Insider names intriguing outfield trade candidate for the Mets

According to Jeff Passan, this potential Kyle Tucker pivot is 'worth watching' for the New York Mets.

Sep 6, 2025; St. Louis, Missouri, USA; St. Louis Cardinals outfielder Lars Nootbaar (21) makes the catch on a fly ball to left field by San Francisco Giants catcher Patrick Bailey (14) in the second inning at Busch Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Tim Vizer-Imagn Images | Tim Vizer-Imagn Images

It is no secret that the New York Mets will roll out a new-look lineup to begin the 2026 season.

The jarring roster reconstruction began with the subtractions of franchise staples Brandon Nimmo, Pete Alonso, Edwin Diaz, and Jeff McNeil. To fill the gaps, they've brought in Marcus Semien, Jorge Polanco, Devin Williams, and Luke Weaver.

But the good news for Mets fans is that it is only January, and there remains hope in the organization that a needle-moving acquisition is still on the way. The latest rumors suggest that it could be the big fish of this year's free agent class, Kyle Tucker. Will Sammon of The Athletic reported that New York has a three-year offer out to Tucker somewhere in the range of $120–140 million. This was later supported by Robert Murray of Fansided, who called it a short-term offer worth $50 million per year.

Read More: New York Mets' offer for Kyle Tucker revealed

While it's clear the Mets are serious in their pursuit of Tucker, they could still be facing an uphill battle to get him. It appears that the two 2025 pennant winners and free spending Los Angeles Dodgers and Toronto Blue Jays loom as New York's main competition for the four-time All-Star, with Toronto likely offering a long-term deal and Los Angeles preferring a short-term bidding war against the Mets.

Landing Tucker would be a huge measure in shoring up one of the Mets' most glaring needs in the outfield. As a prominent contender for the soon-to-be 29-year-old slugger, missing out on another big name would be yet another disappointing blow for the 2025 offseason. David Stearns, who just broke his silence since the club's key losses, is likely preparing numerous potential pivots for this very real possibility.

Lars Nootbaar 'worth watching' for New York Mets

ESPN Insider Jeff Passan named one potential alternative in a January 14th article, writing that St. Louis Cardinals outfielder Lars Nootbaar is "worth watching" as a trade candidate.

Aug 31, 2025; Cincinnati, Ohio, USA; St. Louis Cardinals outfielder Lars Nootbaar (21) high fives teammates after scoring on a sacrifice fly out hit by designated hitter Ivan Herrera (not pictured) in the third inning against the Cincinnati Reds at Great American Ball Park. Mandatory Credit: Katie Stratman-Imagn Images | Katie Stratman-Imagn Images

Nootbaar, 27, is coming off of a down-year where he posted a career worst .686 OPS. In terms of production, Nootbaar cannot be compared to the free agent options of Tucker and Cody Bellinger in anything other than position. However, there is plenty for the Mets to like about Nootbaar as they look to build an outfield around Juan Soto.

Read More: Insider provides update on Mets' Kyle Tucker offer

For one, Nootbaar is a young, cheap option that will be under team control through 2027. The recently agreed on arbitration deal has him making just over $5 million next season. He is a solid defender that posted 3.2 fWAR in just 117 games during the 2023 season. The Mets, presumably buying-low on Nootbaar from a Cardinals front office that has been outwardly engaged in selling off aging players, would also likely be able to avoid including any of their premier young talent in the deal.

Any pivot off of a player of Tucker's caliber will be disappointing for the Mets. But a trade for Nootbaar would provide the club some relief in the outfield while remaining flexible to bring their tremendously promising young prospects Carson Benge and Jett Williams to the big league sooner rather than later.

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