Red Sox and Mets Swap Young Pieces in MLB Trade Idea

The Boston Red Sox and New York Mets are in similar positions right now and need to make moves.

May 14, 2026; New York City, New York, USA; New York Mets first baseman Mark Vientos (27) rounds the bases after hitting a two run home run against the Detroit Tigers during the fifth inning at Citi Field. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-Imagn Images | Brad Penner-Imagn Images

The Boston Red Sox have a clear need in the middle of the order, but that doesn't mean a solution is simple.

While trade talks have popped up around the league, that doesn't necessarily mean that deals will follow. Both Red Sox chief baseball officer Craig Breslow and president and chief executive officer Sam Kennedy have made it clear that the organization has already been surveying the trade market with the hopes of adding to the offense.

It's not easy to get a deal done at this time of the year. There's still enough time left in the season for clubs to turn their seasons around. For example, Boston is 10 games below .500, but it's looking to add pieces, not subtract. It's difficult to find clear-cut sellers, so a better route would be looking for a club that's also trying to jumpstart its season and attempt to match up on a deal that benefits both sides in the majors this season. For Boston, a team that it should look at is the New York Mets, for example.

The Red Sox Should Call The Mets

May 25, 2026; New York City, New York, USA; New York Mets first baseman Mark Vientos (27) reacts after the seventh inning against the Cincinnati Reds at Citi Field. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-Imagn Images | Brad Penner-Imagn Images

The Mets are a disaster, like the Red Sox. New York is 24-33 on the season, whereas Boston is 23-33. Both have high hopes, but haven't lived up to expectations. For the Red Sox, they need pop in the middle of the order. The outfield isn't an area that the club needs to add, obviously. First base is all set with Willson Contreras. Shortstop is all set with Marcelo Mayer.

For Boston, the answer right now would be to add a third baseman or second baseman with pop, depending on how the club views Caleb Durbin. The Mets are an intriguing team for the Red Sox to watch because they have 26-year-old slugger Mark Vientos. He has seven homers in 49 games this season, which would be the third-highest mark on the Red Sox. Last year, he had 17 homers. The year before, he had 27 long balls.

For the Mets, they could use some more pitching that could impact the club at the big league level. With that being said, he's a mock trade for the two sides.

Red Sox Receive: INF Mark Vientos

Mets Receive: LHP Jake Bennett

There isn't space in the Red Sox's starting lineup for Bennett right now. The club is deep enough in the rotation that when Garrett Crochet returns, the club will have six legit starters in the majors and will have to make some sort of decision. Theoretically, Patrick Sandoval and Kutter Crawford will return at some point and give Boston more depth. Then, the club has three elite pitching prospects in Anthony Eyanson, Kyson Witherspoon, and Marcus Phillips. They could afford the loss of Bennett and he could help New York's rotation now.

On the other hand, Vientos could easily slot in at third base and give the club more right-handed pop. Plus, the club could move Durbin to second base with Trevor Story out and Mayer at shortstop.