After more than a decade and appearing for 1,000+ games with the New York Mets, longtime outfielder Brandon Nimmo has been traded to the Texas Rangers for second baseman Marcus Semien. That move led many analysts to believe that David Stearns and Steve Cohen are about to go all-in on big trades. But a veteran New York Daily News Mets columnist has a clear reason why the front office won’t make big moves.

MLB Marathon suggested on X that the Mets’ latest deal could push the team to get more aggressive in chasing outfielders like Cody Bellinger or Kyle Tucker.

Bill Madden quote-tweeted that post and firmly added, “This is not happening. With the lockout and all the uncertainty of the next CBA looming, Cohen is out of the big game hunting business. Plus, this adds more AAV (Semien 26 to Nimmo 20) for luxury tax purposes. If any more spending is happening, it’s got to be for starting pitching and Diaz.”

Undoubtedly, the Mets’ interest in $183 million Cody Bellinger is genuine. But whether they can actually make a move is less certain.

A report from The Athletic also highlighted the challenges the Mets could face with their winter strategy.

Ken Rosenthal stated that the Mets will need to clear salary and roster space before considering pursuing top free agents.

That’s what Madden insisted, too.

He said that $3.2 billion owner Steve Cohen is backing away from chasing big, expensive free agents for now. Largely because of the lockout and the uncertainty around the next Collective Bargaining Agreement. In a gist, the Mets have less room to spend now.

Madden seems confident about this.

He even doubled down on National MLB reporter Michael Marino’s post. Marino had suggested that Cody Bellinger, Kyle Tucker, Jarren Duran, Luis Robert, Byron Buxton, and Harrison Bader are all among the potential options for the Mets to add to the outfield. Madden quote-tweeted even that one.

“As I have said, none of these are happening.”

For now, re-signing Pete Alonso and Edwin Diaz has become nearly a must for the Mets. It’s a good first step moving forward after Nimmo’s move.

What does the Brandon Nimmo trade mean for Edwin Diaz?

The Mets are definitely interested in re-signing both. But emotion won’t drive the whole decision.

Any return will primarily depend on what makes sense for the team. According to league sources, the contract length remains a key sticking point in talks with Díaz.

Entering his age-32 season, Edwin Díaz is reportedly seeking the same deal he signed with the Mets in November 2022. That was five years and $102 million, according to The Athletic’s Ken Rosenthal. The Mets, however, are leaning toward a shorter term, possibly around three years.

If they can’t agree, the Mets are expected to turn their focus to free-agent closers Devin Williams and Robert Suárez.

Both are widely regarded as the next-best options behind Díaz. Reports say the Mets have reached out to both camps multiple times in recent weeks.

The Mets aren’t finished yet.

As The Athletic recently reported, they needed to move some players off the roster before seriously chasing big-name free agents. Otherwise, their roster makeup and financial commitments made it too difficult. Trading Nimmo not only cleared space but also made sense given that Semien adds to an already crowded second-base group.