Brett Baty, Mark Vientos being eyed in trade talks
Plus, there are three former Mets still available who could add valuable depth to the roster
What’s up with the Mets? 🍎
The Pirates have reportedly engaged in trade talks with the Mets and are pursuing one of 3B Brett Baty or 3B Mark Vientos, although the asking price is thought to be high (93.7 The Fan)
RHP Freddy Peralta isn’t planning on pitching in the upcoming World Baseball Classic (SNY)
RHP Nolan McLean (No. 4), OF Carson Benge (No. 10), RHP Jonah Tong (No. 23), OF A.J. Ewing (No. 38), 3B Jacob Reimer (No. 70), 1B Ryan Clifford (No. 86), and RHP Will Watson (No. 96) all cracked Baseball Prospectus’ Top 101 list (Baseball Prospectus)
Per Fangraphs, the Mets have the third-best odds to make the playoffs, and the fourth-best odds to win the World Series (FanGraphs)
Rumor Mill 💨
The Pirates are showing interest in free agent DH Marcell Ozuna (The Athletic)
The Red Sox could be in the market for a right-handed hitting outfielder (The Athletic)
1B Ty France has been asked to play some second base by teams interested in the free agent (The Athletic)
What I’m watching 📰 📺
🌴 6 days until the first official work out for Mets pitchers and catchers in Port St. Lucie… 🌴
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Three old friends the Mets could add to create more depth ✍️
Spring training is now so close you can probably already hear that first glorious crack of the bat.
With pitchers and catchers reporting to St. Lucie in less than a week, the Mets have more than likely done most of the heavy lifting when it comes to constructing the 2026 roster.
However, there are three moves the front office could still make that would help this team improve on the margins, while also adding some veteran depth in key areas.
Chris Bassitt, RHP
Let’s start with pitching. I don’t know about you, but I still feel as though the rotation needs another capable body. While the top of the rotation seems to be in good hands with Freddy Peralta and Nolan McLean, there are question marks hovering over the rest of that group. What will Jonah Tong look like over the course of a full season? Will Sean Manaea bounce back? Can David Peterson put it all together for a full season? And is Kodai Senga capable of staying healthy?
With all those questions, not to mention the high possibility of a starter or two going down in spring training, it might behoove the Mets to bring in a reliable starter who can help to fortify the backend of the rotation.
Enter Chris Bassitt.
The veteran ticks a lot of boxes. He’s played in New York before, he knows the organization, he’s still capable of going deep in games, he boasts a ton of experience, and he could also act as a mentor to the likes of McLean and Tong.
Bassitt pitched to a 3.96 ERA with 166 strikeouts over 170.1 innings for the Blue Jays in 2025. He’s still a guy capable of eating innings and striking batters out, and he would be a solid option at the backend of the rotation. He’s a gamer, he would be an excellent guy to have in the clubhouse and in the dugout, and he would provide useful depth both in the rotation and in the bullpen if needed. If Bassitt is willing to sign a short-term deal, then I don’t see there being much risk involved for the Mets.
Michael Conforto, OF
Another name Mets fans will be familiar with.
Yes, the outfielder didn’t exactly set the world on fire for the Dodgers in 2025, hitting .199/.305/.333/.637 with 12 home runs and 36 RBIs in 138 games. He also recorded a -5 Outs Above Average last year.
It is also true that Conforto has never really lived up to the promise he displayed during his first spell with the Mets. He’s been an average player at best over the last few years, and a slew of injuries also hasn’t helped.
However, the Mets wouldn’t be signing a player like Conforto to play a leading role in 2026. Rather, he would be brought in to add depth, leadership, and be a useful insurance policy for Carson Benge. I, as many of our readers have also stated, think it is imperative that the Mets have a backup option just in case Benge struggles in spring training or needs more time to adapt to life in the major leagues.
Conforto could be that guy.
He just needs to be solid at the plate and in the field, while also acting as a role model for Benge. Plus, there is some upside there given that Conforto hit 20 home runs for the Giants as recently as the 2024 season. Plus, like Bassitt and the final guy we’re going to mention, Conforto knows what it takes to play in New York.
Mark Canha, OF/1B
Yes, okay, all three players I’ve singled out are former Mets. There is no real rhyme or reason for that.
Like Bassitt and Conforto, though, Mark Canha could be another good fit for the Mets as a solid role player. And the added bonus with Canha is that he can play both the outfield and first base. He’s covered all three outfield positions in his career, while he’s also logged over 130 games at first base.
Known to be a good clubhouse guy and a respected leader, Canha could help to mentor Benge in left field, while also having the ability to offer some insurance at first base if the Jorge Polanco experiment doesn’t go very well. With the possibility that Mark Vientos could still be moved, Canha’s versatility could prove crucial throughout 2026.
Granted, it would probably be unwise to expect a whole lot of offensive production out of Canha at this stage in his career. With that said, his value would come from still serviceable defense, his presence in the clubhouse, and his ability to play two positions that are still very much question marks for the Mets as we enter spring training.
Again, none of the three options I’ve outlined are needle-movers. But that’s not what the Mets need at this stage. What this team actually needs right now is some depth, and one or two reliable insurance policies to help fine-tune this roster. I think Bassitt, Conforto, and Canha tick those particular boxes.
Around the League 🚩
The Tigers are reportedly in agreement with LHP Framber Valdez on a three-year, $115 million contract (ESPN)
The Padres are signing INF Miguel Andujar to a one-year, $4 million contract (NY Post)
INF Isiah Kiner-Falefa is signing a one-year, $6 million deal with the Red Sox (MassLive.com)
Former pitcher and 1968 World Series MVP Mickey Lolich, who still holds several team records for the Tigers, passed away on Wednesday (MLB.com)
The family fight for control over the Padres appears to be over according to court documents (The Athletic)
Trading either Mark or Brett unless for a quality starter is not very smart in my opinion. Let's see if Mark can rebound as the Mets lineup does not really feature the balanced thump from the right side of the plate. Brett can be a very valuable piece if he continues to develop after a pretty good last year. The names mentioned really do not interest me, except for Bassett or a vet that might be picked up on the cheap at some future time.
Pittsburgh? What return do they have to offer? I think we can pretty safely put that one on the shelf. I'm not sure where that rumor could have started.
Conforto and Canha are both really good guys, but I don't see what they can give us beyond what Starling Marte can give us.
Chris Bassitt is a good name to keep in mind if someone goes down, but at this point, it's probably not a good idea to bring him in. Too many cooks and all that.
If someone gets hurt early enough in the spring, different story, though. He'd be at the top of the list for an emergency signing.