Mets could consider trading 25-homer outfielder, per reports

The New York Mets are heading into an offseason filled with tough questions and even tougher decisions. There’s no shortage of needs — from shoring up center field to finding clarity at third base, rebuilding a shaky bullpen and a shallow rotation, and, of course, deciding what to do with Pete Alonso and Edwin Díaz. But according to a new report, president of baseball operations David Stearns might be thinking even bigger.

A Surprising Name on the Table

MLB insider Joel Sherman of the New York Post reported that the Mets have “spit-balled” scenarios involving a trade of outfielder Brandon Nimmo. Yes, that Brandon Nimmo — one of the longest-tenured Mets, a clubhouse leader, and one of the team’s most consistent hitters.

Nimmo has a full no-trade clause and is under contract for five more years at $101.25 million, which would seem to make such talks a nonstarter. Yet Sherman’s reporting suggests the Mets have at least discussed how much money they’d need to eat to make a deal work. For a front office trying to get younger and more balanced, it’s not an entirely wild idea.

Still Producing, but Age and Defense Loom

This isn’t about performance. Nimmo remains an excellent offensive player, fresh off a season in which he hit a career-best 25 home runs and posted another above-average offensive line. In fact, he’s never recorded a below-average season at the plate when given 200 or more plate appearances.

But he’ll turn 33 next year, and his defense in the outfield — once a strength — has shown noticeable slippage. For a Mets team prioritizing run prevention and improved athleticism, that’s a real consideration. They may view this winter as the last chance to move Nimmo before his value begins to dip.

The Cost of Creativity

Even if the Mets decide they’re open to a Nimmo trade, actually pulling it off would be complicated. Any team taking on the outfielder’s contract would likely ask New York to pay down a significant portion of the remaining salary. That’s the cost of doing business with aging but productive veterans.

If Stearns and his staff were willing to eat, say, $40 million of Nimmo’s deal, they could perhaps land a strong bullpen arm or a mid-rotation starter. It wouldn’t be a flashy return, but it could help fill a pressing need. The key, as always, would be finding a partner that believes in Nimmo’s bat enough to make the math work.

Balancing Loyalty and Logic

Trading Nimmo would be a bold and emotional move. He’s been a face of the Mets for years — a homegrown player who hustles, smiles, and embodies the kind of energy fans love to root for. But sentiment only goes so far in the business of building a sustainable contender.

David Stearns wasn’t hired to protect feelings; he was hired to make hard calls that shape the Mets for the long term. If dealing Nimmo helps create flexibility to rebuild the roster around a younger core, it’s at least worth a serious discussion.

The Mets’ offseason is just beginning, and there’s no indication a Nimmo trade is imminent. But the fact that such talks have even been “spit-balled” says plenty about Stearns’ willingness to challenge assumptions — and maybe, just maybe, shake up the core in pursuit of something greater.

Would the Mets really move on from one of their most beloved players? In an offseason this complicated, nothing seems completely off the table.