Former Dodgers Players Flock to NL East Rival in Major Shake-Up Ahead of 2026 Season
A significant exodus of talent has taken place within the Los Angeles Dodgers organization, as three former players have signed with arch-rivals, the New York Mets. Austin Barnes, Craig Kimbrel, and Luis Garcia will all don the iconic Met blue this season, marking a major overhaul for both teams.
The departure of Barnes from the Dodgers in May last year was met with surprise, given his extensive experience as the team's primary catcher over several years. At the time, president Andrew Friedman acknowledged the difficulty in making such a decision, highlighting the importance Barnes has played to the organization.
Barnes' new teammate, Kimbrel, spent just one season with the Dodgers in 2022, where he maintained an impressive 3.75 ERA across 60 innings pitched. The two players will reunite on the same team, providing an interesting dynamic for the Mets this season.
Garcia's time with the Dodgers was marked by inconsistency, with a 5.27 ERA in 27.1 innings pitched last year. After being DFA'd at the end of June, he has now joined his new teammates as part of the Mets' roster overhaul.
The winter transfer window saw several key additions for the Mets, including Bo Bichette and Luis Robert Jr., bolstering their playoff aspirations. The acquisition of Barnes and Kimbrel on minor league contracts has significantly strengthened the team's lineup, while Garcia's big league deal adds depth to their bullpen.
As a result, many are now tipping the Mets as serious contenders for the 2026 season, with a reinvigorated roster capable of challenging the Dodgers in the National League East. The stage is set for an exciting showdown between two longtime division rivals, with both teams expected to be major players in the World Series chase.
A significant exodus of talent has taken place within the Los Angeles Dodgers organization, as three former players have signed with arch-rivals, the New York Mets. Austin Barnes, Craig Kimbrel, and Luis Garcia will all don the iconic Met blue this season, marking a major overhaul for both teams.
The departure of Barnes from the Dodgers in May last year was met with surprise, given his extensive experience as the team's primary catcher over several years. At the time, president Andrew Friedman acknowledged the difficulty in making such a decision, highlighting the importance Barnes has played to the organization.
Barnes' new teammate, Kimbrel, spent just one season with the Dodgers in 2022, where he maintained an impressive 3.75 ERA across 60 innings pitched. The two players will reunite on the same team, providing an interesting dynamic for the Mets this season.
Garcia's time with the Dodgers was marked by inconsistency, with a 5.27 ERA in 27.1 innings pitched last year. After being DFA'd at the end of June, he has now joined his new teammates as part of the Mets' roster overhaul.
The winter transfer window saw several key additions for the Mets, including Bo Bichette and Luis Robert Jr., bolstering their playoff aspirations. The acquisition of Barnes and Kimbrel on minor league contracts has significantly strengthened the team's lineup, while Garcia's big league deal adds depth to their bullpen.
As a result, many are now tipping the Mets as serious contenders for the 2026 season, with a reinvigorated roster capable of challenging the Dodgers in the National League East. The stage is set for an exciting showdown between two longtime division rivals, with both teams expected to be major players in the World Series chase.
they're literally loosing all their best players to the mets... i mean i get it the mets have been making some huge moves and it's not like the dodgers were perfect anyway... but still this is getting intense 
️ i'm low-key excited for the mets tho, maybe they can finally dethrone the dodgers in the nl east 
and what about the world series? will it be a matchup between these two teams? so many questions 
. The Mets' additions also make them a dark horse for the World Series - can't wait to see what this season brings! 
Austin Barnes was supposed to be their catcher, so what's going on there? Did he just decide to leave or did the Dodgers actually cut him loose? 
I don't trust their logic. And Craig Kimbrel is like a ghost - one season and then poof! Gone. 
Bo Bichette and Luis Robert Jr.? That's not exactly what I call "quality" players if you ask me... 
Don't get me wrong, they might still be good or whatever, but let's see how they perform before we start hailing them as heroes.
meanwhile barnes is getting a second chance, cool for him! gotta respect kimbrel's 3.75 era tho 
and now it's game on between the dodgers and mets, can't wait for that nl east showdown 
The Dodgers are gonna have to bring their A-game if they wanna take down the Mets this season 
️ #MetsNation #DodgersRejoice #NLEastShowdown #BaseballSeasonIsHere
this is like the worst news ever! my favorite team the dodgers just lost 3 super important players to their biggest rival the new york mets!!! how r they gonna compete without bryan whitmer and Austin Barnes now??? i mean i no the mets are a great team and all but come on dodgers u gotta keep ur superstars 