5 NY Mets players they can trade before Opening Day and what they should get back

5) Trade Starling Marte for pitching help

This is the big one. Starling Marte just isn’t the same match for the Mets as he was in the past. It’s not about the money as much as he no longer has a place to play defensively. That’s actually the best thing he has going. Marte as the DH seems almost reckless for a club with such high aspirations as the Mets. His last home run in 2024 came the same day Grimace threw out the first pitch. I appreciate him doing so to make it easy to remember.

This coming season is the last of Marte’s four-year contract. We got the highs of what he can do in 2022. We got the lows in 2023. Last year was somewhere in between.

Mets fans have been searching all offseason for a potential destination for Marte. We understand no one is rushing to acquire an expensive outfielder with declining power and defensive skills. At best, the Mets can come away feeling better about their roster if they’re able to swap Marte for the very vague idea of pitching help.

Exactly what level has yet to be determined. A relief pitcher without options seems like a lateral move. A starting pitcher of below-average quality doesn’t do them much good either. This is a salary dump type of deal and with no one budging so far, the suggestion is probably that no one sees Marte as a match or at least the Mets view him more highly than other options out there.

The last hope of a Marte trade may come from a spring training injury. The Mets would still need to eat a good portion of his salary. The trouble here is the Mets need to already have an additional outfielder on the roster. Wait too long to make a move and you’re one injury yourself away from needing him back.

The signing of Jesse Winker shouldn’t change our stance much with Marte. If anything, it makes a trade feel more urgent. Winker’s right-handed platoon partner should be whichever right-handed everyday player needs a day off from playing defense.