Correa Saga Should Not Define Mets Off-Season

Perspective is everything. And, when it comes to breaking down and assessing the offseason for the New York Mets, perspective is indeed important.

Memories can be very short in sports but that shouldn’t be the case with the Mets, despite the disappointing ending to the Carlos Correa saga. Owner Steve Cohen didn’t win that particular battle, but this off-season should still be viewed as a success for the front office.

After all, the team were able to accomplish a number of goals across a plethora of different fronts. They re-signed elite reliever Edwin Díaz to a record breaking five-year, $102 million deal. And they kept a key piece of their outfield and clubhouse by giving an eight-year, $162 million contract to Brandon Nimmo.

Furthermore, the front office absorbed the blow of losing a star pitcher in Jacob deGrom by going out and signing three-time Cy Young Award winner Justin Verlander in free agency. Verlander was one of the best pitchers in all of baseball in 2022, posting a 1.75 ERA with a 18-4 record. He certainly gives the Mets a proven and lethal one-two punch at the top of the rotation with fellow veteran Max Scherzer.

Having also lost Chris Bassitt and Taijuan Walker t0 free agency, general manager Billy Eppler rebuilt his rotation by bringing in veteran José Quintana, The Mets also signed Japanese star Kodai Senga, who possesses a high ceiling as a number three starter.

There were also improvements made to the bullpen through the additions of veteran reliever David Robertson and lefty Brooks Raley from the Tampa Bay Rays.

Of course, there’s still work to be done. A further  addition to the bullpen may be needed, as reports state that the Mets are interested in former Yankees reliever Zack Britton. The front office is still very engaged in adding outfield depth too, with Tommy Pham the latest name to be floated as a potential solution.

There’s also the hope that phenom prospect Francisco Álvarez can make the step up to the majors on a full-time basis. Plus, Omar Narváez should be an upgrade offensively over James McCann, who was traded to the Baltimore Orioles. Other prospects like Brett Baty and Mark Vientos could also step up to provide an offensive boost in 2023.

Granted, there is no getting away from the fact that the Mets would have been a better team with Correa on the roster. He would have injected some pop into a lineup that tied for 15th in home runs in 2022. Further, his electric play at the plate and on the base paths would have added a different dynamic to this offense too.

There’s also Correa’s ability with the glove. The Gold Glove and Platinum Glove winner can execute highlight-reel plays in the field, he’s a true master of his craft and he would have given the Mets one of the best infields in all of baseball. Not to mention that he’s built to thrive under the bright lights of New York.

However, while Correa would have been a nice luxury to have, it has still been a strong offseason for the Mets. They rebuilt their rotation, bolstered their bullpen, re-signed a couple of key pieces and there will likely be more moves to come before Spring Training gets underway in a couple of months. Plus, it is easy to forget that this Mets offense still ranked as one of the best in baseball in a number of different categories in 2022.

Lastly, the fact that Cohen ultimately missed out on Correa means he will likely be even more motivated to go out and capture baseball’s white whale in 2023 in Shohei Ohtani. The superstar unicorn would have still been obtainable even with Correa on the roster, as we explored here. However, the Mets will now have even more motivation to go all in for what will be the biggest free agent available in 2024.

Given how the Correa saga played out with all the twists and turns and the consistent stream of false hope, there was always going to be a sense of disappointment after the fact. With that being said, though, perspective is everything. One setback shouldn’t taint what has been a productive and successful offseason so far for a franchise that is firmly in win-now mode.