May 15, 2024; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; New York Mets logo on the sleeve of J.D. Martinez during a game against the Philadelphia Phillies at Citizens Bank Park. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-Imagn Images Bill Streicher-Imagn Images

Insider asserts New York Mets standout 'may need to get traded'

Originally posted on New York Mets on SI | By Grant Young | Last updated Sep 25, 2025 8:00 AM ET

Regardless of whether they make the 2025 postseason, the New York Mets will have a lot of roster decisions on their hands in this upcoming offseason.

While some believe that manager Carlos Mendoza deserves to be on the hot seat given New York's collapse in the second half of this year, the front office has asserted that Mendoza's job is safe. Therefore, the focus will be more on how this team's roster can improve.

The clearest place for improvement is with the pitching staff. Every veteran starting pitcher (aside from Clay Holmes, who has remained consistent) has underperformed this season, and many bullpen pieces haven't panned out.

However, with the Mets' three rookie hurlers breaking out down the stretch, it doesn't seem like David Stearns will need to add too many pieces to the rotation to improve it for 2026.

In addition to adding pieces via free agency, Stearns and Co. have the opportunity to acquire players through trades this winter. Yet, since dealing the three aforementioned rookie starters (Nolan McLean, Jonah Tong, and Brandon Sproat) and top position player prospects Jett Williams and Carson Benge isn't an option, the Mets might need to look to ship other players away in the case of a trade.

Insider Suggests Luisangel Acuña Could Be Getting Traded

In playing the role of an opposing front office, three position players would stick out on the Mets' roster as compelling trade candidates: Mark Vientos, Brett Baty, and Luisangel Acuña.

The bases were loaded with nobody out ...

Edwin Díaz and Luisangel Acuña came up clutch to end the game for the @Mets pic.twitter.com/Y31ddbANdA
— MLB (@MLB) September 6, 2025

New York Post MLB insider Jon Heyman explained that he sees one of these players as the most likely to get dealt in a September 24 live stream with Bleacher Report.

"Will Luisangel Acuña ever be a help [for the Mets]? Well, he's a help right now, as a pinch runner. And occasionally on defense, maybe, but mostly as a pinch runner," Heyman said.

"Yeah, he may need to get traded to go somewhere else, because right now they've got, I don't know, five or six second basemen that seem to be ahead of him."

Acuña was the Mets' No. 3 overall prospect during the 2024 season. While he made some waves when he was promoted and made his MLB debut last September, he has failed to make much of an impact in 2025, as shown by his .573 OPS and 0 home runs in 172 at-bats for New York.

If the Mets do decide to improve their roster via trade, Acuña does seem like a likely casualty.

This article first appeared on New York Mets on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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