Yankees reporter has out-of-left-field trade deadline prediction for NYY

While it feels like there is still a lot of offseason left, thanks to the glacial pace at which the free-agent and trade markets are moving, the New York Yankees will welcome pitchers and catchers to Tampa in about a month.

Whether or not we'll see a major addition to the roster in that time is an open question, but that doesn't mean we can't start thinking about how the road ahead will play out. That's what Yankees reporter Pete Caldera has done, coming up with 26 predictions for the club during the 2026 season.

One of those predictions is a wild trade deadline deal between the Yankees and the crosstown New York Mets that would see starting pitcher Luis Gil flipped for third baseman Mark Vientos.

Yankees reporter floats a crazy Luis Gil for Mark Vientos swap at the 2026 trade deadline

In 2024, both of these youngsters looked like building blocks for their respective teams. Gil took home AL Rookie of the Year honors on the strength of a 3.50 ERA over 151 2/3 innings of work. Vientos, meanwhile, put together a powerful campaign in which he slashed .266/.322/.516, slugging 27 homers in just 111 games.

While both showed immense promise, they weren't without their warts. Gil posted an egregious 12.1% walk rate, while Vientos struggled defensively at the hot corner, posting a -6 mark in both defensive runs saved and outs above average.

Last season was the year that both were supposed to take the next step. Instead, both faltered. Gil missed significant time with a right lat strain that kept him out until Aug. 3, and when he returned the dynamic right-hander still struggled with walks, but also saw his strikeout rate plummet from 26.8% in 2024 to 16.8% in 2025.

Vientos also struggled. The right-handed-hitting third baseman was somehow even worse with the glove, and managed just a .233/.289/.413 line at the dish. His place on the Mets' roster is somewhat insecure with fellow third baseman Brett Baty providing a steadier glove and the ability to perform offensively somewhere in between what Vientos did in 2024 and 2025.

In December, the Mets let it be known that they'd listen to offers for Vientos. Over in the Bronx, the stock arrow has been pointing down on Gil, with insiders advocating for either a move to the bullpen or a trade.

So while a swap of two similar assets makes sense on the surface, it's questionable in practice. Vientos would be a right-handed bat to balance the lineup, but part of the reason the Yankees acquired Ryan McMahon was to tighten up the defense. Vientos can play some first base, but he has a limited sample there, and his bat hasn't proven to be consistent enough to displace Giancarlo Stanton at DH.

For the Mets, what they truly need is an ace at the top of their rotation. Between Sean Manaea, Kodai Senga, Clay Holmes, David Peterson, and a trio of young prospects led by Nolan McLean and followed by Jonah Tong and Brandon Sproat, they have more than enough middle and back-end options to fill their rotation. Gil would just be adding to that glut.

Since this is a deadline prediction, perhaps first-half performances for both of these distressed assets could change the calculus, but if that were to happen, then a trade might not make sense at all. It's an interesting thought exercise, but as things currently stand, it doesn't make sense for either party.