NY Mets’ reluctance to trade multiple rebound candidates says one of two things

The New York Mets front office had their work cut out for them this winter. It was yet another disappointing year that failed to live up to the high expectations that followed the signing of Juan Soto to the largest free agent deal in sports history.

Luckily, the team got to work and pulled off several major moves including big free agent signings and meaningful trades. Even with the departures of franchise pillars like Pete Alonso, Brandon Nimmo, and Edwin Díaz, they still managed to put together a compelling roster.

Although they did manage to backfill many of the positions that were left open, they didn't quite shed as much of the roster as some initially believed. There are still a few players that were discussed as possible trade candidates earlier in the winter that were never moved. Depending on why you think those individuals are still on the team, this could be great news or an unfortunate preview of what's to come.

Players in need of a bounceback season may not have been traded due to a lack of interested suitors

For some of these players, they may have been retained because of the front office's belief that there's still gas left in the tank. A good example of this could be Kodai Senga, who was a hotly discussed trade asset. His second-half collapse saw him post a 6.56 ERA over his last eight starts of the year, possibly due to returning from injury too quickly. Still, he was dominant in the first half, posting a 1.39 ERA over 77.2 innings.

It would be premature to try to move a pitcher with a 3.00 ERA over 285 total big league innings after just eight rough starts but there could be underlying proprietary data that is causing the Mets to raise eyebrows. Since this year's market for starting pitchers likely would've netted the Mets a respectable haul for even a diminished Senga, it's probable that the team wants to see what he can do when fully healthy.

Other players may have been closer to the other end of the spectrum. The Mets made Mark Vientos available in trade talks along with some other infielders in December. Luisangel Acuña was also named and he was sent to the White Sox in exchange for Luis Robert Jr. a month later. On the other hand, Vientos stuck around. The apparent lack of interest could be due to his one good season in 2024 looking more like an exception than a rule. Third base was immensely light in available talent this winter and if there were front offices interested in a 26-year-old third baseman, they likely would've called.

Sean Manaea is someone else who badly needs to rebound. The first year of his three-year deal was disappointing to say the least, culminating in a 5.64 ERA over 60.2 innings and an eventual move to the bullpen. Earlier in the offseason, he wasn't even listed as a likely trade candidate because of the spread between the money on his contract and his production. He was solid for the Mets in 2024 but like Vientos, he's more of an immovable object than one bursting with potential.

The Mets will have a few months to make any moves and if they want to live up to their playoff aspirations, they'll have to act decisively when it comes to filling out the roster. They can't afford to carry dead weight in a division as competitive as the NL East and if these players aren't able to turn it around quickly, the front office will be forced to make some tough decisions.