With the offseason underway, the Mets have their eyes on the top free agent prize.
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Earlier today, Jon Heyman reported that the Mets have officially scheduled a meeting with superstar free agent Tarik Skubal sometime next week.
Per Heyman’s article, Skubal will be conducting meetings with teams in California as he makes his decision on his team moving forward. This is not the first time a major free agent has met with interested teams in the offseason. The Mets were one of several teams to meet with Juan Soto before deciding to move forward with the Mets.
The Mets will not be alone in the chase for Skubal. Jon Morosi of MLB Network reported that the San Diego Padres are involved, and the Los Angeles Dodgers are seen as another team with major interest. Heyman also noted that Skubal is expected to sign before the December 1lockout, meaning that things are moving quickly and could see resolution in the near future. When asked about a potential Skubal signing, Mets Owner Steve Cohen declined to comment.
Starting pitching is going to be a major need this offseason. Earlier this offseason, Mets President of Baseball Operations David Stearns called it “necessary for us to add to our rotation.” Tarik Skubal, soon to be 30 years old, is likely to set records for both per-year dollars and total dollars for a pitcher, according to Heyman’s article. While Skubal will not be the only pitcher the Mets are linked to, they are the first team linked to an official meeting with the prize of this free agent class.
