Mike Francesa has a new reason why the NY Mets traded Brandon Nimmo

New York radio legend Mike Francesa heard a very specific reason as to why the home team locker room at Citi Field wasn’t sunshine and rainbows. According to him, New York Mets teammates Francisco Lindor and Brandon Nimmo didn’t get along over how each feels about the President of the United States, Donald Trump.

There are only a small number of topics you don’t talk about at the dinner table. Politics, religion, and bWAR vs. fWAR. Somehow, the unwritten rules of holiday dinner crossed over into the Mets locker room and was a big enough problem that led to Nimmo getting traded.

Francesa is the only person who has gone down the political landscape as to why the trade took place. What’ll be a years-long interpretation from every smile, high-five, and stare from the dugout has a new chapter added to the drawer of speculation as to what broke up the 2025 Mets roster and led to whatever they create in 2026.

Mike Francesa chose politics as the reason as to why Brandon Nimmo was traded

With Nimmo gone, the focus shifts to the relationship between Lindor and Juan Soto. Francesa said their relationship didn’t start off well because Lindor didn’t immediately welcome Soto to the team. Soto has been out there talking about his relationship with Lindor, cooling off any idea of tensions between the pair. Is it damage control or just the truth that they aren't buddies but simply colleagues with different personalities capable of working together?

What has grown from pure speculation of Soto’s unhappiness to a full-scale Black Friday report of how messy things were behind-the-scenes with Lindor appeared to be the firebrand of it all, has now entered a whole new realm we’d rather not talk about. In divisive times like these, it’s extraordinary if something like this could truly lead to such massive decisions for a major sports team.

Francesa is a lot of things, but he’s not someone to make anything up nor is he as gullible as other WFAN hosts. What he’s sharing on his podcast, a form of entertainment he swore he’d never take part in, is extreme, but what we should believe is that Francesa believes what he’s sharing. I believe he believes what he’s saying.

But is it the truth? Did the Mets really break apart the team because of political differences? It would require the Mets to operate within a very small window if so. They’d have to know the political feelings of any trade candidate they acquire or free agent they may sign. It’s extreme, unrealistic, and unjustifiable.

The Nimmo trade, more so, feels like an attempt to clear themselves of a contract that wasn’t close to finished. The Mets added future financial flexibility and a current opening in left field for a young kid or someone with better defensive skills.

If James Carville and Mary Matalin can marry on opposing sides of the political aisle, two Mets stars can certainly get along over who they voted for. There was definitely something stinky in the Mets locker room last year. While the political opinions may have differed, it’s difficult to buy that this was the impetus for the destruction of the team.