The New York Mets are somehow still holding onto the final National League wild card spot. After both the Diamondbacks and Reds lost yesterday, New York still has a one-game lead over the two. If the Mets are to hold onto that final wild-card spot, they will likely head to Los Angeles to face the Dodgers in the wild-card round.
Regardless, though, New York's front office will have its hands full when the season does ultimately end. Owner Steve Cohen has shown a willingness to spend in order to compete, and David Stearns isn't shy from making trades either.
Would New York trade away Luisangel Acuña?
A name that has emerged in the rumor mill this week is the Mets' Luisangel Acuña, brother of Braves' star Ronald.
Alongside Luisangel on the Mets roster, Brett Baty and Mark Vientos also may be attractive trade candidates.
In a live-stream video on Bleacher Report yesterday, New York Post's Jon Heyman appeared and gave his insight on why Acuña could be dealt this winter.
"Will Luisangel Acuña ever be a help [for the Mets]? Well, he's a help right now, as a pinch runner. And occasionally on defense, maybe, but mostly as a pinch runner," Heyman said. "Yeah, he may need to get traded to go somewhere else, because right now they've got, I don't know, five or six second basemen that seem to be ahead of him."
Heyman does make a good point that the Mets are loaded with infielders, and if they could move on from one or two of them, than New York might be able to get a durable starter in return.
Acuña has not played much for the Mets this season on the offensive side. He's often used as either a pinch runner or a defensive replacement. In 172 at-bats this season, he's hitting .238 with 0 home runs and an OPS of .573. Although he's just not quite the player his brother Ronald is, New York may be able to get a bottom-tier prospect for him.
He found a little more success with the team in 2024, but it was in much fewer opportunities, and he's been unable to produce at any offensive level this season.
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