1) Sign Cody Bellinger

Bellinger is athletic and can play multiple positions – first base and all three outfield positions – and play them well. He had a couple of down years after enjoying dominating success early on, but has turned it around after two seasons with the Cubs and one with the Yankees, and he is still young. Bellinger will turn 31 during the 2026 season, just seven months younger than Pete Alonso.

But Bellinger, while he will not put up the sheer power numbers that Alonso does, is so much more athletic and more versatile. By the way, Bellinger hit nine less home runs than Alonso. But Bellinger would not specifically be replacing Alonso, rather, adding an athletic, multi-faceted player with a potent bat.

Bellinger hit .272 with 29 HR and 98 RBI in 2025 and only struck out 90 times in 656 plate appearances. In fact, he struck out less than 90 times in the prior two seasons as well. He puts the bat on the ball and he has both power and speed. He would make a great addition to the team.

2) Trade two of the kiddie corps – Mark Vientos and Ronny Mauricio – and two pitching prospects to the Padres for Nick Pivetta and Yuki Matsui

Mark Vientos has no position with the Mets and his right handed power, while needed by the Mets, makes him appealing to other teams who can afford to look the other way with his defensive defects, no different than Butch Huskey years ago. Huskey went on to have some nice productive years after leaving the Mets.

Mauricio has been coveted by every team for years. Why? I don’t know. But let someone else deal with him.

Nick Pivetta was really pedestrian his first eight season split between the Philadelphia Phillies and Boston Red Sox. He has a lifetime ERA of 4.47. But he had a tremendous season for the San Diego Padres last year going 13-5 with a 2.87 ERA and a career low WHIP of 0.985. Does that prove that he is capable of being a top of the rotation starter? He is 33 years old and never pitched more innings than he did last year (181.2) in 31 starts. He averages less than 6 innings per start. Not exactly an innings burner. But he obviously has some good stuff and is worth taking a flyer on.

Yuki Matsui would be a nice left-handed option, especially as a set-up guy for newly acquired Devon Williams. Matsui is basically a one-inning pitcher although he appeared in 60+ games both seasons he played with the Padres. His WHIP is slightly high but he does get a lot of strikeouts and he would be another southpaw option for the bullpen.

3) Trade for Adley Rutschman for middle range prospects or perhaps even Jett Williams

Adley Rutschman is very talented and has the spirit of Gary Carter. Unfortunately, he succumbed to injury and the Baltimore Orioles are exceptionally high on another young catcher, top prospect Samuel Basallo.

Although Rutcshman is a fan favorite, management may be thinking that Basallo’s upside is worth making the move as they continue to do a makeover of their roster. They already traded fan favorite Cedric Mullins at the deadline to the Mets, and then signed Mets fan favorite Pete Alonso away from the team. So perhaps a Rutschman trade to the Mets is not so far-fetched?

Rutschman only played 90 games last season, hitting a career low .220 with 9 HR and 29 RBI. But he is a 20-HR guy with good plate discipline and great behind the plate.

The Mets have a number of prospects that would make a good fit for the Orioles. The one name that might be appealing for the Orioles is Jett Williams as he can fill a number of roles for the Orioles and he has no place to really play within the Mets current plan (whatever that is). And Rutschman would be a great security policy for Francisco Alvarez because God knows there are no catchers ready to go in the Mets organization.