3 teams that should make the Mets a trade offer for Jeff McNeil

The tight-lipped New York Mets probably won’t reveal much about what they truly believe Jeff McNeil can offer them in 2025. Often speculated about in trade rumors, he is a player we should consider “on the block” this offseason. This team has a lot of up-and-coming players who could conceivably replace McNeil as the starting second baseman. Let’s not rule out the possibility of a Jose Iglesias return, too, to help get them through the year.

McNeil’s value has tanked but hasn’t completely cratered into extinction. Flexible defensively and pretty good at the positions he does play, there is no urgency to actually deal him away although it doesn’t hurt to field some phone calls or bring up his name over drinks at the Winter Meetings.

If the Mets do trade McNeil, consider these three spots as some of the most realistic destinations.

1) Seattle Mariners

Second base has been a black hole for the Seattle Mariners for quite some time. It seems like whatever they try is only temporary and, for the most part, ineffective. Last year it was Jorge Polanco who got the bulk of the opportunities at the position. A free agent and an unlikely candidate to return, the Mariners will go on the hunt for some sort of an upgrade. Could a trade for McNeil solve their longstanding weakness?

At his best, McNeil is an amazing match for the Mariners. This is a team that struggled to hit for average last year. Their .224 team average was only better than the Chicago White Sox and barely. They batted .221.

A league high 1625 strikeouts also helped waste away a productive year from the pitching staff. When McNeil is at his best, he’s making contact, hitting for average, and even supplementing the roster in a variety of ways.

The Mariners and Mets seem like the most natural fit for a deal because of Seattle’s abundance of pitchers. It would take some younger talent to pry away one of the more talented arms in their rotation. Luis Castillo, the veteran and highest paid one on the roster, is one of the more viable targets. McNeil and some prospect capital for him? One can dream.

3) Minnesota Twins

What’s going on with the Minnesota Twins? In our New York bubble, we don’t generally pay much attention to them. Other than the signing of Carlos Correa, they aren’t generally a franchise to grab many headlines.

Second base was quite abysmal for the Twins in 2024. Edouard Julien batted .199/.292/.323 and was the most frequently used player at the position. Utility man Willi Castro did better at .247/.331/.385. Naming him the starting second baseman is a feasible option but with 150 strikeouts versus only 12 home runs, it does feel like the Twins are asking for some trouble.

Minnesota lost several key players in free agency. In relation to McNeil, outfielders Manuel Margot and Max Kepler are no longer with the team. Hypothetically, the Twins could consider McNeil for one of those two positions. If youngster Brooks Lee ends up at second base where he is projected to play, McNeil can fill in to begin the year before transitioning into more of a corner outfield role or be the super utility man he was earlier on in his career.

The Twins could use a left-handed bat in their lineup, too. They’re very right-handed heavy at the moment.

The Twins are a team that have been held back by injuries. Correa, Byron Buxton, Royce Lewis, and more have all landed on the IL for lengthy periods to slow down the offense. A player like McNeil brings some added protection. They made the most of having Willi Castro last season play all over the field. It wouldn’t hurt to have more and one with a greater upside of hitting for average.