New York Mets Offer Cubs a One-Stop Shopping Option at MLB Trade Deadline

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As the New York Mets continue to linger at the bottom of the NL East standings, there's no question about their trade deadline approach. They're going to sell, and one can imagine them doing so pretty aggressively. With a few notable impending free agents and a desire to reconstruct the roster in a way that doesn't yield the same level of disaster in 2027, they're a logical partner for the Chicago Cubs and their multiple needs—even after the Cubs already snapped up one Mets arm, last month.

That the Cubs are in need of arms isn't the only reason that the Mets make a sensible link-up. It's also the fact that their current context makes them the rare team that could offer multiple major-league players within the framework of the same deal. That kind of opportunity can't be overlooked at this time of year, given the Cubs' multiple needs: a starter (or two) and a reliever (or two). While hypothetical trades between the two sides will focus on that side, it's also not all the Mets have to offer. Sensible additions on the positional side could also prove a fit for the Cubs' more limited needs in the field.

Finding a package deal that makes sense isn't about merely putting two names together. Instead, it would be about putting positions or roles alongside each other in a way that spares the Cubs the need to make another significant trade, too. From the Mets' perspective, meanwhile, it would be a way to access a higher tier of Cubs prospect than they could get for any one of their players.

It's unlikely that we'll see the Cubs go all-in. It's not in Jed Hoyer's nature to do so. An impact deal isn't out of the question, of course, but if he were to pursue this multi-player route, it's unlikely he'd be in on an upper-tier starter and an upper-tier reliever. You'd probably see him try to do one or the other, while settling for a lower caliber of player in the other role. That's another important caveat within all of this. Let's take a look at the categories of combo deal on which the Cubs and Mets could get together.

Starter/Reliever

Interest in a starter of any kind is going to focus on Freddy Peralta. While mired in a down year since his arrival in Queens, he's one of the higher-upside rentals on the starting pitching market and has a productive, happy history with Craig Counsell. He still presents plenty of appeal to the Cubs. Should Peralta be the name to headline a deal, you're probably looking more at the A.J. Minter, Huascar Brazobán or Brooks Raley end of the pool than someone like Luke Weaver (considering the latter's excellent season and additional year under contract) or Devin Williams.

Should the Cubs go in the direction of Clay Holmes, rather than Peralta, Weaver becomes more possible. While it's not as if Holmes would be cheap (he's performed well and has another year on his contract), his cost could be enough lower than Peralta's to make it feasible to go after a solid starter (who is, notably, in the final stages of his recover from a fractured fibula) and the better of the Mets' potentially available relievers. Williams, on the other hand, feels more cost-prohibitive, considering his $15-million-a-year salary through 2028.

Overall, this feels like the most likely pathway for the Cubs if they were able to pull off a multi-player trade with New York. Their needs on the mound far exceed the other phase of their roster, and the ability to solidify multiple parts of the pitching spectrum has to be appealing for Jed Hoyer and company.

Starter/Position Player

There isn't a wealth of position players the Mets would part with in whom the Cubs would actually have interest. They don't have a need for the likes of Francisco Lindor or Bo Bichette. Nor do they have the logistical or payroll space to accommodate either one, should the Mets actually seek a trade of either one of their biggest names. (Bichette could fit for them as a DH and backup infielder, but it's unrealistic to think the Mets would eat enough money or put a low enough price tag on him to justify that gamble.)

It's also unlikely that a player they're more likely to trade, in Luis Robert Jr., would be on the Cubs' radar. A right-handed bat? Sure. A right-handed bat with a recent history of injury and uneven performance, and whose defensive value has trended sharply downward? Less likely, even with the Cubs' uncertainty on the corners of the grass beyond 2026. Robert comes with a club option for 2027, but it's not one the team would be eager to pick up.

There is at least one name that could be interesting in this respect: Tyrone Taylor. His numbers don't read as especially impressive; his line is .237/.281/.481. Where that slug comes from, though, is noteworthy. Taylor is a lefty masher, with a line that ascends to .282/.303/.569 against southpaws. His wRC+ against left-handed pitching is 137, against an 82 versus the other handedness. If the Cubs are going to pursue a bat at the deadline, he fits the profile as a flexible outfielder and right-handed hitter. His acquisition cost wouldn't be difficult to package with any available starter, either. He'd be a clear upgrade over current fifth outfielder Justin Dean.

Reliever/Position Player

This is perhaps the most tepid of the possibilities involving the Mets; it wouldn't solve the Cubs' biggest issues within their rotation. What they can do here, however, is address a pair of needs without plumbing the depths of their own farm system. While there would be a legitimate cost for someone performing at Weaver's level, it wouldn't be the same conversation as for one of the starters. And it would only decrease from there.

The Cubs can address their need for relief pitching and pick up a desired profile of a bench bat in the form of Taylor, while still leaving plenty of room for a starter addition elsewhere. It may not be the most efficient means of action among their potential routes here, but it would stabilize the roster, nonetheless.