Thoughts on Jeff McNeil and the willful clog at third base in 2025

Are the Mets better off trading Jeff McNeil this winter?

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One of the main and another under-discussed problem the Mets had in 2025 was their roster construction, and some of their roster maneuvering over the course of the season.

Yes, they had a pitching and defense problem. Yes, they had a top-heavy lineup. Yes, they had a ton of injuries and a lot of underperformance. But as the season rolled on and the Mets found their demise, I couldn’t help but think about David Stearns’ struggle to fit all of the pieces in effectively, specifically on the infield which so badly struggled, on both sides of the ball in a lot of cases.

Stearns was challenged all year with how they were strategizing between Brett Baty, Mark Vientos, and Ronny Mauricio at third base. He kept insisting part of the reasoning behind keeping the three of them on the roster at once was essentially that of creating internal competition, and hoping one of them would eventually take the position and run with it.

Eventually, Baty did just that, as he clearly turned a corner in August. Vientos struggled all year at the plate and in the field, and while Mauricio actually looked quite good from a skillset perspective at third, he struggled at the plate and with the mental side of the game and saw his playing time completely dry up in September.

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This roster clog and that internal competition were arguably bad for both Mauricio and Vientos and in turn, the Mets as a team.

First off, the pressure of performing on a daily basis for both might have served as a cold bucket of water hanging over the head. Some will say internal competition is good, but maybe not in this case with three young players. Second, Mendoza would essentially roll with the hot hand early on which at times compromised their defense with Vientos specifically. Third, once it was clear Baty was their best option, the other two simply rotted on the bench in large measure, although Vientos got opportunities in a part-time DH role.

Now, to be fair, part of the reasoning behind the willfully created log jam at third was that Vientos is out of options. So they couldn’t send him to Triple-A without designating him for assignment and passing him through waivers, something which would surely blow up in their faces.

But that didn’t mean the Mets couldn’t send Mauricio to the minors and open the roster spot up for a more versatile option off the bench.

Now, as I wrote the other day, it’s hard to see how Vientos fits into the future plan for this team given their stated desire to improve their defense. Mauricio is a switch hitter with power and is just a better defensive player on paper. If they could strengthen the mental side of his game over the next few months, then the Mets would unquestionably have a better option to plug in on the infield at as many as three positions and unclog the roster a little bit in the process.

And that brings me to Jeff McNeil.

By all accounts, McNeil had a pretty good year for the Mets, although he slammed into a wall in September, which deflated his overall performance at the plate. But he played generally above-average defense at second base and was generally competent as a utility outfielder at three different positions, coming in modestly below average in places which really aren’t his primary positions.

So again, a nice year, a valuable, versatile, flexible, reliable player once again.

Having said that, are the Mets better off trying to find a take for McNeil and the $15.75 million in guaranteed money for 2026 (there’s a $15.75 million club option on him for 2027)?

Yes, McNeil has been a great Met since his arrival in 2018. He’s won a batting title, has a 117 OPS+ since he came up over eight years, and has generally performed to his contract since he signed it before the 2023 season.

But McNeil is a shell of the hitter he once was. That’s just being fair. His versatility might make him an everyday player here, but I am no longer certain McNeil can start on every team, which probably means he shouldn’t start here anymore. He will be 34 next year, and he might be evolving into a “less is more” player.

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It can be argued McNeil’s presence in 2025 was at least part of the reason for the logjam at third, since there was no realistic alternative for Baty or Mauricio. With Mauricio as a potential utility infielder and with Jett Williams coming in the not-too-distant future as another middle-of-the-field versatile option (who, when he gets here, needs to play), it might make more sense to trade McNeil this winter for another part they need that might be more cost-efficient, even if they have to eat some of the money owed to McNeil.

Of course, that would assume there’s a trade partner for McNeil, whose skillset isn’t exactly in high demand these days (which is, in part, why he signed the extension he did with the Mets when he did).

But freeing this roster spot might make things flow more organically for the Mets and create other opportunities to improve their defense through the external markets.