Copyright Heavy.
The New York Mets have poached multiple players from the New York Yankees over the past few years. That’s mainly been seen with Juan Soto, but they’ve also done so with others. With the offseason approaching, it’s possible the Mets will look to do that once again. Looking at this upcoming winter, Sports Illustrated’s Grant Young suggested that the Mets could have an outfield full of former Yankees players this upcoming season. He cited the article from Mark Feinsand of MLB.com, who noted that Trent Grisham and Cody Bellinger could be fits in Queens. On top of that, he also suggested that Harrison Bader, another former Yankees player, might be a decent option for the Mets to pursue in the outfield. “But Grisham and Bellinger aren’t the only former Yankees outfielders available in free agency. Harrison Bader (who has played for both New York teams in the past) is also available and would make sense as a fourth outfielder for the Mets. “All of this is to say that there’s a chance the Mets could have an outfield that features three former Yankees players (some combination of Soto, Bellinger, Grisham, and Bader) next season, which would surely infuriate Yankees fans and prove that New York’s baseball hierarchy isn’t the same as it once was,” he wrote. Are Changes Coming to the Yankees? Regarding what Feinsand had to say, it sure sounds like the New York Yankees could lose Bellinger or Grisham, depending on what they want to do. Seeing the Yankees lose both would come as a surprise, but according to Feinsand, Bellinger will opt out of his deal, and he has a real chance to be poached away from the Bronx if the Yankees don’t give him the money he’s looking for. “After signing a one-year deal with the Cubs in 2023 and a three-year deal with Chicago in 2024, Bellinger — who was traded to the Yankees last winter — plans to opt out of the final year and $25 million to test free agency once again this winter. After an uneven 2024 campaign, Bellinger thrived in the Bronx in ’25, belting 29 home runs with 98 RBIs and an .814 OPS in 152 games, and posting his highest bWAR (5.0) since 2019 (8.7), when he won NL MVP honors. “The versatile slugger has been a perfect fit for the Yankees, but other teams could try to pry him away from New York with the long-term deal that has evaded him to this point,” he wrote. Is Trent Grisham Likely to Leave New York? Grisham is coming off a career year, and unlike Ballinger for the New York Yankees, it was a bit of a surprise. If the Yankees could’ve said that Grisham would hit 34 home runs this year, many would’ve been surprised. According to Feinsand, it sounds like the New York Mets will have a real shot at him, too, suggesting that what they want to do with Jasson Dominguez and Spencer Jones will have an impact on their future decision with left-handed slugger. “Grisham also ranked near the top of the league in walk percentage (96th percentile) and chase percentage (99th) and posting a career-best 3.5 bWAR. The Yankees could extend a qualifying offer to Grisham, though New York’s plans for re-signing Bellinger — not to mention how they view youngsters Jasson Domínguez and Spencer Jones — might impact which direction it goes with Grisham.”
