The New York Mets strengthened their center field defense by trading for Cedric Mullins.

With a largely healthy roster and the strongest offensive core in nearly a decade, the Mets, currently leading their division, are poised for a playoff push as they enter late July. They became one of the most active teams before the trade deadline, completing a last-minute deal with the Baltimore Orioles for center fielder Cedric Mullins just two hours before the deadline.

Mullins joined along with three relief pitchers—Ryan Helsley, Tyler Rogers, and Gregory Soto—making it the largest scale enhancement for the Mets at the deadline. The Mets did not sacrifice any of their top nine prospects to acquire these players.

【Trade Details】
Mets received: Outfielder Cedric Mullins
Orioles received: Right-handed pitcher Anthony Nunez (14th-ranked prospect in the Mets' farm system), right-handed pitcher Raimon Gómez (30th-ranked prospect), and right-handed pitcher Chandler Marsh.

"Our responsibility is to ensure the team has a chance to make the playoffs every year and ultimately win a World Series championship," said Mets' President of Baseball Operations David Stearns. "That is the goal of the team's operations. Therefore, I do not view our current competitiveness as a specific moment but rather as the beginning of maintaining top-level performance over the long term."

"The trades made in recent days enhance our competitiveness this season without compromising our future—we have not substantively sacrificed those with extremely high potential as future stars."

To acquire Mullins, the Mets sent three unselected minor league relief pitchers, aligning with their overall trade strategy of "enhancing immediate performance without sacrificing future assets." The four new players are all on rental contracts and can become free agents after the season.

"We certainly considered acquiring players with years of control," Stearns said, "but ultimately determined that these trades best align with the interests of the team and organization."

Enhancing the relief pitching was the Mets' primary goal at the deadline, while center field was a secondary focus. This position had primarily been manned by Jeff McNeil and Tyrone Taylor. Although McNeil's offensive output has been stable, he is not a pure center fielder; Taylor, while defensively strong, has offensive statistics that rank among the worst for outfielders in the league.

Mullins, an All-Star in 2021 known for his defense, will bolster this position. His addition allows McNeil to shift to various infield positions, creating a ripple effect in the lineup: if McNeil primarily plays second base, Brett Baty will transition to a full-time third baseman, and Ronny Mauricio can also play third base while sharing designated hitter duties with Mark Vientos. (Note: Non-English names have had their parentheses removed.)

Sources revealed that the Mets were open to trading Baty, Mauricio, Vientos, and Luisangel Acuña during negotiations, but ultimately did not move any of them, only using minor assets to acquire Helsley, Rogers, Soto, and Mullins. "We are very pleased with the players we successfully brought in," Stearns emphasized.

The 30-year-old Mullins has posted a batting line of .229/.305/.433 over 91 games this season with the Orioles. As the longest-tenured player in the team’s history, he had a breakout year in 2021, earning All-Star and Silver Slugger honors, hitting .291 with 37 doubles, 5 triples, 30 home runs, and 30 stolen bases in 159 games, achieving the franchise's only "30-30" season.

Since then, Mullins' performance has declined, with batting averages of .241/.310/.412 from 2022 to 2025. However, he has shown signs of resurgence, posting .321/.333/.547 since July 10, with four multi-hit games in his last five contests. His baserunning ability is also among the best in the league. As the regular leadoff hitter in Baltimore, he is expected to provide speed at the back end of the Mets' lineup.

"We often discuss the non-statistical impact players have on games," Stearns pointed out, "and we believe Cedric can bring multiple contributions in this area."

The three players the Mets sent to acquire Mullins were previously considered unknowns just a year ago—thanks to the scouting department. Nunez quickly rose to Double-A after getting an opportunity; Gómez, who signed at 19, boasts top-tier velocity in professional baseball; Marsh joined last year as a non-drafted free agent.

The only area the Mets did not bolster was the starting rotation, which has ranked just 15th in the league in ERA since May 16. However, by assembling one of the top bullpens in the league, the team believes it can reduce reliance on lesser starting pitchers and looks forward to top prospects Nolan McLean, Brandon Sproat, or Jonah Tong providing support later in the season.

"As I have always emphasized, there are various ways to build a pitching staff," Stearns stated, "and this time we focused on the back end of the staff—the bullpen—and we are very satisfied with the pitching strength we acquired."