"The Mets have interest in free agent outfielder Austin Hays, reports Jon Heyman of The New York Post. Hays was previously connected to the Royals but that was before Kansas City signed Lane Thomas and acquired Isaac Collins. They are reportedly still exploring the outfield market but might have less urgency in that pursuit now. For the Mets, adding to the outfield seems like an inevitability."
"They had nine players take more than one plate appearance as an outfielder in 2025. Seven of them are gone. Cedric Mullins, Starling Marte, Jesse Winker, and José Azócar became free agents at season's end. This offseason, Brandon Nimmo was traded to the Rangers and Jeff McNeil to the Athletics. That leaves the Mets with and Tyrone Taylor as holdovers. Soto is obviously part of the plans in 2026 but Taylor should be on shakier ground."
"He has generally been good for offense a bit above average. He has a .262/.313/.435 line in his career, which translates to a 105 wRC+. His 2025 season was in line with that, as he hit .266/.315/.453, also for a 105 wRC+. He has been graded as a good defender in his career but less so in the past two seasons."
The Mets have interest in free-agent outfielder Austin Hays, who had prior connections to the Royals before their recent signings and acquisition reduced Kansas City's urgency. New York faces substantial outfield turnover, losing seven of nine players who logged multiple outfield plate appearances in 2025, including Cedric Mullins, Starling Marte, Jesse Winker, José Azócar, Brandon Nimmo and Jeff McNeil. Holdovers include Juan Soto and Tyrone Taylor, though Taylor's three-year subpar offense (.223/.279/.319, 70 wRC+ in 2025) raises questions about his role. Prospect Carson Benge could compete for center field, while Hays offers a slightly above-average offensive track record (.262/.313/.435, 105 wRC+) and prior defensive grades that have dipped recently.
Read at MLB Trade Rumors
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