3 NY Mets players and 3 Astros who could swap teams before Opening Day 2025

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Opening Day 2025 for the New York Mets will feature an interleague fight against the Houston Astros. Interleague? I thought everyone had a DH now.

Much less of an anomaly because there are often multiple interleague games on any given day during the MLB season, it’s still a unique matchup. The game will take place in Houston to avoid the New York weather on March 27 when the season begins.

Before we get there, the Mets and Astros rosters will undergo some significant changes. Free agents, trades, and maybe the clever waiver wire addition or two, it’s possible we see a couple of players swap rosters.

1) Pete Alonso goes from the Mets to the Astros

First base was a big problem for the Astros last year. They hit the abort button on Jose Abreu. Turning to Jon Singleton for the majority of the at-bats, it was an obvious hole on the roster. Pete Alonso can help ensure this doesn’t happen again.

The Astros always seem to sneakily prevail in free agent pursuits. Although prone to letting players walk away (most of the time correctly), they continue adding to the roster. They won last year’s pursuit of Josh Hader. Will they come away on top when it comes to Alonso?

Odds of this happening: Pretty freakin’ good!

1) Alex Bregman goes from the Astros to the Mets

The biggest swap between the Mets and Astros would be if Alonso goes to Houston and Alex Bregman comes to Flushing. One of the biggest stars to suit up for the Astros during their reign of terror in the American League, he’s a free agent who has lost a lot of his luster in recent seasons.

This past year, Bregman batted .250/.315/.453. The .768 OPS set a new career-low. Still good for 20+ home runs, Bregman did see his run production fall down (much like Alonso) to 75 RBI. Most alarming is the OBP which had been a major weapon of his in the past.

Odds of this happening: This feels increasingly likely as Mets rumors continue and if Alonso goes to Houston, this is how they counter it.

2) Brett Baty is traded to the Astros from the Mets

Who could replace Bregman at third base in Houston? Why not fallen Mets prospect Brett Baty? At the very least, Baty can compete for some playing time at the hot corner if they do lose their own fallen star to another team.

Baty’s status with the Mets doesn’t seem to favor him getting much of an opportunity to play much third base in the majors again. An injury or a positional shift for Mark Vientos is the only way to open up a door. Even then, the Mets would be unwise to name him the third baseman without a challenger.

Odds of this happening: There are probably more patient teams who match better in a trade. Furthermore, the Astros need someone more proven.

2) Yusei Kikuchi goes from the Astros to the Mets

Yusei Kikuchi had an impressive finish after he was traded to Houston from the Toronto Blue Jays. Kikuchi went from a shoulder shrug 4-9 with a 4.75 ERA in Toronto to a 2.70 ERA and a 5-1 record with the Astros. He fits quite well in terms of short-term targets for the Mets to pursue. Some of the nastiest stuff in baseball, he’s someone Jeremy Hefner would probably enjoy putting in the lab.

Kikuchi won’t be a major headliner this offseason in a starting pitcher market with several big names. A mid-rotation arm a team like the Mets could hope to get more from, this seems like an all-too appropriate free agent to end up in Queens.

Odds of this happening: This seems exactly like the type of player the Mets would like to add to replace Jose Quintana.

3) Luis Severino goes from the Mets to the Astros

The Astros are going to need some starting pitchers to remain competitive. Along with Kikuchi, Justin Verlander is headed to the open market. Are they really going to try to run it back with him again? In either case, Mets free agent Luis Severino should be a decent addition for them to consider.

Severino had a nice bounceback season in Queens on a one-year deal. He’ll undoubtedly look for a lengthier contract. Younger than Kikuchi and Verlander, the Astros would get bonus points if Severino continues to thrive away from the New York Yankees roster.

Odds of this happening: Decent but let’s wait until the Astros show their hand.

3) Hector Neris goes from the Astros to the Mets

They’re not all winners! Hector Neris was a Mets free agent target last offseason. He eventually landed with the Chicago Cubs but finished with the Astros. A combined 4.10 ERA doesn’t tell a very good story of how his season went, in particular a halfway decent 3.89 ERA performance with the Cubs. He practically spoiled their chances of making the playoffs with all of the blown saves.

Neris was terrific in 2023 with the Astros, pitching to a 1.71 ERA in 68.1 innings of work. Heading into his age 36 season, he’ll have some team looking to scratch out another productive season from the longtime Philadelphia Phillies reliever.

Odds of this happening: This seems too realistic of a reclamation project for the Mets to add to the roster only to prove us all wrong. Fortunately, he was probably too lousy last year to be on the wish list above anything more than a massive bargain.

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3 Mets players and 3 Astros who could swap teams before Opening Day 2025