The New York Mets are about to head into a territory they haven’t seen since 2023: sell mode. With the Mets at 15 games below .500 and firing manager Carlos Mendoza, the team gets ready to sell off its assets. Whether they will reset or undergo a full rebuild for 2027 remains to be seen. But with August 3rd approaching, the Mets have some pieces they can give to a contending team in 2026. However, there are a few they should keep, especially if they would like to contend next season. These are two players the Mets should trade, and two players they should hold onto.
Two Players the Mets Should and Should Not Trade
Players They Should Trade
Freddy Peralta
It’s no secret that Freddy Peralta has had a rocky first season in Queens. The Mets acquired Peralta in a trade for Brandon Sproat and Jett Williams to the Milwaukee Brewers. New York also acquired Tobias Myers in the trade, who has also seen some very startling struggles over the last month. Peralta was the key get in the trade, as they needed a top-of-the-line starter to go along with Nolan McLean and Clay Holmes. That was the hope for New York heading into the season, but it hasn’t worked out.
Peralta wasn’t terrible by any means through the first two months of the season. Okay at best, but inconsistent. He pitched to a 3.82 ERA up to that point, with 28 earned runs, 28 walks, 59 hits, and 68 strikeouts. He did do well with runners on base. The last month has gone really badly. Peralta’s last six starts have seen an ERA of 7.06 with 23 earned runs and five home runs allowed. Even with his inconsistencies and recent struggles, he should still have a market with one year left on his current deal. The Mets’ decision not to extend him before the season is actually helping in this situation. According to SNY’s Chelsea Janes, MLB executives spoke to her about Peralta:
“Peralta is a durable starter in a contract year, and because his issues appear to be the result of some inadvertent changes to his delivery early this season, pitching-savvy teams should have reason to believe they can fix him. He is also a good budget option in a starting pitching market that can often be rather costly.”
The fact that teams saw some changes to Peralta’s mechanics early this season is a story for another time when it comes to the Mets’ philosophy, but they still see that he can be a quality pitcher for them. The Mets should get what they can for him. They can even re-sign him in the offseason if he succeeds elsewhere.
Luke Weaver
In an offseason mired in change and heavy backlash against the Mets and general manager David Stearns, a bright side has been Luke Weaver. Weaver has pitched very well since signing with the Mets. He has pitched to a 2.00 ERA with 39 strikeouts and a .0806 WHIP. Weaver is currently on a scoreless innings streak of 24 innings. That’s two months without allowing a run. In that streak, he has 31 strikeouts. Weaver has been lights-out, which makes him a possible trade asset. A lot of teams would love a bulldog like Weaver coming out of their bullpen in the middle of a playoff push. The Mets should think of it the way they did when they signed David Robertson in 2023. Robertson pitched well, and when that season did not go as expected, they traded Robertson to the Miami Marlins.
Who They Should Not Trade
Clay Holmes
There’s been a lot of talk about the Mets’ starting pitching over the last two seasons now. However, some of it is not under the Mets’ control. They could not have expected Peralta to be as rocky as he’s been, and they certainly did not expect McLean to be inconsistent as well. David Peterson, who was traded to the Chicago Cubs midseason, also struggled mightily. However, one pitcher who has been consistent over the last two seasons is Clay Holmes. Stearns signed Holmes in 2025 and converted him into a starter, and he has made that transition smoothly. He’s pitched to a 3.26 ERA as a Met and has given them 218.1 innings. 165.2 of those innings in 2025.
Unfortunately, his 2026 season took a bad turn when a line drive hit by Spencer Jones caught Holmes’ leg, breaking it. That was back in May, and Holmes is currently on the way back, hoping to pitch again in August or September. That could open the door for a team to call for a trade. But the Mets need all the starting pitching they can get. Holmes can opt out of his current contract after this season, and he’s shown the Mets his value as a starter. Retaining and extending Holmes would be a wise decision by Stearns and the front office.
Devin Williams
Before the Mets lost Edwin Díaz to the Los Angeles Dodgers, they signed reliever Devin Williams, hoping to pair him with Díaz in the bullpen. But when Diaz departed, Williams became the team’s closer. So far, after a year of struggling with the Yankees, he has bounced back nicely, especially after hitting a rough patch that raised a lot of concerns. After not allowing a run through his first five appearances, he would allow 8 earned runs on 9 hits over the next four. That ballooned his ERA to 10.29.
However, over his last 22 relief appearances, he has 10 saves, 28 strikeouts, a .239 BABIP, and a 2.11 ERA. Contrary to Diaz, who struggled with the Dodgers before heading to the injured list with loose bodies in his elbow. He’s also in some off-the-field trouble. New York signed Williams to a three-year, $51 million deal, so there is no rush to trade him. Teams will most likely ask if he is available. While the Mets should listen, they should hold onto their closer.
Main Photo Credits: Rick Scuteri-Imagn Images
