New York Mets considering potential trade of veteran outfielder

The Mets are considering all avenues to improve their team this winter, and one outside the box scenario could be trading outfielder Brandon Nimmo.

Aug 27, 2025; New York City, New York, USA; New York Mets left fielder Brandon Nimmo (9) reacts after a single during the ninth inning against the Philadelphia Phillies at Citi Field. Mandatory Credit: Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images | Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images

While there has been a ton of buzz about how the New York Mets will look to build their roster this winter, the logical assumption has been that three of the team's core pieces in the lineup will stay in place.

Francisco Lindor, Juan Soto and Brandon Nimmo are all signed through at least 2030, but Joel Sherman of the New York Post is reporting that the Mets may not be as tied to Nimmo as they are to their other two stars.

https://t.co/uAYEfGztTq Thoughts on what the Mets should consider (and why) if they decided to be super aggressive this offseason.

— Joel Sherman (@Joelsherman1) November 13, 2025

In a story detailing aggressive moves the Mets could make to keep up with the Los Angeles Dodgers, Sherman cites conversations with an AL executive that said the Mets are coming up with scenarios where they could find a way to deal Nimmo. The veteran outfielder has five years and $102.5 million left on his current contract.

Brandon. Nimmo. 👏#VoteMets 🗳️👉 https://t.co/pvcqpJqQb7 pic.twitter.com/Q3hOykPrVI

— New York Mets (@Mets) June 12, 2025

The contract, originally signed by former GM Billy Eppler in 2023, gives Nimmo a full no-trade clause that would complicate any potential deals. If the Mets were serious about trying to move on from Nimmo, they would need to get him to approve any potential destination they would send him to and find a team willing to absorb a significant portion of his contract, which could age poorly as he begins the 2026 season at age 33.

BRANDON NIMMO WALK-OFF WINNER! pic.twitter.com/AzxfH2W3iN

— SNY Mets (@SNY_Mets) August 27, 2025

Why the Brandon Nimmo situation is a tough call for the Mets

It is hard to dispute that David Stearns would not have given Nimmo an eight-year contract if he was in charge of the Mets in 2023. The deal, as constructed by Eppler, was designed to lower Nimmo's luxury tax hit to just over $20 million a year, which is valuable in the short term but is more detrimental in the long haul as he has guaranteed money through his age-37 season.

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While the 2023 version of the Mets needed Nimmo to be their center fielder and leadoff hitter, he is neither of those things for the 2026 team. One of Stearns' first moves in terms of roster construction when he took over prior to 2024 was to move Nimmo off of center field, preferring players with better defensive ability to man that spot.

The loss of center field makes Nimmo less valuable to the Mets, and his leadoff spot also disappeared when Carlos Mendoza found success moving Francisco Lindor atop the batting order. Nimmo frequently hit fourth or fifth in the lineup during 2025, which saw him put up more power numbers but is not an ideal fit for his best skill set, which is his recognition of the strike zone and ability to get on base.

Having Nimmo locked into left field also boxes the Mets out of potential upgrades on the free agent market, such as Kyle Tucker, the type of five-tool player Stearns would like to add to the roster. Tucker isn't a center fielder, and if the Mets have both Soto and Nimmo locked into the outfield corners there is no fit for a dynamic right fielder like Tucker on the team.

The Mets' evolution as a team has made a player like Nimmo a less ideal fit for their lineup, making discussions about potential trades logical. The challenge comes from the fact that they would not only need to find a destination Nimmo is willing to go to, but also a team eager to take on a significant portion of his contract.

Owner Steve Cohen has shown a willingness to pay down money to improve his return on deals, as evidenced by the team's deadline swaps in 2023 that netted the Mets key prospects like Drew Gilbert and Luisangel Acuña. Those deals, however, required the Mets to only pay down money for two seasons. Asking Cohen to allocate a chunk of payroll for the next five years for a player not to perform for the Mets is a big ask, and it remains unclear if Cohen would be comfortable with such an arrangement.

Since this scenario is a long shot, the Mets may need to find more creative ways to get usage out of Nimmo going forward; this could include a potential return to the leadoff spot to lengthen the Mets' lineup naturally. Time will tell if the Mets can find a willing taker for Nimmo and if he is willing to leave the only organization he has ever known, but the fact the team is even thinking about this possibility shows Stearns' willingness to turn over every possible stone to shake up the roster after a disappointing end to 2025.