A rumored NY Mets trade target we'll be glad they didn't pay the price to acquire

There were plenty of offseason New York Mets rumors involving a slew of position players, starting pitchers, and everything in between the team had at least some level of interest in. When you have Steve Cohen and a team that underachieved, you’re bound to see the Mets linked to everyone under the sun; sorry lefty relievers of extragalactic planetM51-ULS-1b. It’s not you, it’s location.

Of all the offseason Mets rumors, the one we’ll be most glad they spiked into the ground to stop the clock will be the one for Kris Bubic. Again, nothing personal. Even though he is from this planet, well sort of as a California kid, he just doesn’t mesh well with what the Mets should have aimed to achieve this offseason.

Mets rumors of their interest in Bubic came as recently as mid-January before they traded for Freddy Peralta. Far less accomplished with the same one year of control, he would have cost less but at what cost?

Mets fans will be satisfied the team didn’t pay whatever price it would’ve cost to get Kris Bubic

The Mets gave up a lot to get Peralta. Luckily, it did come with Tobias Myers as well. He’ll help offset that payment as the Mets have several ways to use him in the coming years. That’s a big key to the trade, the pluralization of the number of 365 day intervals the Mets can have him around.

Not with Bubic. He’s a free agent after the 2026 season. He had an awesome 2025 season but it was limited to 20 starts. His 2.55 ERA, 3 BB/9 and 9 K/9 all look like he’s turning a corner in his career. It’s just too little for what the Mets actually needed.

Peralta is a contender to start on Opening Day with only Nolan McLean contending. Bubic? You’d give McLean the ball ahead of him with no questions asked.

This isn’t to discredit Bubic in any way. He is going to be a candidate to be an All-Star yet again in 2026. However, he’s coming off of a year where a rotator cuff injury shut him down in July.

The largest innings total he has ever logged is 130 from back in 2021. His career has been a much lighter version of what Garrett Crochet has done, suffering injuries and spending regular time in a relief role.

Without knowing the cost to get Bubic, we can’t fairly assess the situation completely. Regardless of that, it seems like Bubic would be someone the Mets couldn’t realistically depend on to survive through a full year without getting hurt or running into some of the same problems as David Peterson last year.

Peralta is the workhorse who’ll carry them. Bubic is a good complementary piece the Mets just don’t seem to have much room for. The Mets needed a proven arm, not a potential riser still trying to establish his place.