Mets Trade Idea Adds $3.85 Million All-Star Outfielder After Mark Vientos News

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Jake Elman | Last updated Jun 4, 2025 9:26 AM ET

If the Mets hope to avoid a potentially deadly 'June swoon,' they're well aware that they'll be doing so without third baseman Mark Vientos.

The Mets placed Vientos on the injured list Tuesday afternoon, less than a day after he hurt his hamstring in a 4-3 victory over the Los Angeles Dodgers. Former top prospect Ronny Mauricio subsequently rejoined the big-league club and went 0-for-4 in Tuesday's 6-5 walk-off loss.

Although Vientos hit just .230 with a .678 OPS and -0.3 bWAR, his injury is nonetheless a reminder that life in the majors changes quickly—and it should incentivize the Mets to pursue a trade for Boston Red Sox outfielder Jarren Duran.

No, Duran can't replace Vientos' presence at third. Duran, a 2024 All-Star, is a natural outfielder in his first season manning left field on an everyday basis.

However, Duran is a dangerous bat who fits the Mets' center field hole. The speedy lefty enters Wednesday hitting .273 with 17 doubles, six triples, and a .743 OPS for a fourth-place Red Sox club.

An outfield featuring Duran, Brandon Nimmo, and the inconsistent Juan Soto sounds good to us. At least Soto is 6-for-18 with three homers and a 1.399 OPS in his last five games after a dreadful (by his standards and expectations) first two months.

There is no time like the present to be aggressive. The Athletic reported earlier this week that the San Diego Padres are interested in Duran, who potentially has three seasons of team control left. Boston has a $8 million club option on Duran for 2026, and he has two years of arbitration remaining.

The Mets hold a half-game lead over the rival Philadelphia Phillies for first place in the NL East, and all signs point to it being a heated divisional race all summer. Now is the time to strike and add Duran to a lineup needing both a center fielder and one more potent hitter.

This article first appeared on Athlon Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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