
The New York Mets are expected to approach the offseason aggressively after their NLCS appearance, with a primary focus on strengthening their rotation. CBS baseball insider Mike Axisa predicts that the Mets could land a true ace this offseason. In his list of bold offseason predictions, Axisa envisions the Mets executing a blockbuster trade with the Chicago White Sox, acquiring both Garrett Crochet and Luis Robert Jr.

Axisa speculates, “For this bold move, the Mets could make a trade with the White Sox to bring Garrett Crochet and Luis Robert Jr. to Flushing. The Mets need rotation depth with Sean Manaea, Jose Quintana, and Luis Severino hitting free agency, and they lack a solid center fielder (Tyrone Taylor is good, but not enough). This trade could see the Mets parting with Brett Baty, Luisangel Acuna, and at least two more players. It feels inevitable.”
Crochet would be an immediate boost to the Mets’ rotation and could potentially be their starting pitcher. The All-Star lefty had a solid past season, posting a 6-12 record with a 3.58 ERA across 32 starts. He’s projected to earn $2.9 million in arbitration this offseason, with free agency still a few years away in 2027.
Meanwhile, Robert Jr. would likely become the Mets’ starting outfielder. The 27-year-old was an All-Star in 2023, hitting .224 with 14 home runs and 35 RBIs in 100 games. The year before, he posted a .264 average with 38 home runs and 80 RBIs.
What Are The Mets Giving Up?
In Axisa’s proposed trade, the Mets would send Baty and Acuna as the main assets, along with two additional prospects.
Baty, a third baseman selected 12th overall in the 2019 MLB Draft straight out of high school, debuted in the major leagues in August 2022. At 24, he could potentially become the White Sox’s starting third baseman, aligning well with their developing young core.
Across 169 MLB games, Baty has hit .215 with 15 home runs and 55 RBIs.
Acuna, on the other hand, joined the Mets from the Texas Rangers in the 2023 Max Scherzer trade. Ranked as the Mets’ 12th-best prospect, the 22-year-old infielder made his MLB debut in September and has posted a .308 batting average with 3 home runs and 6 RBIs over 39 at-bats.
Starting Pitching a Priority for Mets
The New York Mets are focused on strengthening their pitching rotation this offseason, exploring options through both trades and free agency.
With three key starters entering free agency, general manager David Stearns has emphasized the need to add quality arms.
“Starting pitching is certainly a priority for us,” Stearns stated. “We have three free-agent starters who contributed a lot of starts and innings.”
Stearns also highlighted that financial resources won’t limit their pursuit, as the Mets are in a position to target any available player.
“It’s a great opportunity,” he noted. “Having access to all tiers of free agency opens many doors, and we’ll need to choose the best paths forward.”
Last season, the Mets’ payroll exceeded $300 million.
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