3 More Trades New York Mets Must Make After Adding Andy Ibañez

Apr 29, 2026; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; Detroit Tigers starting pitcher Tarik Skubal (29) in the dugout against the Atlanta Braves in the seventh inning at Truist Park. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-Imagn Images Brett Davis-Imagn Images

3 More Trades New York Mets Must Make After Adding Andy Ibañez

Originally posted on Fastball on SI | By Zach Pressnell | Last updated Apr 30, 2026 1:44 PM ET

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The New York Mets have one of the biggest payrolls in the entire league, but it hasn't resulted in much success on the field. They missed the postseason last year as the Cincinnati Reds surged into October.

This season, the Mets are off to a disastrous start, sitting at 10-20 after 30 games. This record has them sitting near the bottom of the league, but they still have the talent to make a push back up the standings. At the end of the day, the season is far from over. There are over 130 games left for New York.

On Thursday, they added Andy Ibañez on waivers. After this move, they need to make a few more to continue progressing their roster toward a postseason push this year.

What moves do the Mets need to make in the coming weeks?

Trade for Cardinals RHP Riley O'Brien

The Mets' bullpen has struggled a lot more than anybody expected. Devin Williams hasn't been a good replacement for Edwin Diaz, which shouldn't come as a surprise.

As a result, a trade for St. Louis Cardinals reliever Riley O'Brien would make the team a lot better. O'Brien has been excellent for St. Louis this season, holding a 1.17 ERA with eight saves on the season. Adding him to the backend of the Mets bullpen would be a solid upgrade.

Trade for Astros 1B/3B Isaac Paredes

The Mets need more thump in the middle of their lineup. A trade for Houston Astros corner infielder Isaac Paredes would make the team a lot better.

Paredes has an additional year of team control next year, so he would be more than a rental. He's struggled a bit this season, but the potential is still there to be a top power hitter in the league. The Mets are struggling to produce with their corner infielders, so a trade for Paredes could make perfect sense.

Trade for Tigers LHP Tarik Skubal

The biggest move the Mets could look to make is a move to win right now and a move to win in the future. It's a trade for superstar ace Tarik Skubal of the Detroit Tigers.

Skubal is the best pitcher in baseball, and that's been the case for the last three years. His contract expires at the end of the year, and the Mets are expected to be one of the top teams in the sweepstakes to land him. If they want a chance at turning this season around, trading for Skubal as soon as possible is the best way to get back on track. Each day that he's on the mound, the Tigers are in position to win the game. The Mets could use that in their struggling rotation.

This article first appeared on Fastball on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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