The New York Mets could be considering a trade for this outfielder.
improved their roster significantly by signing Bo Bichette to a three-year, $126 million deal on January 16. However, that deal didn't help address the biggest hole in the Mets' roster right now. While the Mets could use another frontline starting pitcher to pair with Nolan McLean, they most desperately need an outfielder.
After trading Brandon Nimmo for Marcus Semien earlier this winter, New York's current starting outfield is Juan Soto in right, Tyrone Taylor in center, and perhaps top prospect Carson Benge in left, although he has never made his MLB debut.None of the other outfield options is appealing, and the truth is that Tyrone Taylor is not the ideal starter in center field. While Benge will likely get an opportunity at some point, he's probably too green to be the Mets' starting left fielder on Opening Day. New York Mets Minor League New York Mets Minor Leaguer Carson Benge poses on Mach 5, 2025. | IMAGO / NurPhoto The Mets were trying to address this deficiency by signing star outfielder Kyle Tucker before he signed a four-year, $240 million deal with the Los Angeles Dodgers earlier this week. So now the Mets must look elsewhere to fill that void.ESPN insider Jorge Castillo made it clear which option he believes is best for New York, which he conveyed in "Free agent outfielder Cody Bellinger made sense for the Mets, but now that Bichette -- and his $42 million average annual value -- is on the books, a cheaper alternative is likely, at least as long as Bellinger continues to seek a seven-year deal. Having Brett Baty, who was previously projected to start at third base, play left field is a possibility," Castillo wrote. "Other options include Harrison Bader, a former Met, in free agency, or acquiring an outfielder such as Lars Nootbaar via trade," he added. Sep 23, 2025; San Francisco, California, USA; St. Louis Cardinals left fielder Lars Nootbaar stands at bat against the San Francisco Giants during the first inning at Oracle Park. Mandatory Credit: Eakin Howard-Imagn Images | Eakin Howard-Imagn ImagesNootbaar hit .234 with a .686 OPS in 135 games for the Cardinals in 2025. However, he has proven to be a more capable hitter than that in the past, and appears poised for a bounce-back campaign in 2026, regardless of which team he is playing for.Grant Young covers the New York Mets and Women’s Basketball for Sports Illustrated’s ‘On SI’ sites. He holds an MFA degree in creative writing from the University of San Francisco, where he also played Division 1 baseball for five years. He believes Mark Teixeira should have been a first ballot MLB Hall of Fame inductee.
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