In 2025, the New York Mets experienced a collapse. However, unlike what many have said, the Mets have a promising future ahead of them. New York has a fantastic farm system, had three rookies in their rotation by the end of the season, and had even others who could’ve been called up. However, that can spell trouble, as the need for good veteran talent is evident. Here are some aces who can shore up the rotation and provide the Mets with a potentially very deadly team in 2026.
Rotation Options the Mets Should Trade For This Offseason
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5. Edward Cabrera
While perhaps not the biggest accommodation on the market, Edward Cabrera did very well in his 2025 campaign. Cabrera was able to strike out 150 in 137 IP, while at the same time having an amazing 3.53 ERA for the Miami Marlins. Cabrera wouldn’t be seen as a home run acquisition at first, but he would definitely be capable of being the ace of the rotation. Out of the many young potential stars for Miami, Cabrera would be one of the best to acquire for New York.
4. Sandy Alcantara
For many teams, acquiring another Marlin, Sandy Alcantara, is a high-risk, high-reward kind of pitcher. The last two seasons for Alcantara have left much to be desired, not to mention he also missed all of the 2024 season. In 2025, Alcantara had a 5.36 ERA with just 141 Ks in 31 starts. However, in his final months, Alcantara did much better, pitching to a 3.71 ERA in September and a 3.69 ERA in August. His 2022 Cy Young campaign shows that Alcantara is capable of being the ace of the Mets’ rotation. The Mets could take a flyer on Alcantara and hope for the Cy Young version of Alcantara.
3. Hunter Greene
A very interesting target could be Hunter Greene. Ever since his 2022 debut, Greene has been able to be a pretty dominant pitcher, easily capable of striking out over 200 and maybe even being a Cy Young candidate. However, it is not clear whether or not Greene is going to be on the market.
Not to mention, Greene has been an injury-prone pitcher, only starting 19 games this season. The last two seasons have seen Greene have an ERA well below 3 and strike out a ton, so if he is on the market, the Mets could go all in. Greene is easily capable of being one of the best pitchers in the MLB, so acquiring Greene can be an amazing acquisition for New York.
2. Joe Ryan
A pretty reliable pitcher over the last few seasons has been Joe Ryan. Ryan’s ERA hasn’t really screamed ace, as his best was this year at 3.42, and in his career it is 3.79. But in 2025, the Met’s needed reliability, which they never really got after their 45-24 start. Ryan can strike out a lot, provide the team with 30 starts, which the Mets would’ve loved in 2025. Out of all of the starters on the market, Ryan might make the most sense.
1. Tarik Skubal
Out of all the teams in the MLB, with the Mets’ luxury of young talent, the Mets could offer the best deal for Tarik Skubal. The question remains whether or not the Mets would be willing to give a significant portion of their talent for him. However, after 2025, David Stearns is in need of proving himself, and this would certainly earn him some praise from the fan base. Out of all the pitchers in the MLB over the last few seasons, no one has looked as good as Skubal. Such a trade would cost a lot, but having a relatively young rotation in addition to having Skubal would certainly drag the Mets into the playoffs.
All in all, the Mets need a trade this winter. The 2025 season was unexpected, as everything, especially the starting rotation, just fell apart. In order to restore the Mets’ ability to dominate, trading for a starting pitcher could be the best answer.
Main Image: Bill Streicher-Imagn Images
