The Mets must make their next move after signing Beau Bichet

The New York Mets they endured a tough offseason. They lost all-time leading rusher Pete Alonso in free agency to the Baltimore Orioles and also said goodbye to Brandon Nimmo and Jeff McNeil. Nimo was traded to the Texas Rangers for aging second baseman Marcus Semien, while McNeil was sent to the Athletics (no longer Oakland, not yet Las Vegas) for relief pitcher Jordan Rodriguez. The Mets also brought in Jorge Polanco from the Seattle Mariners.

It hasn’t been any offseason for a team committed to competing with the Philadelphia Phillies, Los Angeles Dodgers and New York Yankees. Losing Alonso was a big move, and the subsequent acquisitions seemed minor in comparison.

However, the Mets made a big move bringing in one of the best players in the game Bo Bichette from the American League champion Toronto Blue Jays.

While playing shortstop for the Jays, he will move to 3rd base as shortstop is Francisco Lindor’s domain. Bichet was not an ace at shortstop and now he has to play a new and very demanding position. However, he is a great striker and he knocked it down .311/.357/.483 with 18 home runs and 94 runs scored last season. Bichet hit 29 home runs with 102 RBI in the 2021 season, and the 28-year-old is entering the best years of his career.

He has also been a dynamic postseason hitter throughout his career, hitting .311/.385/.400 with 1 home run and 7 RBI. He hit a 3-run home run off the Dodgers’ Shohei Ohtani in Game 7 of last season’s World Series, and that’s indicative of his performance in the biggest games.

Bringing in Bichet was a move that would have potentially saved the Mets’ 2026 season. They had hoped to sign left-handed outfielder Kyle Tucker, but he opted to sign with the Dodgers instead. Bichet can give the Mets at least as much as Tucker is giving the Dodgers this coming season.

The Mets still need to make moves and should trade with the Red Sox

However, there are still more moves to be made at Citi Field if the Mets will threaten the Phillies in the National League East, give the Yankees something to think about in New York and compete with the ever-mighty Dodgers.

The Mets need at least one outfielder, and they need to sign the Boston Red Sox to trade for Jarren Duran or Villiers Abreu.

The Red Sox have multiple outfielders they can use right now, and Duran’s name has been in trade talks since the middle of last season. Duran played center field and left field for the Red Sox, and could fit in at either position for the Red Sox.

He is one of the most dynamic players in the sport as he combines extra-base ability with eye-catching speed and the kind of hustle rarely seen in the sport. Duran exploded in the 2024 season when he led the American League in doubles and triples with 48 and 14, respectively. He also hit 21 home runs, drove in 75 runs and scored 111 runs. He also stole 34 bases in 41 attempts. Duran made the All-Star team and won the game’s MVP award when he hit a 2-run homer for the victorious American League.

Duran wasn’t as consistent last season, but he still had a winning year. He belted 41 doubles and led the AL with 13 triples. Duran also had 16 home runs and 84 RBI while scoring 86 runs. He continued to be a threat on the base paths, but his stolen base total fell to 24.

Duran went through a couple of dry spells last season and he will be attacking quite a lot. He fanned 160 times in 2024 and struck out 169 times last year. However, when he is on a hot streak, he can carry the team on his shoulders and also spur his teammates on with his dynamic base that drives and drives production.

Abreu is another potential trade option

Abreu is another corner outfielder and has spent most of his time playing right field for the Red Sox. After a cup of coffee at Fenway Park in 2023, he has been a regular for the Red Sox over the past two seasons and has been dynamic on the field. He won a Gold Glove in 2024 and ’25, largely because he has one of the best throwing arms in the sport.

Abreu also showed the requisite power for an outfielder. He hit 15 home runs and drove in 58 runs in ’24 while playing 132 games, and those numbers increased to 22 home runs and 69 RBI while playing 115 games last season. He missed more than a month with a right calf strain.

The Red Sox are more likely to trade Duran than Abreu, and he’s probably the better acquisition for the Mets. Duran has a dynamic element to his game and is something of a spark plug. Abreu has the power and potential to approach or surpass 30 home runs, and the Red Sox may be hesitant to let him go.

Trading for Duran could be a move that fills the field for the Mets and ensures a very exciting season.