5 once popular NY Mets players most fans wouldn’t mind trading away

The fans want changes and those could include trading away any of these once popular players.
New York Mets v Washington Nationals
New York Mets v Washington Nationals | G Fiume/GettyImages
5 of 5

5) Luisangel Acuna

Not a popular Mets player, eh? You seem to forget 2024. With Francisco Lindor sidelined due to a back injury, it was Luisangel Acuna who stepped in to play shortstop more than anyone else. He posted a .966 OPS in limited action while clobbering 3 big league home runs. Remember, those?

Acuna didn’t have quite the same luck in 2025. A season which saw him start the year in the big leagues but go back to Syracuse and later join a revolving cast of characters going back and forth, it appears the Mets aren’t so sold on him as anything more than a late-season roster addition for speed. Why would they think anything else? His bat isn’t doing a whole lot in Triple-A or the majors.

There are only two realistic options for Acuna this offseason. He either stays with the club with a bench role to begin the year or they trade him. His final minor league option was eaten up this season, pushing him to the point where the Mets might have to consider dealing him for a less than satisfying return. So be it. He has been a less than satisfying player.

It’s unfortunate how Acuna was the top Mets prospect only two seasons ago. Seemingly stuck in a spot where he’ll at best be a role player in the majors, the best thing the Mets can do is swap him for someone they can have a little more patience with even if that player doesn’t appear nor has he ever had as high of a ceiling as Acuna.