Pirates Seen as Potential Trade Partner for Mets' Slugger Before Opening Day

Should the New York Mets trade one of their young sluggers?

Sep 16, 2025; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; A hat and glove belonging to Pittsburgh Pirates third baseman Jared Triolo (not pictured) on the field against the Chicago Cubs during the sixth inning at PNC Park. | Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images

With pitchers and catchers reporting this week for the New York Mets, the regular season is right around the corner. However, should the Mets be thinking about moving a slugger to help improve another area?

After a very busy end to the offseason for the Mets, their roster has been completely turned upside down following a bad second half of the year. With plenty of new faces coming in, New York will once again attempt to be a contender in the National League.

However, with all of the new additions, some players who once held prominent roles with the team might be left with limited opportunities to find playing time, especially in the infield. Aside from Francisco Lindor at shortstop, this is going to be a completely different-looking unit with newcomers Bo Bichette, Marcus Semien and Jorge Polanco manning third, second, and first. How this unit can gel with players switching positions will undoubtedly be key to watch for a team hoping to improve defensively.

Because of the reworked infield, young players like Brett Baty, Ronny Mauricio and Mark Vientos have uncertain futures with the team; this is in spite of breakout seasons from Vientos in 2024 and Baty in 2025. The Mets know that each of these youngsters have value in a possible trade, so perhaps moving one or two of them could make sense.

Read More: Mets Send Brett Baty to Red Sox in Intriguing Hypothetical Trade Proposal

Tim Kelly of Bleacher Report recently wrote about realistic trades across the league that could occur before Opening Day. Vientos was one of the players Kelly suggested as a trade chip, and the Pittsburgh Pirates were named as a potential trade partner.

Should New York Deal Mark Vientos?

New York Mets designated hitter Mark Vientos | Sam Navarro-Imagn Images

After that aforementioned breakout season in 2024 with the Mets, Vientos looked like he was going to be a staple for the team going forward. However, a severe regression in 2025 have made his future and spot on the team uncertain, and where he is going to fit on New York's revamped roster is yet to be determined.

All those additions to the infield will make it very difficult for Vientos to get consistent playing time, and that could make him a player New York looks to move. A potential deal with the Pirates could make sense, especially considering Pittsburgh's desire to improve offensively and contend while they have Paul Skenes under team control. The Pirates' strong farm system is another factor that makes them an ideal trade partner for the Mets.

With pitchers and catchers starting to report, making a significant trade might not be overly likely, but it should be something to consider. Even though he might not have had the best campaign in 2025, Vientos still has a lot of value and could help New York improve in other areas.

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