
They were definitely busy. And now Opening Day has arrived this week, so the Mets can see if their moves were worth it.
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