Ranking Mets' top 5 trade targets for 2026-27 MLB offseason
· Yahoo Sports
There will rightfully be a ton of attention paid to the Mets' options in free agency, with ace left-hander Tarik Skubal potentially at the very top of their list of targets.
But the trade market could be percolating, too.
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Shortly after spinning a handful of trade deadline deals this past summer, bringing in a bevy of intriguing prospects while bolstering the Mets' farm system, head of baseball operations David Stearns was not shy about the possibility that some of those recently-acquired prospects could be quickly turned around as part of other deals that help New York.
That doesn't mean the Mets are in a rush to trade any of them, but the infusion of talent into their system likely makes it easier to swing an impact trade or two.
And given New York's plethora of infield options who are close to the majors (including Jefferson Rojas, Mitch Voit, and Émilien Pitre), it's not outlandish to think Stearns could deal from that relative glut in an effort to improve the team elsewhere -- perhaps in the starting rotation.
With offseason moving and shaking beginning soon, there's every reason to believe there will be a free agent and trade frenzy over the next month with the lockout looming on Dec. 1 when the CBA expires. So the Mets, and every other team, could be in a race to that theoretical deadline.
Here are the five players the Mets should have highest on their list of trade targets, ranked:
5. Hunter Brown, RHP
Brown is at No. 5 instead of the very top of this list simply because the Astros don't have to be in a rush to trade him. Set to enter his age-28 season in 2027, Brown is under team control via arbitration for two more years. And he's still very inexpensive, expected to make roughly $8 million next season.
But while the Astros can take their time if they so choose, there are a few reasons why dealing Brown this offseason could make sense.
For one, Houston is in a period of transition, currently searching for replacements for outgoing GM Dana Brown and manager Joe Espada. Meanwhile, despite winning the putrid AL West in 2026 with a record of 81-81, the arrow is pointing down for the Astros. Jeremy Peña will be a free agent after 2027, Yordan Alvarez will be a free agent after 2028, the high-priced Carlos Correa can't stay healthy, and Jose Altuve (who will turn 37 years old next May) seems to be running out of gas.
There's also the fact that (with the exception of Altuve) Houston has typically been unable or unwilling to extend its stars, as was the case relatively recently with Gerrit Cole and George Springer, who both walked as free agents.
Adding all of that up, it could be smart for Houston to start retooling for the future.
And if the Astros decide to dangle Brown, who has emerged as a legitimate frontline starter over the last three seasons, the Mets should race to the phone.
Minnesota Twins starting pitcher Joe Ryan (41) pitches in the first inning against the Colorado Rockies at Coors Field / Isaiah J. Downing - Imagn Images
4. Joe Ryan, RHP
Ryan was a buzzy name attached to the Mets last offseason, and could be again this time around.
With Ryan almost certainly set to depart Minnesota via free agency after 2027 (there is a mutual option for 2028 worth $13 million that he would likely only accept if his season is derailed by injury or poor performance), it would behoove the Twins to trade him this offseason.
One thing to note, though, is that the Twins actually became buyers at the 2026 deadline even though they were under .500 (56-57) and 4.0 games back in the mediocre AL Central on Aug. 3. So it's possible they simply roll the dice again in a still-underwhelming division and try to win.
If they don't, Ryan -- who has a 3.79 ERA and 1.08 WHIP with a 10.1 K/9 rate across six big league seasons -- could be one of the most intriguing names on the trade market.
For the Mets, he would be a strong fit in the middle of a rotation that is expected to include Nolan McLean and Christian Scott, and could feature a legitimate ace at the top -- with a Skubal signing a possibility.
3. George Kirby, RHP
When you look at the Mariners' starting rotation depth chart, which features Kirby, Logan Gilbert, Bryan Woo, Kade Anderson, Bryce Miller, and Emerson Hancock, it makes sense why people are looking at Seattle as a potentially big player on the trade market this winter.
As far as Kirby, he has backslid a bit since putting up very strong seasons from 2022 to 2024 in what were his first three years in the league. In 2026, while posting a career-worst 4.33 ERA and 1.39 WHIP, the value of Kirby's stuff also regressed in a big way. But it wasn't due to a loss in velocity, as Kirby's four-seam fastball averaged a career-high 96.7 mph. It also seemingly wasn't an issue with his extension off the mound (something that hampered Freddy Peralta during his time with the Mets).
Kirby's elite command (his walk rates in 2023 and 2024 were 0.9 and 1.1, respectively) has also become simply very good.
But the tools are still there for Kirby, who will earn roughly $10 million in 2027 via arbitration and is under team control through 2028.
An undeniable plus is that Kirby is a New York native who grew up in Rye, so he wouldn't be overwhelmed by the market.
Oct 3, 2026; St. Petersburg, Florida, USA; Tampa Bay Rays pitcher Drew Rasmussen (57) reacts in the sixth inning in game one of the ALDS for the 2026 MLB Playoffs against the New York Yankees at Tropicana Field. / Kim Klement Neitzel-Imagn Images
2. Drew Rasmussen, RHP
The Rays hold a $20 million option on Rasmussen for the 2027 season, but Tampa has typically traded their higher-priced players ahead of free agency -- as they did recently with Tyler Glasnow and Brandon Lowe. So they could theoretically pick up Rasmussen's option and then deal him.
Perhaps their run to the World Series changes the calculus with Rasmussen. If it doesn't, he would be one of the most sought-after pitchers available.
There will always be some lingering concern about Rasmussen's health given that he has had multiple serious elbow surgeries, including an internal brace procedure that kept him out for most of 2023 and 2024.
But when Rasmussen is healthy, he's one of the best pitchers in the sport. And he's been healthy the last two seasons, throwing a combined 322 regular season innings for the Rays while posting a 2.71 ERA and 0.96 WHIP while striking out 301 batters and allowing just 241 hits.
Rasmussen, who will be entering his age-31 season in 2027, would give the Mets a true ace to slide in atop their rotation.
1. Logan Gilbert, RHP
Yes, every top target is a starting pitcher.
With Gilbert set for free agency after the 2027 season, it's possible the Mariners are more motivated to move him than Kirby.
Gilbert, 29, has been an inning-eating machine for Seattle, tossing 185.2 or more innings four of the last five seasons.
In 2026, he posted a 3.73 ERA and 1.08 WHIP while striking out 205 batters and allowing only 153 hits across 186 innings spanning 32 starts. His advanced metrics were also mostly in the red, including xERA, xBA, chase percentage, and extension.
Like Kirby, Gilbert's arsenal is expansive, though he is especially reliant on his four-seam fastball and slider.
Gilbert might not have quite the upside of Rasmussen, but could be a safer bet due to his mostly clean injury history.