The New York Mets are off to a bit of a slow start, having gone 3-3 in their first six games of the 2026 season. However, it is still early, so it isn’t time to panic unless things get worse. They are only two games back of the Miami Marlins in the National League East.
The Mets made some big moves this offseason, with their most impactful one being the trade for right-hander Freddy Peralta. But the Mets are expected to be in the race this season, and if they are, they will likely be buying at the trade deadline.
The deadline is not until August 3, but it’s still going to be an important time during the season. Pitching is always at a premium at that time. Zachary D. Rymer of Bleacher Report listed right-hander Nick Pivetta as a possible trade chip and had the Mets as a potential landing spot.
“Pivetta would be a hot item on the trade market if he were made available,” Rymer wrote. “He had the best season of his career in 2025, posting a 2.87 ERA over 181.2 innings. Even before that, his stuff always rated well, suggesting such a breakout was inevitable.
“Due to its backloaded salaries and complex structure, Pivetta’s contract wouldn’t make a trade easy to figure out. But for any team motivated to get a top-of-the-rotation starter, none of that would be a deal-breaker.”
New York Mets Named Fit for Nick Pivetta
In addition to his 2.87 ERA and career high in innings pitched, Pivetta won 13 games with the San Diego Padres last season. He has dealt with injuries in his career, but he put it all together in 2025 and helped the Padres make it back to the postseason as the second National League wild card team.
Including this season, he has three more years left of club control, so that might make a trade hard. But Mets owner Steve Cohen has proven time and again that he is not afraid of costs and is willing to add high-priced players in either trades or free agency.
The Mets might have to take on a significant chunk of Pivetta’s salary if a trade happens, but Cohen rarely hesitates when it comes to trying to improve the Mets’ roster, so there is little reason to believe that Cohen won’t be willing to do that if the Mets are in on Pivetta at the deadline and make a play for him.
Pivetta Trade Depends on Padres
Of course, the only way Pivetta is ultimately traded is if the Padres fall out of contention, and despite a 2-4 start to this season, that doesn’t seem likely. They still have a very strong team and will likely be buyers at the trade deadline as opposed to sellers.
But if they do sell, the Mets would make sense for Pivetta. Still, it all depends on what happens with the Padres and how their season goes. The Mets will likely be very aggressive if they remain in the race. But if the Padres fall out of contention, seeing Pivetta on the market wouldn’t be a stretch.
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