Mets trade changes free agent plans for Kyle Tucker, Cody Bellinger originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
The New York Mets have created an opening.
AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementOn Sunday, they traded away outfielder Brandon Nimmo for second baseman Marcus Semien. It was the rare, 1-for-1, veteran-for veteran deal.
And it has left a spot in the Mets' outfield.
That could mean they plan on making a big free agent pursuit of either Kyle Tucker or Cody Bellinger.
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That's what MLB.com's Mark Feinsand thinks is happening. He wrote this on Monday:
"Trading Nimmo certainly creates a vacancy in the Mets’ outfield, and given that the widespread belief was that they were already planning on making a push for Tucker and/or Bellinger, this deal makes it all but certain that they will try to sign one of those two outfielders. For Tucker and Bellinger, having the big-budget Mets involved in any potential bidding war has to be viewed as a positive."
AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementThe Mets are owned by Steve Cohen, who has shown again and again already that he doesn't mind shelling out the money. That included last offseason with Juan Soto.
It'd be quite the statement to end up with the most expensive free agent two offseasons in a row, but if anyone can do it, it'd be Cohen.
The Mets could also go the Bellinger route, taking a Yankees talented free agent for two consecutive winters.
Either way, Tucker or Bellinger would represent an upgrade on Nimmo. So adding one of them and also having Semien now in the infield creates a chance at rebounding from a bad end-of-season collapse in 2025 and making 2026 and beyond much brighter.
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