Count the New York Mets among the teams whose winter hasn't quite met expectations so far. Much like the Boston Red Sox, the Mets have been one of the more active teams this offseason, but what they've brought in pales in comparison to the expectations fans had heading into hot stove season.
However, again, much like the Red Sox, much of what New York has done feels like they're setting the stage for a big strike. That strike, unfortunately, could come at the Red Sox's expense, given that the club just traded away veteran infielder/outfielder Jeff McNeil, sending the 2022 National League batting champ to the Athletics.
The Mets entered the offseason with a glut of infielders, though few were true standouts. McNeil's performance had declined dramatically with age, while youngsters Luisangel Acuña and Ronny Mauricio failed to seize any opportunities that had come their way. Combine that with the inconsistencies shown by Brett Baty and Mark Vientos, and an upgrade is needed, but a path towards that upgrade needs to be cleared first.
There might not be a better infield upgrade on the market than Alex Bregman, and with McNeil gone, the Mets could be one step closer to making a play for the apple of Boston's eye.
The Mets' trade of Jeff McNeil could have them angling to steal Alex Bregman away from the Red Sox
It's looking like the next man on the way out of New York is Vientos, whom the Mets have made available in trade talks. Vientos appeared to break out at the plate in 2024, crushing 27 homers and posting a 132 wRC+, but he took a massive step back in 2025, playing in 10 more games but hitting 10 fewer homers and watching his wRC+ plummet to a below-average mark of 97.
Combine that with some questionable defense at the hot corner that looks to be getting worse and not better, and he no longer fits the Mets, who have put a renewed emphasis on run prevention this offseason.
When it comes to run prevention at the hot corner, there is no better option available than Bregman, who would also serve as a massive upgrade offensively over what the likes of McNeil and Vientos have provided.
At the end of the day, the Mets and Red Sox are in similar positions, in large part thanks to the implications that missing out on Pete Alonso had on both franchises. The Mets pivoted to Jorge Polanco after strangely not even extending an offer to Alonso, while the Red Sox ended up dealing for Willson Contreras.
While both Polanco and Contreras are quality hitters, neither provides quite the spark that Alonso would have. Therefore, both need a Bregman-type to take their lineups to the next level. Bregman doesn't have Alonso's power, but his superior contact skills make up for that to make him a true middle-of-the-order threat.
With the Mets lacking that heart of the order complement to Juan Soto and Francisco Lindor, Bregman could be exactly what they're looking for, though one has to wonder if they would want to deal Vientos before getting serious about a pursuit of Bregman. If that is the case, it would open a window for the Red Sox to reunite with the star before the Mets get their act together.
That, of course, would require Craig Breslow acting with an urgency we've yet to see this winter, making it feel as if Boston is on the verge of ending up in a very precarious situation, one that would only look worse if they were to lose Bregman.