1 NY Mets player the Cubs and every other NL Central team should try to trade for

While the trade deadline is still more than a month away, the New York Mets are already on the verge of sticking a fork in their 2026 season. The struggles and failures the Mets' players and staff this season are well-documented at this point, so there's little to do other than look ahead to what figures to be a significant sell-off of shorter-term (and perhaps even some longer-term) assets this summer.

Few divisions in baseball are better stocked with potential trade partners for the Mets than the NL Central. All five teams in the Central are ahead of the Mets in the standings, with the majority of the division still in the thick of the playoff race. With that being said, none of these teams are quite as bulletproof as the Dodgers. They'll all surely be looking to improve this summer. Which players on the Mets might they target? Here's a look at one strong fit for each of the five Central clubs:

The Brewers don't need much, but A.J. Minter could be a game changer

The Brewers have a commanding lead in the NL Central at the moment, and while virtually no leads are safe just yet they have much less to worry about than the rest of their division. Milwaukee's most obvious need at the moment is third base, where Luis Rengifo was recently bumped off of the roster. The Mets aren't an ideal suitor for that need. Bo Bichette is far too expensive for a small-market team, and Brett Baty has underwhelmed to the point where the Mets shouldn't bother selling low.

One place the Brewers could use some help the Mets can actually offer is the bullpen. Milwaukee's relief corps has been decent but unspectacular. Gone are the days of Josh Hader and Devin Williams locking down the late innings for the team, and the current group just aren't on that level. A veteran like southpaw A.J. Minter would really help stabilize things or the Brew Crew. He'd also help support Aaron Ashby by serving as another lefty in the bullpen, taking some heat off the team's top southpaw.

Old friend Luke Weaver could help stabilize the Cardinals bullpen in the short- and long-term

Luke Weaver currently stands as one of the few offseason additions David Stearns made that has unequivocally worked out. The righty has turned in excellent numbers in the late innings of games. That might be tough for the Mets to give up, but the market is always strong for relief pitching at the deadline and he'll turn 33 shortly after the deadline. That makes him someone the Mets should at least listen on, even though his contract won't expire for another year.

Meanwhile, few teams need relief help more desperately than the Cardinals. They've surprised the baseball world by succeeding in spite of moves over the offseason to ship the old guard out of town. Youngsters like JJ Wetherholt have kept them alive so far, but a bullpen led by JoJo Romero just isn't enough. Weaver got his start in the St. Louis rotation before being traded in the Paul Goldschmidt deal. Now, he would now be a much-needed veteran with playoff experience for their relief corps.

The Cubs-Freddy Peralta fit still makes as much sense as it always has

June has been a tough month for Freddy Peralta, to say the least. He's added a full run to his ERA since the month began, which is perhaps not a shock when his recent ten-run, 2 2/3 inning blowup against the Phillies drew ugly comparisons to another once-heralded ace on the downswing. Peralta once looked to be the Mets' biggest trade chip, but now there are real questions about how much they'll be able to get for his services come the deadline.

Even if the righty enters trade season no longer looking like the surefire ace the Mets were hoping he would be, he could still be attractive to some teams. The Cubs were connected to the righty earlier this year, and while Peralta has expressed a desire to stay in New York Stearns will surely move on if there's a worthwhile package to be had in exchange for his services. The Cubs could very well be the team to make that sort of meaningful offer.

Chicago's needs in the rotation remain dire, as Ben Brown is the only starter even pitching at a league average rate. With Cade Horton out for the year and Justin Steele's return nowhere in sight, the Cubs could both use additional depth and some upside in their rotation. Peralta can eat meaningful innings for a contender down the stretch at the very least, and if the Cubs can get him right he could easily be tabbed as the team's Game 1 starter come October.

The Pirates are just the team to take advantage of Mark Vientos's strengths

It might surprise some Mets fans to see infielder Mark Vientos come up on this list, as he's had a fairly dismal year in 2026 while only getting regular reps due to injuries all around the roster. Vientos's offensive numbers would be lackluster at any position, but they're especially egregious for a player who has settled into a first base and DH role. That would seem to make him hard to trade, but the Pirates might actually be the perfect fit for this obvious change-of-scenery candidate.

Pittsburgh has been working over the past year to revamp their offense in hopes of better supporting Paul Skenes and the rest of their vaunted pitching staff. Big bats like Brandon Lowe and Ryan O'Hearn have been helpful to that cause, but their lineup remains heavy on lefties. Bringing in a true righty slugger would help balance things, and almost all of Vientos's production this year has come against southpaws. Throw in his years of affordable team control, and this looks like a match made in heaven.

The Reds could look to Francisco Alvarez as their catcher of the future

Of all the trade possibilities mentioned here, this one is by far the least likely to happen this summer. That's for a number of reasons. For one, the Reds aren't much closer to contending than the Mets are at this point. They might find themselves selling as well. For another, the Mets aren't likely to be very excited at the prospect of giving up on Alvarez, who is still just 24 years old and is controlled through the end of the 2029 season.

Those obstacles make a deal unlikely, but there's certainly logic in considering a deal for both sides. For the Mets, Alvarez has represented something of a headache in recent years. He simply hasn't lived up to his potential on offense, and his defense pales in comparison to that of backup Luis Torrens. The Reds, meanwhile, have arguably the worst catching corps in the majors and will only get worse next year with Tyler Stephenson headed to free agency after the 2026 campaign.

Take those situations together, and it's easy to see both why the Reds might covet Alvarez enough to give up a big prospect package and why the Mets might be willing to part ways with their former top prospect. With Hayden Senger and Ben Rortvedt both ready to go at Triple-A, the Mets have enough depth to figure things out down the stretch without Alvarez, and they could target someone like Carson Kelly in free agency this winter to replace him if the return is worth the trouble.

Add us as a preferred source on Google

Follow