There are still plenty of big-ticket items on Mets’ shopping list
When the Mets walked off the field after losing to the Nationals in the final game of their season in September, they prepared for an offseason that would look a little different. An exciting ownership change quickly took center stage and brought with it new possibilities behind a familiar front-office leader. The Amazin’s inherited an influx of cash from billionaire owner Steve Cohen, which allowed them to fix a glaring need and sign their starting catcher for just north of $40 million.
It’s been a hectic winter in Queens, filled with an owner who cracks “Carvel or black jerseys” jokes on Twitter, a pair of solid acquisitions that would usually amount to the totality of the Mets’ offseason moves, and hot-stove buzz that includes the lovable losers as favorites to land an elite free agent.
For 2021 to be a striking improvement over the Mets’ NL East fourthplace finish in 2020, however, there’s more work to be done. The Mets have just about half of the offseason left to address some, if not all, of their needs.
1) STARTING PITCHING
Sandy Alderson, Jared Porter and Cohen saved about $110 million when they signed James McCann over J.T. Realmuto; the latter currently representing the best catcher in the game. The acquisition, though not entirely unexpected, signaled that the Mets would rather wait and spend their offseason budget on a pricier free agent.
While most of the league is dealing with the aftereffects of 2020’s pandemic baseball season with no fans in the stands, the Mets are publicly bragging about their fat wallet. So it remains a possibility they’re waiting for the best starter on the market in Trevor Bauer — though his price won’t be nearly as high as Gerrit Cole. Team president Sandy Alderson said he can afford to wait to fill some of the team’s needs, but he can’t afford to wait to fill all of them.
Alderson also listed a “glaring need” for a third or fourth starter, which would indicate the Mets are happy with their No. 1 and 2 starters in Jacob deGrom and Marcus Stroman, respectively, until Noah Syndergaard is healed from his elbow surgery. The market for mid-rotation starters includes Masahiro Tanaka, Jake Odorizzi, James Paxton and more who are not exactly back-page grabbing, splashy signings. The Mets’ top target could be someone other than a pitcher.
Adding Trevor Bauer to rotation that features Jacob deGrom would be huge for Mets.
It’s bonkers to think George Springer, a former World Series MVP and three-time All-Star, is expected to be in centerfield for the Mets when they open the season in April. But the Mets have been the favorites to land the outfielder for much of the offseason – ESPN’s Buster Olney even bet his family farm on it – and Springer looks like the natural fit.
Trevor May was Cohen-Alderson’s first significant free-agent splash when the Mets signed him to a twoyear deal earlier this month. The right hander gives the back-end of the bullpen additional depth, especially if the undecided rotation figures to include Seth Lugo as a fifth starter.
The Mets’ relief corps looks solid with Edwin Diaz, Dellin Betances, Jeurys Familia, Miguel Castro, Brad Brach and May. Alderson would prefer the bullpen to be less of a potential worry if Lugo does end up in the rotation and, upon reading the tea leaves, it remains likely the Mets will add another relief arm before the winter is over.
Last week, the Mets were one of the clubs interested in A’s reliever Liam Hendriks, according to ESPN’s Jeff Passan. Alderson and Hendriks worked together in Oakland and the team president name-dropped Hendriks in a recent press conference as someone who turned his career around in the past couple years, much like new catcher McCann. Mets GM Porter also said the Mets will continue to push a deep bullpen. Hendriks is an All Star with a reliable arm — 1.79 ERA and 39 saves over the past two seasons — and would certainly make the Mets’ bullpen a threat.
4) THIRD BASE
The hot corner is definitely less of an offseason priority for the Mets than the three positions already mentioned, but a quick look at the team’s current options doesn’t exactly inspire confidence. J.D. Davis figures to be the Mets starting third baseman if they make no improvements there the rest of the offseason. Andres Gimenez could take reps once in a while and the Amazin’s have even talked to shortstop Amed Rosario about sliding over.
All is not doomed at third base just yet. Though Alderson prefers to acquire his players via free agency so he doesn’t have to give up prospects in an already-depleted farm system, he’s keeping the door open for a blockbuster trade. He said there are “some interesting players on the trade market” and the Mets are evaluating opportunities there. A trade that makes sense for the Mets’ third-base problem includes eight-time Gold Glove winner Nolan Arenado. It would be a huge move for the team’s long-term goals, and one that Alderson may be willing to make if the package is right.