The New York Mets could be doing some due diligence on free agent pitcher Ross Stripling, as reported by MMO’s very own Michael Mayer.

Starting pitching was one of the biggest priorities for the Mets this offseason. The front office made a good start towards accomplishing that goal by signing three-time Cy Young Award winner Justin Verlander to a two-year, $86 million deal on Monday.

However, with Verlander a direct replacement for Jacob deGrom who signed with the Texas Rangers, coupled with the fact that Chris Bassitt and Taijuan Walker are also free agents, there is a lot of work still to be done. As a result, the Mets have been linked with a lot of starters this winter and Andy Martino of SNY has reported that they are on the hunt for a middle-of-the-rotation type arm.

This is where Stripling comes in. Entrenched firmly in the middle tiers of free agent starters available this offseason, the righty was allowed to hit the open market after the Toronto Blue Jays decided against issuing the $19.65 million qualifying offer. Even if Stripling signs elsewhere, the Blue Jays won’t be entitled to draft pick compensation.

Stripling provided Toronto with a quality arm in 2022. Stepping up in the absence of starter Hyun Jin Ryu, Stripling posted a 10-4 record, logging over 134 innings with a 3.01 ERA. He struckout 111 batters, allowed only 20 walks, 49 runs and posted a 129 ERA+, and a 3.11 FIP. The 33-year-old was also worth a 2.7 WAR. Stripling’s highlight came in a game against the Baltimore Orioles on August 17, where he struck out seven and did not walk a batter in 6.1 scoreless innings.

With a 4-seam fastball that sits in the low-90s, Stripling enjoyed a career year in 2022 as he lowered his HR/9 from 2.04 in 2021 to 0.80, he increased his ground ball percentage from 35.5% to 43.8% and his BB/9 fell from 2.66 to 1.34. With a career 3.78 ERA and 622 strikeouts, Stripling is a solid No. 3 or No. 4 starter and he’s perhaps one of the best bargains available this winter.

What makes Stripling a really interesting option is the fact that he can also come out of the bullpen in a relief role. He had one save for the Blue Jays in 2022 and he could be used by the Mets out of the bullpen in a high-leverage spot either down the stretch or in the postseason. That flexibility could provide any team with a real weapon and he could work in long relief if certain starters need more of a rest.

According to Spotrac.com, Stripling is projected to land a four-year, $70,307,620 deal with an average annual salary of $17.5 million. Having already committed big bucks to Verlander and with the market intense for starting pitchers, Stripling represents a real bargain and he could be a cost effective but hugely impactful middle-of-the-rotation starter for the Mets in 2023.