A recent Mets move quietly sets the stage for a blockbuster deal with the A’s that few saw coming. DD
This trade would solve each other’s problems this winter
The New York Mets made a huge deal on Sunday to acquire former A’s shortstop (now second baseman) Marcus Semien from the Texas Rangers, but this trade has left them exposed in left field, while also blocking a couple of players at second base on the depth chart.
The A’s could use an upgrade at second base heading into 2026. Darell Hernaiz appears to be the frontrunner for the position early on in the offseason, as he impressed both manager Mark Kotsay and GM David Forst with his development in 2025. He’s also not a sure thing, and the vibe around this club is that they want to win again.
Could the A’s and Mets come together on a deal? They seem to match up on a couple of fronts, but the green and gold may be wary of moving their biggest potential trade piece.
The More Likely Trade Scenario
With Marcus Semien handling second base duties in Queens for the next three seasons, it seems likely that Jeff McNeil ends up getting traded elsewhere, as second base is his best position. He’s rated as a little above league average there defensively the past couple of seasons, and he also held a 111 wRC+ across 122 games in 2025. He’d be a solid addition to the A’s lineup.
The one downside here is that McNeil is signed for 2026 at $15.75 million, and has a club option for the same amount in 2027. That may be more than the A’s are willing to spend on an aging second baseman, when they have a young, but unproven (and cheaper) option ready for them.
They could also consider Luisangel Acuña, who is a solid defender at second, but his bat hasn’t come around just yet. He’s just 23 years old, but is already out of options, meaning he’d have to be carried on the main roster all year long.
The other piece of this potential trade would be Kodai Senga, whom is reportedly “extremely available.” The A’s could use some pitching, and Senga has had solid stats when healthy, but the underlying metrics are a little worrisome. He’s under contract for $14 million each of the next two seasons, and then has a club option for 2028.
The return the A’s would be sending back here would depend on how much money the Mets are eating on those contracts. The A’s don’t have too many large contracts to offset those financials, and given the questions surrounding all three options, they shouldn’t cost too much to acquire in a straight-up swap.
Perhaps the A’s could send over Colby Thomas as part of this deal. He’s a righty swinging outfielder that has already shown that he can mash against left-handed pitching. He’s still a work in progress, but he has some intriguing power potential. Of course, the Mets could also just go sign one of the biggest free agents on the market in Cody Bellinger or Kyle Tucker.
The Bigger Trade Option
Before we get going here, let’s be clear that we think that this one doesn’t have a high likelihood of happening due to the A’s not necessarily wanting to trade one of their young bats. But let’s take one of the Mets second base options, put them in this deal, and then add in No. 4 prospect Jonah Tong instead of Senga.
The right-hander started five games down the stretch as a 22-year-old in 2025 and put up a 7.71 ERA (4.31 FIP) across 18 1/3 innings of work. He spent most of the season in the minors in 2025, particularly in Double-A, and held a 1.59 ERA with a 54.6% ground ball rate and a 40.8% strikeout rate. He followed that up with 11 2/3 scoreless innings in Triple-A before the call up to New York.
He is the kind of pitcher the A’s (and really any team in baseball) will be after this winter. In order to land him, the A’s would have to be uncomfortable making the deal, and that could mean moving Tyler Soderstrom, who we said just last week probably isn’t getting traded. We did leave open one loophole in that statement, and that was for a young arm like Hunter Greene.
Jonah Tong could be in that same category.
One question for the A’s here is how badly do they feel they need pitching? They have prospects like Gage Jump, who had a year similar to Tong, who could be ready a couple of months into 2026 if he picks up where he left off. Having Tong and Jump in the same rotation, along with Luis Morales, would be an exciting trio for the green and gold to build around for the next six years at least.
Another question for the A’s is whether they feel like they could replace Soderstrom’s production. He’s seen as a key piece of this club, and he’s just starting to break out. He played like an All Star and a Gold Glover this past season, and that recognition could come in 2026.
How high are they on Junior Perez, who was just added to the 40-man roster? Could he be the answer to replace Soderstrom if this move was made? Would he be ready to begin the 2026 campaign in the big leagues?
If you’re the A’s, this is certainly a trade proposal that you can’t just waive off without giving it serious consideration.
