How 3 moves have set up a variety of NY Mets-Red Sox trade scenarios

At the start of the winter, it appeared as if the New York Mets and Boston Red Sox would be competing over the same group of players. Boston was thought to be New York's top competition for Pete Alonso, though ultimately, both clubs were wary of giving the slugging first baseman the long-term deal he desired.

Both organizations were also eyeing top-of-the-rotation starters. The Mets needed an ace, while the Red Sox needed a legitimate No. 2 to slide in behind Garrett Crochet, but were thought to be more than willing to go get one of the best arms on the market to create a two-headed monster.

However, the moves each club has made since the offseason began have now set them up as perfect partners. They now have opposite needs and can help each other fill the remaining roster holes each unit faces as we race towards spring training. These three moves set all of that in motion.

Three moves that took the Mets and Red Sox from competitors to prime trade partners

1. The Red Sox trade Hunter Dobbins, Yhoiker Fajardo, and Blake Aita to the St. Louis Cardinals for Willson Contreras

After both teams decided Alonso wasn't worth the price, they set their sights elsewhere for solutions at first base. Willson Contreras ended up being traded to the Red Sox as Boston used their connection to the Cardinals' front office to swing yet another deal between both sides.

Contreras would have fit nicely with what the Mets have been doing. The catcher-turned-first-baseman has become a surprisingly good defender at the cold corner, posting six outs above average last season, and features a balanced offensive approach that yielded a 124 wRC+ in 2025.

The Mets had already signed Jorge Polanco by the time Boston pulled the trigger on the deal, but Contreras's ability to play the position could have shifted New York's new switch-hitting addition to the DH role.

2. The Red Sox sign Ranger Suarez

Boston's response to losing Alex Bregman was to give $130 million to Ranger Suarez. Suarez wasn't commonly connected to them up to that point, with more rumblings pointing towards a trade for Freddy Peralta or a deal with Framber Valdez.

Suarez was a potential Mets' target, and his landing with the Red Sox probably upped the ante for New York to get the trade done with the Milwaukee Brewers to bring Freddy Peralta to Queens. Between the two clubs, the Mets got the better pitcher, with Peralta fitting the bill as a true ace and Suarez being more of a very solid No. 2. Both teams now have interesting conundrums with some lower-ranked arms in their rotations.

3. The Mets sign Bo Bichette

This is the one that truly turned everything on its head and made the trade connection between these two teams seem strong. The Mets quickly pivoted to Bichette after losing Kyle Tucker, swiping him from the Red Sox's clutches. This was the chase where both sides were most clearly competing with each other, and it was the final domino that set up a plethora of trade scenarios. Bichette would've been Boston's Bregman fix, with the former Blue Jay slotting in at second and Marcelo Mayer taking over third, but now he creates a surplus for the Mets that could grease the wheels toward a deal.

The Mets and Red Sox could now come together for a variety of potential trades

Boston now needs either a second or third baseman, depending on where they see Mayer's best fit being defensively. The Mets have such a player in Brett Baty, who could help at either position. The Red Sox have a glut of outfielders, with Ceddanne Rafaela, Wilyer Abreu, Jarren Duran, and 2025 breakout star Roman Anthony all being above-average or better starters.

Duran is the most likely one to be moved. He's making the most money, has the least amount of team control, and took a step back defensively. Still, he has a lot of appeal thanks to his jack-of-all-trades nature. For the Mets, he'd make sense in left field, helping Carson Benge ease into the transition to the big leagues, and his ability to handle center field would also provide Luis Robert Jr. insurance for 2026 and beyond.

Another potential Mets' target could be starting pitcher Brayan Bello. While New York has plenty of starters, it wouldn't be a surprise to see them try to dump the salary of either Sean Manaea or Kodai Senga, as has been rumored throughout the offseason. Bello is just 26 years old, has four years left on a cheap six-year, $55 million extension, and he's a big-time ground ball pitcher with a 52.7% career ground ball rate, which fits nicely with the Mets' new focus on defense. Boston has young guns Connelly Early and Payton Tolle looking to break into the rotation, plus some arms returning from injuries like Patrick Sandoval, Kutter Crawford, and Tanner Houck, who could play in the rotation.

There are other, less-likely iterations, too. Maybe Boston favors a right-handed bat and wants Mark Vientos instead. Perhaps the Mets look at the Red Sox's deep farm system and decide to replenish some depth by dealing one of these spare parts for mid-level prospects. Many configurations could happen, though not all are likely.

What we do know is that it only took three moves for these clubs to go from having similar needs to lining up as ideal trade partners.