Jeff McNeil “couldn’t be happier” to leave the Mets

The New York Mets are ahead of schedule with their spring cleaning, having already seen Brandon Nimmo, Pete Alonso, and Edwin Diaz, among others, move on.

The latest to leave Queens? Jeff McNeil, who was traded to the Sacramento A's. And let's just say that the main interested party couldn't be happier about this transaction.

It looks like the Mets are going in a different direction, so I knew it was possible. I got a text from David Stearns saying: it was a quick phone call. I thanked him for everything and he thanked me for everything… I'm super excited to be a member of the A's now. It was definitely a crazy day yesterday, but I couldn't be happier.

On November 28, Mike Puma of the New York Post reported that there had been conflict between McNeil and Francisco Lindor in the locker room, culminating in a confrontation during the Mets' June 20 game against the Philadelphia Phillies.

Jeff McNeil on getting traded to the A's: “It seems like [the Mets] are going in a different direction, so I knew it was a possibility. I'm super excited to be an A now. Definitely a crazy day yesterday, but I couldn't be happier.”

McNeil is from SLO and has family in Sacramento.

– Martín Gallegos (@MartinJGallegos) December 23, 2025

This suggested that this tension between Lindor and McNeil, who had already had a physical confrontation in 2021, had created problems in the Mets dressing room and that it had affected the team's chemistry throughout the campaign.

Since it would probably have taken a miracle for Lindor to be traded, it became inevitable that it would be McNeil who would leave.

It remains to be seen whether the 33-year-old will receive a standing ovation when the Athletics visit the Mets at Citi Field, which won't happen until 2027.

This content was created with the help of AI.