The New York Mets let go of several stars from their roster in what appeared to be a major MLB offseason overhaul that surprised many, as fan favorites departed.
For example, Brandon Nimmo was traded to the Texas Rangers in exchange for Marcus Semien at the start of this MLB offseason.
This was just the first of several changes, which included parting ways with Edwin Díaz, who signed a three-year, $69 million contract with the Los Angeles Dodgers, as well as Pete Alonso, who joined the Baltimore Orioles on a five-year, $155 million deal.
Brandon Nimmo: A surprising departure from the Mets
Nimmo was in the third year of an eight-year contract extension he signed in November 2022, having been the longest-tenured Mets player in the organization. Now settled with his new team, he has shared details about his departure and his real thoughts on owner Steve Cohen.
The outfielder spoke with Will Sammon of The Athletic about his conversations with both Cohen and David Stearns (the Mets’ president of baseball operations).
Nimmo recalled asking, “Why am I not part of the solution?” when Stearns approached him to discuss the Rangers’ interest-while clarifying that he wasn’t being actively shopped on the MLB trade market.
He didn’t hold back when addressing the team’s poor performance in MLB 2025 season, noting his own stats: he hit .262/.324/.436 with 25 home runs and 92 RBIs-the latter two being career highs.
Although it’s emphasized that Stearns and the Mets weren’t actively seeking to trade him, it’s also true that this move was viewed as the first step toward improving the team’s MLB defensive performance.
Brandon Nimmo also spoke about the solid relationship he had with Steve Cohen, recalling that the owner confessed how difficult the trade was on a personal level. However, Cohen expressed trust in Stearns’ decisions to improve the team and reshape the Mets roster for 2026.
Time will tell if these New York Mets offseason moves were the right ones, because in truth, the Mets’ 2026 roster changes drew heavy criticism. Many believe the team is now very different-but potentially less powerful than it was during the 2025 MLB season.
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