Why the Mets Walked Away from Edward Cabrera: Brett Baty, A.J. Ewing, and the Value of Patience

In the fast-moving world of Major League Baseball trades, the smallest decisions can have enormous ripple effects across a roster. Such was the case recently with the New York Mets and their reported discussions with the Miami Marlins over right-handed pitcher Edward Cabrera. According to Sports Illustrated’s Pat Ragazzo, the talks became surprisingly specific: Miami was asking for two significant pieces in return—third baseman Brett Baty and up-and-coming outfield prospect A.J. Ewing.

On paper, the offer might have looked straightforward. Cabrera, a hard-throwing righty with a mid-rotation ceiling, represented a potential upgrade for a Mets pitching staff that has been searching for consistency. But the price—Baty and Ewing—gave New York pause. Ultimately, the Mets walked away, a decision rooted not in undervaluing Cabrera but in protecting the structural integrity of their roster.

The Value of Brett Baty

Brett Baty has long been viewed as a cornerstone for the Mets’ future. The 25-year-old third baseman has demonstrated power, plate discipline, and defensive versatility at a position where stability has been elusive for the franchise. Trading him would have solved one problem but created another: an immediate hole at third base.

As former Mets executive Brodie Van Wagenen once famously said, “You don’t fill a hole by creating a new one.” That principle seems to have guided the team’s decision-making here. Adding Cabrera to the rotation would have come at the expense of a young, controllable, and potentially franchise-altering infielder. For a Mets team already navigating multiple roster gaps, opening up a fourth hole simply to acquire a mid-rotation arm didn’t make sense.

Even if Cabrera had performed at the level many projected, the Mets would have been left with a dilemma: How do you replace Baty at third? Options like Alex Bregman in free agency could be pursued, or a platoon between Mark Vientos and Ronny Mauricio could be implemented, but neither represents a long-term solution. The calculus clearly favored patience.

A.J. Ewing: A Prospect Too Valuable to Move

The second piece the Marlins requested, A.J. Ewing, was perhaps the deal-breaker. The 21-year-old outfielder has turned heads throughout the Mets’ farm system, boasting a .339 average in his brief stint in Double-A and demonstrating remarkable speed with a combined 70 stolen bases from A-Ball through Double-A. Beyond raw tools, Ewing has shown defensive versatility, spending significant time in center field while also logging innings at second base.

For the Mets, Ewing represents a potential future cornerstone, a player who could fill the role that scouts and front-office insiders initially envisioned for Luisangel Acuña. Moving him for a pitcher who, while talented, had yet to fully establish himself at the MLB level, would have carried immense risk. In other words, the Mets weren’t just valuing the present—they were safeguarding the future.

The Trade Calculus: Risk vs. Reward

When evaluating any trade, the question is always “what’s the real cost?” In this scenario, the Mets appeared to conclude that the cost—two highly valuable pieces—outweighed the potential short-term reward of adding Cabrera. It’s a philosophy grounded in modern roster construction: controllable young talent, positional depth, and pipeline health often outweigh the allure of a single addition, no matter how enticing.

Hypothetically, if the Marlins had requested different players, such as Ronny Mauricio and Jett Williams, would the Mets have approached the negotiation differently? Perhaps. But as things stood, the combination of Baty and Ewing represented too much immediate and future value to surrender. It wasn’t a rejection of Cabrera himself; rather, it was a strategic decision about overall roster stability and asset management.

A Broader Strategic Lens

The Mets’ approach reflects a broader trend in MLB front offices: the premium on controllable, high-upside talent. Pitching is always in demand, but trading young, high-ceiling position players carries long-term consequences. By declining the Cabrera deal, New York signals that it prefers to rely on internal pitching options, free-agent acquisitions, or alternative trade routes rather than mortgaging the future for a mid-rotation arm.

It also illustrates a subtle but important point about trust in development. The Mets clearly believe in both Baty and Ewing, and walking away from the deal communicates that the organization is committed to nurturing these players rather than using them as trade chips. That kind of patient approach often pays dividends when prospects reach their potential.

Conclusion: Patience Over Impulse

Ultimately, the Mets’ decision to turn down the Cabrera trade underscores a key principle of modern MLB management: sometimes the best move is not making a move at all. While the Marlins’ offer of Baty and Ewing was straightforward in theory, the implications for the Mets’ roster—both immediately and long-term—were too significant.

For now, the Mets will head into 2026 with Baty and Ewing firmly in place, trusting in their development and planning to address pitching needs through alternative means. The Cabrera negotiations may have been high-profile, but they serve as a reminder that in baseball, value is measured not just by what you acquire, but by what you keep.

By protecting two of their most promising assets, the Mets are betting that patience, rather than urgency, will ultimately yield the most reward.