The New York Mets head toward the MLB trade deadline as clear sellers, and one of their most prized assets opened up about the rumors after a series against the Philadelphia Phillies.
“If I do get traded, my job is to help bring back as much talent as I can back here,” reliever A.J. Minter told NJ.com. “That’s the least I can do. I want to go out there, keep shoving and hopefully I can give them a nice little prospect back.”
New York Mets Trade Rumors: A.J. Minter Opens Up About Being on the Move
Minter got off to a tremendous start with the Mets last season. He gave up two earned runs in his second appearance with the club, then ripped off 11 straight scoreless outings. Minter struck out more than a batter per inning. He piled up seven holds over his first 13 games as a key member of New York’s high-leverage mix. The veteran lefty went down with a lat injury at the end of April. The issue ultimately required season-ending surgery.
The 32-year-old Minter missed the first two months of the year while recovering from the lat procedure. He hit the ground running once he returned to the Mets. Minter put together 14 consecutive scoreless outings to open his 2026 campaign. He’s finally permitted some runs in July, but his overall numbers are excellent. Minter has a 1.80 ERA through 20 innings. The lefty has posted an underwhelming 21.8% strikeout rate, but he’s walked just one opposing batter in 20 games.
Minter is aware he and fellow relievers Luke Weaver and Brooks Raley are on the trade block as the Mets look to reload for 2027.
“We know it’s part of the business, unfortunately,” Minter told NJ.com. “What makes us so good — with Luke going on the run he did, and same thing that me and Brooks, who has been having a great year — is the camaraderie down there. It’s the roles that we have with no egos.”
What Can the Mets Get For Minter, Weaver, and Raley?
Playoff teams will certainly pillage the Mets’ bullpen as they enter the stretch run. The returns will vary depending on the reliever. Weaver is likely to cost the most in terms of prospects, considering he’s under team control for another season. The righty will make $12.5 million in the final year of his current contract in 2027. It’s a reasonable price for a setup man with a crisp 2.03 ERA in 40 games this season.
Minter and Raley are both pending free agents. The packages to acquire them will likely center around a handful of mid-level minor leaguers. The Washington Nationals received righties Josh Randall and R.J. Sales from the Detroit Tigers for Kyle Finnegan at last year’s trade deadline. The Mets sent outfielder Drew Gilbert and righties José Buttó and Blade Tidwell to the San Francisco Giants for reliever Taylor Rogers. New York would do well to get that type of return for Minter now that it’s on the other end of the transaction.
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