MACK. - DIRTY LAUNDRY

 

So. The Mets have put second base (Marcus Semien) to bed for, at least two years. This position goes into the vault, next to short (Francisco Lindor), catcher (Francisco Alvarez), right (Juan Soto), closer (Devin Williams) and SP2 (Nolan McLain). Sadly, that’s it for now. Oh, there are guys under two-year contracts, prospects everyone are excited about, and others that look like they will secure their position this year, but the fact is that the Mets only have six current players on the 40-man roster that are locks.

Sort of pitiful, really,

For this reason alone, I think the Mets are far from done this off-season. IMO, securing both first baseman Pete Alonso and RP/CL Edwin Diaz, are tantamount to any success in 2026, as well as beyond. Past that, I’d like another proven reliever under, at least, a two-year contract, a real multidimensional third baseman and leftfielder, and another proven starter.

I would do everything in my power to secure Fernando Tatis Jr. He only turns 27 in January. 27. Yes, he plays the same position as Soto, but you gotta think he could convert to left, right? The Dodgers and Blue Jays are building two teams in a whole different class than the rest of the league, I want the Mets to be the third to do this.

So, how does the Padres line up?

1B – Luis Arraez is a free agent and probably gone.

2B – Jake Cronenworth hit only .246, with 11-HR. He’s under contract through 2030. More importantly, he also plays a proper first base and could slip into the void left when Arraez signs with another team.

SS – Xander Bogaerts isn’t going anywhere and is under contract through 2023.

3B – Manny Machado is under contract through 2033

LF – Ramon Laureano produced 3.8-WAR, 24-HR, .281. But. He’s a free agent.

CF – Jackson Merrill signed a 10-year contract, through 2035. Doesn’t matter what he produced in 2025. He’s not going anywhere.

RF – is wide open if Tatis is traded to the Mets.

C – 36-year old Elias Diaz produced a -0.2-WAR.

RHSP – Nick Pivetta went 13-5, 2.87 last season and is under contract through 2028.

RHSP Dylan Cease is gone.

Soon to be 40-year old RHSP Yu Darvish (0.0-WAR, 5.38) should be.

RHSP Michael King, and the Padres have a mutual option, so he could be gone too.

RHSP Stephen Kolek (2.0-WAR, 3.51) won’t be a free agent until 2031.

RHSP Randy Vasquez (2.2-WAR, 3.84) is pre-arb eligible and won't reach free agency until 2031.

(what happened to lefties here?)

The Padres are, depending on how you look at it, burdened or blessed with long term contracts. IMO, they seem secure enough to NOT beat the Dodgers.

Prospect wise…

The Padres only have TWO top prospects that either finished the season at the AAA or MLB level:

RHSP Bradgley Rodriguez – reliever and we don’t care about them in this article.

OF Tirso Ornelas – another reliever, so we don’t give a shit about him either.

So… if they traded Tatis, they would need either a first or second baseman, a new right fielder, a left fielder, a major league catcher, and, at least one seasoned starter.

My offer would be:

2B – Jett Williams, LuisAngel Acuna, or Jeff McNeil (half salary paid my Mets)

RF – either A.J. Ewing or Carson Benge

LF - Nick Morabito

C – Luis Torrens (they have a top catcher prospect in the wings with a 2027 ETA).

Established starter OR prospect starter – either Kodia Senga or Sean Manaea (with Mets paying half of either of their future salaries), Brandon Sproat, or Jack Wenninger.

Dollar amount of salaries paid by Mets could be negotiated.