Mets talking to Padres about potential trades for these players

The New York Mets and San Diego Padres are having trade discussions regarding several game-changing players.

Apr 29, 2025; San Diego, California, USA; San Diego Padres starting pitcher Nick Pivetta (27) comes off the field after pitching during the second inning against the San Francisco Giants at Petco Park. Mandatory Credit: Denis Poroy-Imagn Images | Denis Poroy-Imagn Images

The New York Mets find themselves in a dire position to improve their roster after what has been a disastrous week.

It will take a long time for Mets fans to get over losing beloved star players Edwin Diaz and Pete Alonso in free agency on consecutive days. And while fan frustration is directed toward David Stearns and the rest of New York's front office, there's still time for the Mets' brass to put this roster in a good spot to compete in 2026.

Read more: Edwin Diaz's reason for joining Dodgers felt like parting shot at Mets

They made one such move on December 13 by signing former Seattle Mariners infielder Jorge Polanco to a two-year, $40 million deal. While Polanco (who hit .265 with an .821 OPS, 26 home runs, and 78 RBIs last season) can play multiple infield positions, it has been reported that the Mets intend to make him their primary first baseman in 2026.

Oct 13, 2025; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Seattle Mariners infielder Jorge Polanco (7) throws to first base for the first out in the third inning against the Toronto Blue Jays during game two of the ALCS round for the 2025 MLB playoffs at Rogers Centre. Mandatory Credit: Nick Turchiaro-Imagn Images | Nick Turchiaro-Imagn Images

The Mets don't stop at signing Polanco, as they still need to add at least one outfielder, solidify their bullpen, and ideally add a frontline starting pitcher. And they don't need to do so solely through the free agency market, as trades are also a plausible option at this point.

Mets, Padres in Trade Talks for Multiple Players

The San Diego Padres are always among the most active teams when making trades. And according to a December 13 article from Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic, San Diego and New York are engaged in talks for five Padres players.

“The Padres’ players in the talks include right-hander Nick Pivetta, outfielder Ramón Laureano and relievers Mason Miller, Adrian Morejon and Jeremiah Estrada. San Diego, in turn, is asking the Mets about their young major leaguers and all of their top prospects, both pitchers and position players," Rosenthal wrote, which was excerpted in an X post from Michael Marino.

A subsequent X post from Marino quoted Rosenthal writing, “The Padres, meanwhile, are attracted to the Mets’ young pitchers, three of whom – Nolan McLean, Brandon Sproat and Jonah Tong – made their debuts last season. Of those, McLean is thought to be untouchable, or close to it. A less familiar pitcher on the 40-man roster, Jonathan Pintaro, also holds appeal to teams, according to people familiar with New York’s talks.”

Continued:

“The Padres, meanwhile, are attracted to the Mets’ young pitchers, three of whom – Nolan McLean, Brandon Sproat and Jonah Tong – made their debuts last season. Of those, McLean is thought to be untouchable, or close to it. A less familiar pitcher on the 40-man roster,… https://t.co/G3mgDT7edX

— Michael Marino (@MarinoMLB) December 13, 2025

The article did note that no trade is imminent or close to being done, but teh fact that discussions are happening suggests something could come soon.

While all five of those Padres players are appealing, the most notable are Nick Pivetta and Mason Miller. Pivetta (who went 13-5 with a 2.87 ERA and 190 strikeouts in 181.2 innings pitched in the 2025 regular season) could serve as the Mets' frontline starter they're seeking, while Mason Miller is one of the most dominant relievers in the sport. Ramon Laureano could also replace Brandon Nimmo (who was traded last month) in left field.

Giving up Tong or Sproat would be a tough blow for the Mets' farm system. But given how a deal for any of these Padres players would help the team's chances in 2026, perhaps David Stearns should pull the trigger on a deal if it presents itself.

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