The New York Mets and the Athletics agreed to terms on a trade that will send veteran utilityman Jeff McNeil to Sacramento, per ESPN's Jeff Passan. Rookie-ball pitcher Yordan Rodríguez on his way to Queens.
The A's will receive $5.75 million to offset McNeil's $15.75 million salary in 2026. McNeil has a $15.76 million club option for 2027, with a $2 million buyout. The Mets will pay the buyout if the A's opt to let McNeil walk.
Mets-A's Jeff McNeil trade details and reasoning
This is a continuation of the Mets' transformative offseason. GM David Stearns has gone out of his way to change the core of this organization. It feels like Juan Soto, Francisco Lindor and Nolan McLean are the only untouchables. Pete Alonso and Edwin Díaz both left as free agents. Now Brandon Nimmo and Jeff McNeil, longtime Mets staples, have been traded away.
Beyond the disappointment of last season, the Mets had plenty of motivation to find a trade partner for McNeil. After a loss to the Phillies last June, Lindor began "verbally attacking" McNeil on account of a fielding mishap, leading to a "tense standoff between the two," per Mike Puma of the NY Post.
This is only an isolated incident, but it sounds like the relationship was chilly overall. The Mets are attempting to rally the troops, reshape the roster, and return to contention next season. Trading McNeil felt like an inevitability. They just need a team willing to take on the contract, and the A's obliged.
Mets trade grade: C+
This was a necessary, if not particularly exciting move. McNeil, 33, is on the downswing of his career, but the Mets are giving up a talented player. The former batting champ and two-time All-Star hit .243 with a .746 OPS and 111 OPS+ last season, providing quality defense at second base and in left field, primarily. He also has experience in centerfield and third base.
The Mets happen to be running out of space for McNeil. The Marcus Semien trade gave the Mets a new everyday second baseman. The outfield depth chart is a bit less settled, but it's clear that New York did not envision McNeil as an everyday contributor in that capacity. Mets fans are still holding out hope for Cody Bellinger or Kyle Tucker.
Changing roster dimensions and the need to exorcise the demons of a lost season led to this move. Still, the Mets are paying a third of McNeil's contract (plus a potential buyout in 2027) and receiving little in return. Yordan Rodriguez, a 17-year-old reliever from Cuba, posted a 2.93 ERA in eight games (one start) in rookie ball last season. He's a long, long way from contributing at the MLB level.
This is a pure salary dump and locker room cleanse. McNeil is still a good player, so we'll see how (or if) the Mets go about replacing him. If the extra cash freed up allows the Mets to go out and sign an impact outfielder or a star pitcher, fans can chalk this trade up as an unequivocal victory. But that doesn't mean the A's don't come out of this looking good, too.
Athletics trade grade: A
This is great for the A's. The locker room angle was clearly an issue in New York, but there's no reason to think McNeil is a bad teammate. He just didn't vibe with Lindor toward the end in what was a miserable season all around. The A's are not getting prime Jeff McNeil, of course, but he's going to a hitter-friendly ballpark in Sacramento. He's still a plus defender and can plug a few different holes depending on team need, although we probably see him at second base most of all.
The A's pulled this off at a discount, too. Some will say $10 million is a lot for the A's, but it's not your money or mine, and it's typically good when ownership is willing to run up the tab. That's how you win baseball games. The A's lineup is already on the verge of a major breakthrough, which McNeil can expedite. He figures to be a helpful mentor to a young roster, too.
McNeil joins Nick Kurtz, Brent Rooker, Tyler Soderstrom, Shea Langeliers, Jacob Wilson and Lawrence Butler in what should be a dynamic, explosive group. Other young talent is coming up through the pipeline, too, with blue chip prospect Leo De Vries expected at the big league level sooner than later (McNeil may very well be the bridge piece until De Vries is ready in 2027).
He won't hit for much power, but McNeil is an extremely disciplined lefty bat. He commanded a 10.6 percent walk rate in 2025 and posted a .335 on-base percentage, despite his waning bat speed and less prolific contact numbers. Maybe Yordan Rodriguez becomes something of note in eight or nine years, but the A's should get plenty of short-term value out of McNeil. This trade is almost all upside.