It’s unlikely that the New York Mets ever make a trade with an NL East team, but could Ronald Acuña Jr.’s performance in the NLDS prompt the Atlanta Braves to consider any potential trade for their 28-year-old?
Acuña hit .125 with three hits and four runs scored in seven games in the 2026 postseason for Atlanta, per StatMuse. He was a non-factor for the Braves and could now be the time they consider trading the outfielder.
During the regular season, Acuña hit .255 with 104 hits, 20 homers, 55 RBIs, and 61 runs scored in 107 games, per StatMuse. Trading within the division seems unlikely, but if the Mets present the best offer, would Atlanta consider it?
In an Oct. 9 article, John Perrotto of FanSided sees the Mets as a potential landing spot for Acuña and presented a trade idea in which New York offers LHP Zac Thornton and 2B/SS Bruin Agbayani for Acuña, who give them a bat to go with Juan Soto, Francisco Lindor, and potentially Bo Bichette should he not opt out of his contract.
“Mets owner Steve Cohen would love to add Acuña to his star-studded roster,” Perrotto wrote. “However, they probably couldn’t make an offer strong enough to swing a trade.
“The Mets could try to entice the Braves with left-hander Zac Thornton, a 24-year-old who had a fine rookie season and won’t be eligible for free agency until 2032. In 15 starts for the Mets, Thornton went 5-6 with a 3.32 ERA.”
Could the Mets Add Another Piece to a Potential Trade?
Moreover, Perrotto sees New York adding one more intriguing young piece as part of this trade idea that could entice the Braves to consider a Mets offer.
“The Mets would need to add to the deal, and 19-year-old middle infield prospect Bruin Agbayani could be an interesting chip,” Perrotto added in his article.
“He has played in just 18 professional games since the Minnesota Twins selected him in the sixth round of last year’s amateur draft after he graduated high school in Honolulu… Bruin Agbayani is rated as the Mets’ 28th-best prospect by MLB Pipeline and No. 30 by Baseball America.”
New York Gets Take as Potential Bryce Harper Destination
Meanwhile, Acuña isn’t the only NL East star in the speculation conversation regarding the Mets.
On the Oct. 7 edition of “Baseball Tonight in New York,” the idea was floated that the Mets could be a potential destination for Philadelphia Phillies Harper, and SNY’s Jim Duquette could see that happening, as New York could afford to take on the money that the veteran is still owed.
“There would be a lot of hoops to have to go through,” Duquette said. “The good news on something like that is, he has a no-trade clause, but he might be willing to accept it because he and Dave Dombrowski, the president of baseball operations, don’t see eye to eye from last year and all that. But I think there are some hurdles to come, but I’ll throw this out there just as a starting point.
“[The Phillies] need outfielders. Obviously, the Mets can use a first baseman. Would you be willing to give up A.J. Ewing plus something else for Harper? Do you want to do that? Harper’s starting to get a little bit in his mid-30s.”
Mets Handed Intriguing Trade Idea for Braves’ Ronald Acuña Jr.