It's official: the Mets are sellers. Jon Heyman reported the front office has moved into sell mode via league sources, and the list of what's actually off-limits is shorter than you'd think. Juan Soto, Carson Benge, A.J. Ewing, Nolan McLean and Christian Scott are untouchable. Basically everyone else in the building is a phone call away from getting moved.
https://t.co/UuxEAsBuGG MLB Insider: Mets have moved into sell mode, via league sources. Word is they’ll consider basically anyone but Soto, Benge, Ewing, McLean and Scott, though Lindor’s still seen as a long shot to move
The record tells the story here. New York is sitting at 36-51, already fired their manager, and now they're staring down what Heyman separately flagged as the toughest remaining schedule in baseball -- Phillies, Dodgers, Brewers and Braves right out of the gate, with the Mets sitting anywhere from 14 to 21 games back of those clubs. That's not a slump, that's a season that's over, and the front office is finally acting like it.
Mets have the toughest remaining schedule in MLB, starting with Phillies, Dodgers, Brewers and Braves (Mets are between 14 and 21 games behind these 4 teams)
The two names that jump off the page are Lindor and Bichette, and Heyman was quick to note trades for either one aren't especially likely -- but they're in the mix, alongside reporting from Jim Duquette and Chelsea Janes that Lindor has come up in talks. Worth remembering: Lindor has full no-trade protection thanks to 10-and-5 rights, so any deal needs his blessing. That's a real hurdle, not a formality.
Lindor and Bichette trades aren’t thought especially likely but they’re in discussions, as is any desirable player not among the 5 Mets considered off-limits @JimDuquetteGM and @chelsea_janes also noted Lindor in talks
Bichette is the more interesting case financially. He signed a 3-year, $126 million deal with the Mets that front-loaded a $40 million signing bonus, meaning he's already banked more than $41 million of this year's $42 million salary. Heyman pointed out those complicating $42 million player options for 2027 and 2028 make any trade a puzzle for whoever's on the other end -- but the money already paid out actually makes him cheaper to absorb than the sticker price suggests.
One thing to keep in mind regarding Bichette: While he has complicating $42M player options for each of the next two seasons, he was already paid thanks mostly to a $40M signing bonus paid in spring more than $41M of this year’s $42M salary
MLB Trade Rumors put a bow on it, confirming the Mets are now formally fielding offers ahead of the deadline. For a team that opened this season with World Series aspirations and a $765 million man in the middle of the lineup, this is about as sharp a turn as it gets. The next two weeks decide whether Lindor and Bichette stay Mets or become the biggest names to move at the deadline.