The Mets had more players than spaces for them after trading for Marcus Semien and signing free agent Jorge Polanco, but they have now cleared some of that up in a deal with the Athletics. New York is sending infielder/outfielder Jeff McNeil and $5.75 million to Sacramento, in exchange for right-handed pitcher Yordan Rodriguez, per ESPN.
McNeil is a two-time All-Star who won the National League batting title in 2022, thanks to a .326/.382/.454 season with nearly six wins above replacement. While he has never reached exactly those heights again, he has proven valuable as a player the Mets could reliably slot in at second base, the corner outfield spots, third base and even center or first base when necessary. McNeil has batted .253/.326/.389 combined since 2023, but produced his best work since 2022 this past summer, when he posted a well above-average 111 OPS+ in 122 games.
With the A’s, McNeil will likely stick at second base, as their outfield already includes power-hitting Tyler Soderstrom, Lawrence Butler and defensive wizard Denzel Clarke. As for the Mets, they are still reportedly looking for an upgrade in their outfield, but have Semien at second base and Polanco available to rotate around the diamond as McNeil previously did.
The Cuban-born Yordan Rodriguez doesn’t turn 18 years old until late-January, and spent 2025 pitching in the Dominican Summer League, where he struck out 20 batters in 15.1 innings.
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