The New York Mets enter the 2026 season brimming with optimism, and a playoff appearance wouldn’t come as a shock for this revamped roster.
Improvements haven’t been limited to the lineup—the Mets strengthened both their bullpen and rotation—but there’s still room for one more starting pitcher to complement Freddy Peralta and Nolan McLean.
With that in mind, Jim Bowden of The Athletic predicts that the Mets could make a big move at the 2026 MLB trade deadline, acquiring Texas Rangers’ All-Star righty Nathan Eovaldi, who posted a 1.73 ERA last season.
Bowden envisions Eovaldi being traded to New York with a year and a half left on his contract, forming a formidable trio alongside Peralta and McLean that could seriously contend for a World Series.
The Mets already boast depth with pitchers like Kodai Senga, David Peterson, Clay Holmes, Sean Manaea, and several intriguing arms in the minors, making their rotation potentially one of the strongest in baseball.
Last season, 35-year-old Eovaldi thrived for the Rangers, recording a career-best 1.73 ERA over 22 starts, an 11-3 record, 129 strikeouts, 4.4 bWAR, and a 211 ERA+.
Eovaldi, who debuted with the Dodgers in 2011, has since played for the Marlins, Yankees, Red Sox, and Rays.
He spent the past three seasons with Texas, helping them secure their first-ever World Series title in 2023 with a 2.95 ERA across six postseason starts, and previously contributed to Boston’s 2018 championship with a 1.61 ERA in 22.1 innings.
While Bowden’s trade prediction is bold, acquiring Eovaldi wouldn’t come cheap—he’s under contract through 2027 on a three-year, $75 million deal—but the move could provide the Mets with a massive boost in their quest for a 2026 World Series title.
