The Mets Alumni All-Stars: -3.7 WAR and a First-Round Pick Who Became Someone Else’s MVP Candidate
Over the past five years, the Mets have traded away or lost to free agency a remarkable collection of talent: an All-Star center fielder, a four-time All-Star first baseman, a franchise closer, two future Hall of Fame pitchers, and a handful of top prospects. What did they get back? A mixed bag — some excellent returns (Freddy Peralta, Devin Williams), some adequate swaps (Semien for Nimmo), and one trade that will haunt the franchise for a decade.
That trade is Pete Crow-Armstrong. In July 2021, the Mets sent their 2020 first-round pick to the Cubs for Javier Baez — a two-month rental who left as a free agent and has been terrible in Detroit ever since. Crow-Armstrong, meanwhile, became an All-Star, won a Gold Glove, joined the 30-30 club with 31 homers and 35 steals, finished top-10 in NL MVP voting, and just signed a six-year, $115 million extension with Chicago. The Mets traded a franchise cornerstone for 47 games of a shortstop they didn’t re-sign.
The Mets Alumni vs. What They Got Back
| Player | How Left | Destination | 2025 WAR | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pete Crow-Armstrong | Traded for Baez (’21) | Cubs | 5.4 | All-Star, Gold Glove, $115M ext |
| Pete Alonso | Free agent (’25) | Orioles | 3.2 | $155M/5yr |
| Brandon Nimmo | Traded for Semien (’25) | Rangers | 2.8 | Career-high 25 HR |
| Edwin Diaz | Free agent (’25) | Dodgers | 1.5 | $69M/3yr |
| Max Scherzer | Traded deadline (’23) | Rangers | 0.5 | Aging legend |
| Justin Verlander | Traded deadline (’23) | Astros | 0.3 | Returned to Houston |
| Jett Williams | Traded for Peralta (’26) | Brewers | — | Top prospect, .333 spring |
| Brandon Sproat | Traded for Peralta (’26) | Brewers | — | Opening Day rotation |
| Luisangel Acuna | Traded for Robert Jr (’26) | White Sox | 0.5 | 95 games in 2025 |
| Alumni Total | 14.2 | |||
| What the Mets Got Back | ||||
| Javier Baez (for PCA) | 2-month rental | Left for Detroit | -0.5 | Terrible with DET |
| Marcus Semien (for Nimmo) | Trade | 2B, 2026 Mets | 2.0 | Gold Glove, aging bat |
| Luis Robert Jr (for Acuna) | Trade | CF, 2026 Mets | 1.5 | Walk-off HR Opening Day |
| Freddy Peralta (for Williams+Sproat) | Trade | SP, 2026 Mets | 3.0 | All-Star arm |
| Drew Gilbert (for Verlander) | Trade | OF prospect | — | Still in system |
| Ryan Clifford (for Verlander) | Trade | OF prospect | — | Still in system |
| Jorge Polanco (replaced Alonso) | FA signing | 1B, 2026 Mets | 2.5 | $20M/yr vs $31M |
| Devin Williams (replaced Diaz) | FA signing | CL, 2026 Mets | 2.0 | Elite closer |
| Return Total | 10.5 | |||
| Net Balance: -3.7 WAR | ||||
“The Mets didn’t lose Pete Crow-Armstrong. They traded him for 47 games of a shortstop who signed with Detroit and hit .230. That’s not a trade. That’s a donation.”
— The Sports PageThe Crow-Armstrong Catastrophe: A Cost-Benefit Analysis
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Historical Parallels
The Mets traded Nolan Ryan to the Angels for Jim Fregosi after the 1971 season. Ryan went on to win 324 games, throw 7 no-hitters, and make the Hall of Fame. Fregosi hit .232 in 146 games as a Met. It’s considered the worst trade in baseball history — and the PCA trade is tracking to be its modern echo. The Mets have a type: they trade generational talent for short-term fixes that don’t fix anything.
Here’s the counterargument: the 2025 Mets had Alonso, Nimmo, Diaz, and a loaded roster. They started 45-24, the best record in baseball, with a 96.2% playoff probability. Then they went 38-55 and missed the postseason entirely. Having the talent wasn’t enough. The trades and departures that followed weren’t just about saving money — they were about admitting that this group, as constructed, couldn’t finish what it started.
