The New York Mets are 34-44, sitting in fourth place in the NL East, and they’ve got one of the biggest payrolls in baseball. If you’re looking for a punchline to the 2026 season so far, that’s the whole joke. But here’s the weird part: Steve Cohen’s team might not be selling at the trade deadline. They might be buying.
According to MLB.com’s Mark Feinsand, the Mets are one of three teams that have come up as potential suitors for Boston Red Sox first baseman Willson Contreras. The other two are the Cleveland Guardians and the Texas Rangers. The Red Sox are somehow having an even worse season than the Mets, sitting at 30-46 going into Wednesday’s games. So naturally, trade rumors are swirling around their best players.
Contreras is 34 years old. He’s a catcher-turned-first-baseman who’s having a monster year at the plate. Feinsand wrote that any blame for Boston’s nightmare season can’t be pointed at Contreras, who’s been one of the few bright spots. He’s slugging. He’s getting on base. He’s doing everything a team could ask from a veteran hitter.
But there are complications. Contreras has full no-trade rights for the rest of this season and limited no-trade rights next year that let him block deals to 10 teams. And the Red Sox have him under control for 2027 plus a club option for 2028. That makes him an expensive get, both in terms of prospects and actual dollars. Feinsand noted that Boston seems unlikely to move him this summer given that control, but he also left the door open because, ultimately, it’s Contreras’ call too.
For the Mets, the logic is shaky but understandable. They’re trying to claw back into a crowded NL East race. Their lineup has underperformed all year. Contreras would give them a legitimate middle-of-the-order bat right now. But he’s 34, and this hot stretch isn’t guaranteed to last. Trading for him would be a win-now move for a team that looks like it can’t win at all right now.
The Mets spent the offseason making big moves. They brought in Juan Soto on a massive contract. They added starting pitching. They had legitimate championship expectations. None of that has translated to wins. Now they’re in a situation where they have to decide whether to double down on a flawed roster or start thinking about next year.
Feinsand listed the Mets alongside the Guardians and Rangers as possible landing spots, but the Rangers are the more interesting fit given their need for a first baseman. Cleveland could use the bat too. The Mets might be the least logical option of the three, considering their record and age concerns.
One more thing worth watching: Contreras has the leverage. If he doesn’t want to go to New York or anywhere else, he can say no. And the Red Sox might not even be shopping him yet. But the fact that the Mets are being mentioned at all says a lot about where their front office’s head is at. They’re still trying to win now, even when all the evidence says maybe they shouldn’t.
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