Mets talking to Padres about potential trades for these players

The Mets can't stop at signing Polanco, as they still need to add at least one outfielder, solidify their bullpen and ideally add a frontline starting pitcher. And they don't need to do so solely through the free-agent market, as trades are also a plausible option at this point.

Mets, Padres in trade talks for multiple players

The San Diego Padres are always among the most active teams when making trades. And according to a Dec. 13 article from Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic, San Diego and New York are engaged in talks for five Padres players.

“The Padres’ players in the talks include right-hander Nick Pivetta, outfielder Ramón Laureano and relievers Mason Miller, Adrian Morejon and Jeremiah Estrada. San Diego, in turn, is asking the Mets about their young major leaguers and all of their top prospects, both pitchers and position players. ...

“The Padres, meanwhile, are attracted to the Mets’ young pitchers, three of whom — Nolan McLean, Brandon Sproat and Jonah Tong — made their debuts last season. Of those, McLean is thought to be untouchable, or close to it. A less familiar pitcher on the 40-man roster, Jonathan Pintaro, also holds appeal to teams, according to people familiar with New York’s talks.”

The article did note that no trade is imminent or close to being done, but the fact that discussions are happening suggests something could come soon.

While all five of those Padres players are appealing, the most notable are Nick Pivetta and Mason Miller. Pivetta (who went 13-5 with a 2.87 ERA and 190 strikeouts in 181.2 innings pitched in the 2025 regular season) could serve as the Mets' frontline starter they're seeking, while Mason Miller is one of the most dominant relievers in the sport. Ramon Laureano could also replace Brandon Nimmo (who was traded last month) in left field.

Giving up Tong or Sproat would be a tough blow for the Mets' farm system. But given how a deal for any of these Padres players would help the team's chances in 2026, perhaps David Stearns should pull the trigger on a deal if it presents itself.