The New York Mets have been aggressive, strategic, and bold at the 2025 MLB trade deadline — and now, they’ve plugged a crucial hole.
For all the bullpen upgrades — Ryan Helsley, Gregory Soto, and Tyler Rogers — center field remained the one problem the Mets couldn’t ignore.
Tyrone Taylor, despite his hustle, has been lost at the plate, posting a brutal 58 wRC+ on the season.
Jeff McNeil can fake it out there in a pinch, but asking him to patrol center daily risks both his health and production.
Meanwhile, Jose Siri — the team’s best defensive outfielder — remains sidelined with no clear timetable for his return.
So when the Chicago White Sox refused to budge on Luis Robert Jr., the Mets pivoted — and struck a smart, timely deal.
They turned to the Orioles and swung a trade for Cedric Mullins, the left-handed sparkplug whose bat is heating up fast.
Insider Anthony DiComo broke the news: the Mets are sending prospects Raimon Gomez, Anthony Nunez, and Chandler Marsh to Baltimore.
Gomez, a right-handed pitcher, was the Mets’ 30th-best prospect, while the other two were unranked in MLB Pipeline’s top 30.
Mullins Brings Power, Speed, and Urgency
Cedric Mullins isn’t the same player who exploded for a 30-30 season in 2021, but he’s far from washed.
He enters Queens with 15 homers, 14 steals, 42 runs, and 49 RBI — and that’s with a rough May and June behind him.
In July alone, Mullins has slashed an electric .290/.346/.522, flashing that bottom-of-the-lineup juice Mets fans have craved.
His season-long 104 wRC+ suggests league-average production, but the trendline points up — exactly what the Mets need in August.
Mullins’ lefty swing adds much-needed balance and late-game matchup headaches for opponents.
Mullins’ Defense Is a Gamble, But the Bat Justifies It
The one caveat? Mullins’ glove doesn’t pass the eye test — or the metrics — despite his speed and athleticism.
He’s logged a troubling -13 Defensive Runs Saved (DRS), a figure that screams liability in a position that demands reliability.
On the flip side, his 2 Outs Above Average (OAA) is more forgiving, suggesting his range remains decent even if his reads aren’t.
For the Mets, this is a calculated trade-off: accept the defensive warts in exchange for his offensive dynamism and baserunning threat.
In a playoff race, you bet on production. And Cedric Mullins has a knack for showing up when games start to matter most.
Think of this like poker — the Mets are pushing in some chips with an imperfect hand, but Mullins raises their ceiling.
Mets’ Deadline Almost Complete — Just One Piece Left
With Mullins in center and three high-leverage arms added to the bullpen, the Mets are just one move away from completion.
That move? A dependable starting pitcher — someone to lengthen the rotation and protect against late-season fatigue or injury.
Whether that’s a frontline arm or a durable mid-rotation type, expect the Mets to make one more push before the buzzer.
President of baseball operations David Stearns has executed this deadline with a balance of patience and precision, holding onto top prospects while upgrading key spots.
If Mullins maintains his July form, this acquisition could be the most impactful of them all — an under-the-radar gem turned headline-maker.
There’s risk, no doubt. But sometimes, the boldest trades are the ones that make October memories.
READ MORE: White Sox now ‘unlikely’ to move Mets’ outfield target; New York could pivot to Orioles star
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