The rumor mill has finally spun back on this MLB offseason. The Philadelphia Phillies are set to meet with top infielder Bo Bichette next week, Kyle Tucker is drawing heavy interest from the Toronto Blue Jays, New York Mets, and Los Angeles Dodgers, and Cody Bellinger is reportedly asking for around $37 million per year.
Throughout the offseason, the Mets have targeted rotation upgrades through both free agency and the trade market. Dylan Cease raised the bar in November by signing a six-year, $200 million deal with Toronto, tightening the pitching market.
Former Miami Marlins right-hander Edward Cabrera drew interest from multiple teams, including the Mets. Last week, the Marlins dealt Cabrera to the Chicago Cubs for Owen Caissie, a top-50 prospect. Here are the latest notes on the Mets.
Mets Notes: Trade Rumors Abound Even With Big Names Moved
Edward Cabrera
First reported last Sunday, the Mets expressed interest in Edward Cabrera, though their willingness to pursue a deal remained unclear. Pat Ragazzo of Sports Illustrated reported that the Mets and Marlins discussed a trade, with Miami seeking third baseman Brett Baty and top prospect A.J. Ewing in exchange for the 27-year-old starter.
The Mets have a firm belief that Baty can, and will, be their long-term answer at third base. After a strong defensive year and a solid approach at the plate in 2025, he is expected to take a step forward.
MacKenzie Gore
A new name has emerged in recent Mets trade rumors: MacKenzie Gore. Gore, a piece of the original Juan Soto trade that sent the star to San Diego, has been a promising arm for the Washington Nationals. It has been reported that Washington’s asking price is “astronomically” high, with no trade appearing close. Gore has two years of team control remaining and is coming off an All-Star season.
The Rest of the Trade Market
Beyond Gore, the Mets have only expressed notable interest in Milwaukee Brewers starter Freddy Peralta and the unlikely possibility of Tarik Skubal. A trade for Peralta remains in play, with Ken Rosenthal and Will Sammon reporting earlier today that the Brewers would ideally seek a young, major league–ready rotation replacement, a profile the Mets can match.
Latest notes with @WillSammon:
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— Ken Rosenthal (@Ken_Rosenthal) January 10, 2026
Drama has recently unfolded between Skubal and the Tigers, which could place his future in Detroit in question. With the arbitration deadline passing on Thursday, the Tigers set their figure at $19 million, compared to Skubal’s request of $32 million. The $13 million gap is the largest in arbitration history, creating an awkward situation between the two sides.
Detroit has been noted to be listening to Skubal trade inquiries, but has yet to make any counteroffers. The Mets are among the few teams that could realistically meet the Tigers’ asking price, given their deep and versatile farm system.
Outfield Market
Over the past several days, the Mets’ interest in Kyle Tucker has reached an all-time high. Jon Heyman of the New York Post reported Thursday night that the Mets were “very, very” much in the mix for Tucker, but would face stiff competition. Both the Dodgers and Blue Jays plan to pursue Tucker. Although Toronto appears positioned to offer a long-term deal, Los Angeles prefers a shorter-term, high annual average value (AAV) structure. Simply put, for the Mets to land Tucker, they would need to operate well outside their comfort zone.
https://t.co/mIaAns9PzG MLB notes: Mets are among leaders for top free agent Kyle Tucker (but they’ll need to beat out 2 very attractive landing spots), Mets do have this budget (which they may blow past anyway), plus more notes
— Jon Heyman (@JonHeyman) January 8, 2026
As for Cody Bellinger, his market appears slimmer than ever. The Bronx Bombers have reportedly made two offers, but the sides remain far apart, as Scott Boras is seeking $37 million annually. That asking price would make Bellinger the fifth-highest-paid player per year, just behind Aaron Judge’s $40 million AAV.
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