From Nolan McLean at Triple-A to Jose Chirinos, who recently got promoted from the Florida Complex League, and every level in between, there is pitching talent with tantalizing potential throughout the organization.

Nolan McLean. Photo Credit: Kylie Richelle

The Stable

The headliners are McLean and Jonah Tong, prospects with big-time helium who are taking off in 2025.

McLean started the year at Double-A, dominated, got promoted to Triple-A, and hasn’t missed a beat. He has an elite sweeper that has been big league ready from the moment he stepped onto a professional mound, a mid-90s heater, a sinker that has been missing bats like crazy, a cutter that has been inducing weak contact, and a changeup and curveball he mixes in occasionally.

Tong boasts the best fastball in the organization. Due to it’s elite IVB (induced vertical break), it was already the best fastball in the organization when he was throwing it in the low-to-mid 90s. Now, he’s routinely throwing it 95 and can get it up to 97. He has a big looping curveball and a slider that can both be plus pitches, but his new Vulcanchange has been a game changer, giving him an effective offspeed pitch that he had been searching for. He’s too good for Double-A, and should probably receive a promotion to Triple-A soon.

There’s also Brandon Sproat, who is probably more of a household name than Tong and McLean despite those two passing him in the prospect ranks. Sproat flew through the minors last year, making it all the way to Triple-A in what was his first season of professional baseball. However, he struggled mightily once he got there, and those struggles have continued in 2025. Sproat has a bunch of solid offerings, but no standout pitch like Tong and McLean. He’s still just 24, and is less than a year removed from dominating hitters at Double-A, so there’s plenty of time for him to right the ship. (He has a 2.25 ERA in his last 16 innings as of publishing.) He remains one of the top pitching prospects in the organization, the hype has just faded a bit.

Blade Tidwell is at Triple-A as well, and he’s been one of the most effective pitchers in the league. Don’t let the 4.02 ERA fool you—that’s pretty good for the International League. It’s also a full run lower since he was returned to Triple-A after making his big league debut a little over a month ago. He got hit around a bit by the Cardinals in that debut, but he has good stuff, and it’s very possible he makes another big league start at some point this season.

Meanwhile, the Binghamton Rumble Ponies have a stacked rotation just one level below. It’s headlined by Tong, but there are multipe probable future big leaguers on that staff as well.

Jack Wenninger. Photo by Kylie Richelle

Jack Wenninger has turned in the fourth-highest strikeout rate among  Double-A qualifiers, only behind Tong, top MLB pitching prospect Chase Burns and rising Cardinals prospect Tekoah Roby. Jonathan Pintaro, a former Division II pitcher who was signed out of indy ball last year, would be near the top of those leaderboards as well if he were qualified. He’s a great story, and while he is older at 27, he’s turned himself into a legitimate prospect in this system. Then there’s Zach Thornton, a southpaw, who rarely walks people while still posting a high strikeout rate. Over his last three starts, he’s given up just three hits and one run over 19 innings while striking out 22 and walking four.

High-A Brooklyn has maybe even more talent. 2024 second-round pick Jonathan Santucci actually has the worst ERA of the bunch at 4.32, but after a rough start he’s thrown 20 and 2/3 innings of one-run ball over his last four starts. Third-rounder Nate Dohm has turned in four good starts after his promotion from St. Lucie, and Noah Hall, Brendan Girton and R.J. Gordon all have ERAs under 3.30 in over 40 innings.

The Cyclones actually have too many pitchers for available starts. Gordon and Girton piggybacked each other earlier this week, with Gordon going the first three and 2/3 and Girton going the next four and 1/3. Two days later, Dohm and Hall did the same, throwing a respective five and four scoreless innings en route to a shutout victory.

It continues down to Single-A St. Lucie and the Florida Complex League. Irving Cota has a 1.85 ERA in 35 innings and even threw five scoreless innings in a spot start at Double-A before being sent back to St. Lucie. Will Watson had success, earning a promotion to Brooklyn in early June. Edgar Moreta and Wellington Aracena have both had strong seasons. Jose Chirinos was great in the FCL, and then threw four and 2/3 scoreless with seven strikeouts in his Single-A debut.

There are more. Joander Suarez had a lot of success at Double-A and is now getting his first taste of Triple-A action. Joel Díaz has had a solid season at High-A. Former top prospect Matt Allan is finally back on the mound, pitching for Brooklyn. These guys might be more like organizational depth pieces, but they have all flashed before.

There are also, of course, relievers. Some are former starters, like Douglas Orellana, Felipe De La Cruz, Saul Garcia, Cameron Foster and Dom Hamel. There are a few fireballers, like Ryan Lambert, Dylan Ross and Raimon Gómez, who are capable of touching triple digits. Then there are other relievers, like Ryan Ammons, Anthony Nunez and TJ Shook, who have consistently turned in good results.

The farm system is deeper than it ever has been before.

The Mets have had groups of highly-touted pitching prospects before. Generation K. The Big 5 of the mid-2010s. Maybe it’s a reminder that so often, prospects don’t pan out as expected. But the Mets have also never had the infrastructure to support these pitching prospects as they do right now.

The Big Picture

The Arizona Diamondbacks just provided the baseball world with an unfortunate reminder this past week with the news of Corbin Burnes needing to undergo Tommy John surgery becoming official—don’t sign starting pitchers to long-term contracts. Develop pitchers, that way you’re not forced to sign free agent starting pitchers to big-money, multi-year contracts.

The Mets have leaned heavily into that philosophy in the first two years under David Stearns. They pursued Yoshinobu Yamamoto, a unicorn in the free agent market at 25 years old, but other than that, they’ve stayed away from the big-name, high-priced free agent pitchers. No Burnes. No Max Fried. No Blake Snell. Fried has been great, but it’s an eight-year contract. That’s a long time to count on a pitcher to be healthy. Burnes and Snell are both already on the shelf.

Instead, the Mets opted for shorter deals. In 2024, it was Sean Manaea and Luis Severino. In 2025, it was Clay Holmes, Griffin Canning, Frankie Montas and re-upping Manaea. Montas and Manaea both opened the season on the injured list, but they are signed to two-year and three-year deals, respectively. There’s no true long-term commitment to either.

Is the Big Money Worth It?

Pitchers are inherently a high-risk free agent buy. Burnes signed a 6-year, $210 million deal with the Diamondbacks this offseason. He will miss the rest of 2025, and there’s a good chance he will miss all of 2026 as well. Arizona will pay him roughly $62 million for what could be 11 total starts from 2025 to 2026. The next time he pitches for the Diamondbacks will likely be when he is 32 years old. He already showed some early signs of decline this year before the injury. Who knows how he will look in 2027, especially coming off a major arm injury? Arizona will then be on the hook for four more years, with Burnes making over $30 million each year, and then owe him over $10 million a year for six more years in deferred money starting in 2031.

The Mets are better equipped than most to withstand injuries to players on big contracts, but no team wants that much dead money on the books. Even Steve Cohen wants to avoid paying people to not play as much as possible.

But how does a smaller market team justify that risk? That much dead money can be a backbreaker for a team that only signs a handful of players to big-money contracts — and “handful” might be too optimistic for a few organizations.

Since 2022, 11 pitchers (and Shohei Ohtani, who is yet to pitch for the Dodgers) have signed 9-digit free agent contracts: Max Scherzer, Robbie Ray, Kevin Gausman, Carlos Rodón, Edwin Díaz, Aaron Nola, deGrom, Yamamoto, Burnes, Fried and Snell. Eight of those 11 pitchers have made at least one trip to the 60-day IL. That includes the youngster Yamamoto, who made just 18 starts for the Dodgers in his rookie season.

Aaron Nola hasn’t, but after signing a seven-year, $172 million deal entering his age-31 season, he’s regressed so much just one year later that his contract is beginning to look like an albatross. He’s also currently on the 15-day IL and just had his return timeline pushed back. Fried hasn’t, and again, has looked fantastic, but he’s just two months into an eight-year deal. Gausman is the outlier, not taking a single trip to the injured list over the three years and change of his five-year deal, and has remained productive.

It’s an unfair line of thinking for pitchers, and it raises a lot of questions about a much larger issue. How does the league balance a need to compensate pitchers fairly for their work with the obligations of a front office to do what’s best for their organization?

Organizations getting what may be the best years of a pitcher’s career, while significantly underpaying them for six years for the value they are providing, and then tossing them aside when they finally have the opportunity to get paid is, to put it bluntly, a pretty crappy way to treat pitchers. However, organizations should always do what is in their best interests as they pursue the ultimate goal of winning a championship, and that includes wisely distributing their payroll. Smart organizations pay players for what they believe they will do over the course of their new contract, not what they have already done.

History shows it is not smart to sign free agent pitchers to long-term contracts, but underpaying pitchers for years only to cut them loose when it’s finally time for them to make money feels borderline predatory. Short-term contracts for pitchers will always exist, but even if they have high average annual values, they lack the security many players desire.

Is the solution players hitting free agency earlier, maybe after four years instead of six (or seven if their service time is manipulated)? That way, players hit free agency younger, they can cash in earlier, and maybe long-term deals for pitchers are more justifiable if that pitcher is 26 or 28 instead of 30 or 32.

Of course, that opens a much, much, MUCH larger can of worms, and would likely have a ripple effect on many other parts of the Collective Bargaining Agreement — too much to get into right now.

It’s such a difficult issue. Players deserve to be compensated fairly for the value they create, but ultimately, teams need to do everything possible to win, and anything less is malpractice. Unfortunately, that usually means staying away from giving long-term free agent deals to pitchers, signing pitchers to short-term deals when needed, and ideally, developing your own pitchers instead of buying them.

The Mets didn’t have a ton of MLB-ready, quality arms in the minor leagues in 2024 or to begin 2025. They turned to undervalued veterans with good tools like Manaea, Canning and the others, and focused on getting the most out of them. Soon, some of those big league starts will be taken by players the Mets have developed through the minor leagues themselves. McLean has the best combination of talent and proximity, but Sproat, Tidwell, Tong, Wenninger, Pintaro and Thornton are all at least at Double-A. Once you reach that level, the big leagues are within striking distance.

Not everyone will stick in the big leagues, but some will, and that’s an exciting thing for Mets fans to look forward to.

The post The Mets Have As Much Pitching Depth As They Ever Have appeared first on Metsmerized Online.

On Wednesday, the Mets finished off their seven-game homestand with a bang.

After a Brett Baty two-run homer off of Zack Wheeler, offense was hard to come by as it was knotted at 2-2 going into the eighth. The Mets’ defense continued to keep them in the game, as Juan Soto gunned out Nick Castellanos at the plate in the eighth inning, eventually sending the game into extras. The culmination of the Mets’ perfect homestand would come with a Starling Marte bloop single into center field, scoring Pete Alonso and securing a 4-3 win for New York. For a full game recap, click here!

This win made the Mets 12-1 to start the season at Citi Field, marking their best home record to start a season in team history.

New York has an off day on Thursday as they travel down to D.C. to kick off a four-game set against the Washington Nationals. Kodai Senga, Clay Holmes, Tylor Megill and Griffin Canning are the expected starters for that series. 

Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images

Latest Mets News

Ryne Stanek raved about the Mets pitching development under this new regime, per David Lennon of Newsday. Stanek said New York’s pitching development is is “as good as anywhere I’ve been.”

Carlos Mendoza told reporters that he expects to reinstate Jeff McNeil and Francisco Alvarez from the 10-day IL on Friday. Click here for more on the two Mets’ expected returns.

Mets traded minor leaguer Rowdey Jordan to the Astros, per Mike Mayer of Metsmerized Online. Jordan was an 11th RD pick in 2021. and has a .683 OPS in the minors.

Mets trainers noticed that one of Edwin Díaz’s legs was longer than the other on Tuesday. They fixed the issue, says Díaz: “I was feeling better after”, per SNY. Edwin left Wednesday’s win with what he labeled as a “hip cramp.” Click here for more on Edwin’s injury.

Latest MLB News

The Atlanta Braves selected RHP Jesse Chavez to the major league roster and transferred INF Nacho Alvarez Jr. to the 60-day injured list. 

The Philadelphia Phillies reinstated INF/OF Weston Wilson from the 10-day IL and in return designated INF/OF Kody Clemens for assignment.

The Chicago Cubs signed Nicky Lopez to a one-year major league contract and transferred LHP Justin Steele to the 60-day IL.

Athletics reliever José Leclerc is going to get a second opinion when the A’s are in Texas next week after going down with a lat strain, per Martín Gallegos of MLB.com. He’s shut down for the time being with no timetable for a return.

Dodgers pitcher Blake Snell “didn’t feel great” after playing catch on Tuesday per Dave Roberts. Snell will be shut down from throwing and might go for more imaging, per Fabian Ardaya of The Athletic.

Latest on MMO

Edwin Díaz left Wednesday’s win with a hip cramp.

Jeff McNeil and Francisco Alvarez are expected to return this weekend!

The Mets finish off a perfect homestand!

On This Date in Mets History

2013: Jordany Valdespin hits a walk-off grand slam to give the Mets a 7-3 win over the Dodgers. 

2007: Pinch-hitter Damion Easley ties the Mets at one a piece with the Colorado Rockies in the 10th inning with the club down to their last strike. Endy Chávez would then win the game in the 12t inning with a walk-off drag bunt.

1986: Howard Johnson launches a two-run homer to tie the Mets and Reds in the ninth inning. George Foster then puts the Mets ahead in the 10th with an RBI single. 

1962: Casey Stengel is fined $500 by commissioner Ford Frick for appearing in a Rheingold Beer advertisement while in uniform.

Born on This Date: Tyler Naquin (1991), Carlos Beltrán (1977), Pat Zachry (1952).

The post Morning Briefing: Mets Continued Historic Start at Citi Field appeared first on Metsmerized Online.

The deal is reportedly for four-years, $72 million, and the Dodgers add him to a bullpen that includes Blake Treinen (who the Dodgers also re-signed this offseason) and Michael Kopech.

Scott pitched for the Miami Marlins and San Diego Padres last year. He posted a 1.75 ERA in 72 innings to go along with 22 saves and 104 strikeouts. He has a 2.04 ERA over the last two seasons. 

The best reliever on the market is now the latest to join the Dodgers. A team that has been very active in free agency as they pursue a second consecutive World Series title and a third in six years. They’ve signed Scott, Sasaki, Blake Snell, brought back Treinen, Hyeseong Kim, Michael Conforto and were able to re-sign Teaoscar Hernandez. With the signing of Scott, the Dodgers continue to show the Mets and the rest of MLB that they will be the team to beat this year.

The post Report: Tanner Scott Signs With The Los Angeles Dodgers appeared first on Metsmerized Online.

With Blake Snell heading to the Dodgers (five years, $182 million) and Yusei Kikuchi going to the Angels (three years, $63 million) on Monday, teams looking for starting pitching like the Mets suddenly find themselves with fewer options to bolster their rotations.

Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images

Corbin Burnes (MLB Trade Rumors projects seven years, $200 million) and Max Fried (MLB TR projects six years, $156 million) remain the best available. A tier below those two are Jack Flaherty and Sean Manaea. Japanese starter Roki Sasaki, viewed by scouts to have ace potential, is expected to sign in January at a below-market deal as an international amateur. David Stearns went to Japan to get a look at Sasaki in September, though the Dodgers and Padres are considered favorites to sign the 23-year-old.

The Mets, with three holes to fill as Manaea, Luis Severino and Jose Quintana became free agents this offseason, have plenty of competition. The Red Sox, Padres, Cubs, Yankees, Orioles, Giants, Tigers and others are in the hunt for starters.

Stearns said after the season that the Mets would have to add starters, but not necessarily a “name brand” pitcher. The SP depth chart right now: Kodai Senga, David Peterson, Paul Blackburn and Tylor Megill.

“This isn’t new to us,” Stearns said at an Oct. 23 news conference. “We faced a similar task last offseason. We’re going to have to replace innings. Certainly a part of that could potentially be from some of those guys returning or we may look elsewhere. But we’re going to have to add starting pitching, we’re going to have to add multiple starters. We understand that. We went into last offseason with the same need and I think we’ll be able to do it.”

The post For Starters, Market Beginning to Thin appeared first on Metsmerized Online.

Mark Feinsand of MLB.com first reported that the deal is for five years. Jeff Passan of ESPN was first with the cash value, which is $182 million. Fabian Ardaya of The Athletic added that the deal includes some deferred money.

The contract includes a $52 million signing bonus, which Jack Harris of the Los Angeles Times was the first to report. Jon Morosi of MLB Network added that there are no opt-outs, and it includes a limited no-trade clause, per Feinsand.

Photo Credit: Jay Biggerstaff-Imagn Images

Snell, 31, was one of the top arms on the market alongside right-hander Corbin Burnes. Last season with the Giants, he threw a no-hitter and posted the highest SO/9 of his career at 12.55, to go along with a 3.12 ERA.

He joins a loaded Dodgers team that just won the World Series and was led by Shohei Ohtani, who is expected to return to the mound next year. Ohtani owns the most notorious deferred contract in the sport, with $680 million out of his $700 million deferred over the course of a decade. The Dodgers’ projected rotation now includes Snell, Ohtani, Tyler Glasnow (who made 22 starts with a 3.49 ERA but missed the postseason) and Japanese phenom Yoshinobu Yamamoto.

Feinsand added that the Yankees, Red Sox and Orioles were all serious contenders for Snell before he reached a deal with the Dodgers. Nothing definitive was ever reported about the Mes making a run for him.

Snell spent the first five years of his career with the Rays and the next three with the Padres. He only spent one with the Giants and made just 20 starts, missing most of June with a left groin injury. He struggled badly before the injury, with a 9.51 ERA, but dominated to the tune of a 1.23 ERA the rest of the way.

Snell is often criticized for struggling with walks and short outings. But his BB/9 was the best of his career last season at a sparkling 2.54. And he still averaged over five innings a start.

He’s won the Cy Young Award in both leagues — the American League in 2018 and the National League in 2023. His career ERA is 3.19 across more than 1,000 MLB innings.

The Mets have previously been reported to have interest on Burnes, whom the attention will shift to on the starting pitching market with Snell off the board.

The post Blake Snell to Sign Five-Year Deal With Dodgers appeared first on Metsmerized Online.

There’s no doubt the Mets will continue to make similar one-to-two-year signings for low-risk, high-reward pitchers after their success last year. However, the question remains: will they target a front-line starter? The ace market is thin, and names like Max Fried and, of course, Corbin Burnes and Blake Snell will be on everyone’s radar.

However, of the four, Burnes and Snell stand out as two pitchers who would star as true aces on a team and have done so in the past. So, who should the Mets sign to fill their number one spot in the rotation? A four-time All-Star and NL Cy Young like Burnes or two-time Cy Young winner and ERA leader?

Fellow MMO editor Mathias Altman-Kurosaki and I debate.

Stan Szeto-Imagn Images

Sign Blake Snell

If you asked me in June who my top pitching target was, the answer would’ve been Corbin Burnes. Once Snell returned from the injured list though, he was arguably the best pitcher in baseball. From July 9 until the end of the season, Snell had a 1.23 ERA with 114 strikeouts and held opponents to a .382 OPS over 80 1/3 innings. This dominant stretch included a no-hitter against the Reds. What this tells me is that with a normal spring training, Blake Snell has the potential to contend for another Cy Young award. Snell has had control problems in the past, making him a riskier arm, but he was able to keep the walks in check in 2024, especially when he came back from the IL. At this point, Snell has a higher ceiling than Burnes and will be worth the contract he’s commanding.

Corbin Burnes, Photo by Jonathan Dyer-USA TODAY Sports

Sign Corbin Burnes

It’s crazy to say Corbin Burnes struggled in 2024 while still posting a 2.92 ERA. Yes, he went through some rough stretches but worked to adjust a few pitch mechanics, specifically on his cutter, and the ace was back to normal. The O’s gave up a hefty haul for a year of Burnes, and he delivered another sub-3.00 ERA, his fifth in seven years of big league play. Arguably the best starter in the 2024-2025 free agent class, Burnes ranked in the 98th percentile in run value, 96th percentile in fastball run value, 88th percentile in breaking run value, 95th percentile in hard-hit percentage, 91st percentile in fastball velocity and 89th percentile in chase percentage.

While there are concerns regarding Burnes striking out a career-low 23.1% of batters in 2024, his velocity shows no signs of decline. According to Baseball Savant, his average fastball velocity in 2024 sat at 95.5 mph, up from 94.5 mph in 2023 and matching his 2021 Cy Young winning season velocity. While he may not be the strikeout pitcher he once was, there’s more said for durability. Since debuting in 2018, Burnes has only spent time on the IL twice, and once was for COVID-19.

He possesses a clutch factor — a 2.33 career ERA in the postseason. He most recently pitched eight innings of one-run ball for the Orioles against the Royals in Game 1 of the AL Wild Card Series.

While strikeouts and flashy awards are sexy at the end of the day, durability cannot be overlooked. His contract will be hefty, certainly over the $200 million mark, but at the end of the day, the Mets need a bona fide ace. Burnes fits that role and can act as a mentor to younger pitchers in the organization as well.

The post Crossfire: Sign Corbin Burnes or Blake Snell? appeared first on Metsmerized Online.

So, with all that in mind, let’s take a look at the biggest needs the Mets have this offseason, ranking them in order of most importance.

Photo Credit: Orlando Ramirez-Imagn Images

1. Starting Pitching

As we enter the offseason, there are a bevy of question marks surrounding the starting rotation for the 2025 season. Both Sean Manaea and Luis Severino are free agents after rejecting their qualifying offers. Jose Quintana is also hitting the open market. Kodai Senga was unable to stay healthy in 2024, And, as good as he was last year, David Peterson isn’t a top-of-the-rotation arm.

Therefore, the Mets have some vacancies to fill in their rotation. And, as the old adage goes, you can’t win in baseball without good starting pitching. As such, the front office need to aggressively pursue at least two top of the market arms. Corbin Burnes would be the obvious candidate, but he will likely command a long-term contract. That could be risky for a pitcher who is 30-years-old. Another great top market option would be Blake Snell, who might be available on a shorter-term deal based off how he handled free agency previously.

Looking outside of free agency, the Mets could look to trade for a young stud like White Sox ace Garrett Crochet. The left-handed pitcher posted a 3.58 ERA with 200 strikeouts in 146 innings in 2024; his first full season as a starter in the bigs. Crochet is a stud on the mound, one who will make just $3 million in 2025 through arbitration. He’s under team control through the 2026 season. Plus, Crochet has indicated that he would be willing to sign a long-term contract with a new team. However, the White Sox are looking for position prospects in return and it remains to be seen if the Mets would be willing to give up high-ranking members of their farm system.

Either way, the fact remains that the Mets need to add two or three impact arms to their starting rotation this winter. Given how crucial pitching is, coupled with the holes in that rotation, going out and signing frontend starters should be the main priority for New York.

Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images

2. Bring Back Sean Manaea

Okay, so this is still related to starting pitching. But, given how important he was last year for the Mets, he deserves his own section. The veteran authored a fine comeback year in Queens in 2024, emerging as the team’s best and most reliable starter. He went 12-6 with a 3.47 ERA to go along with 184 strikeouts across 181 2/3 innings. As a result, Manaea finished 11th in Cy Young voting. Having predictably turned down his option, Manaea is now a free agent and will no doubt have offers.

However, given the current state of the rotation, the Mets need to do all they can to bring back Manaea on a multi-year deal. Paul Blackburn, Tylor Megill, and even Kodai Senga are all question marks at this point. David Peterson was lights out in 2024, but he’s more of a back-of-the-rotation starter.

Manaea would automatically become the team’s second or third starter, depending on who else the Mets go after in free agency. A top two of either Corbin Burnes/Blake Snell and Manaea would be a clear upgrade on what the Mets had at the top of the rotation last year. Manaea proved in 2024 that he can be a reliable frontend arm, and he’s earned the right to pitch in Queens for the next few years.

Photo Credit: Ken Blaze-Imagn Images

3. Juan Soto

This is an obvious one. You can read a deep dive on the prized free agent here. And it is true. If this team wants to take the next giant leap to true contender status in 2025, getting Soto on the roster would help make that goal a heck of a lot more attainable. The 26-year-old is a true generational hitter and he would give the Mets a legit  star to pair with Francisco Lindor.

Soto would become the Mets’ version of Aaron Judge or Shohei Ohtani. He is the modern-day version of Ted Williams, and is in the prime of his career. By shelling out the mega-bucks on a marquee box office star like Soto, New York would be making it clear it intends to compete for multiple World Series titles over the next decade-plus.

The time is now for this franchise to sign their own superstar. Soto ticks all the boxes, and his arrival in Queens would be a true game-changer for this organization on and off the field.

Brad Penner-Imagn Images

4. The Corner Infield Spots

Do the Mets keep Pete Alonso? Or does the slugger opt to go elsewhere? That’s one of the most pressing questions facing the Mets’ front office this winter. The answer to that question will also have a slew of ramifications on everything else the team decides to do this offseason.

For instance, if Alonso does return, then the Mets will stand pat at the corner infield spots heading into the 2025 season. However, if Alonso opts to sign elsewhere, Mark Vientos would seemingly shift over to first base. That would open up a spot at third base. Could the front office afford to sign Juan Soto, two-to-three starters and Alex Bregman to be their new third baseman? Or would a trade for Nolan Arenado be the better option? The Cardinals are thought to be willing to move Arenado, who is an absolutely defensive wizard at the hot corner.

There is no doubt that the Mets would be a better team defensively with Arenado at third. And, although he had a down year offensively last season, he still hit 26 home runs and 26 doubles as recently as the 2023 season. Granted, most Mets fans would love to see Alonso back in a Mets uniform next year and beyond. But, given that the four-time All-Star doesn’t really offer a whole lot outside of power and home runs, the front office may decide to move on in order to strengthen other areas of the team.

No matter how you slice it, though, the Mets have a major decision to make when it comes to Alonso. His return, or non-return, will impact how this roster looks in 2025 in a big way.

Photo Credit: Neville E. Guard-USA TODAY Sports

5. Add Depth

One of the biggest differences between the Mets and the Dodgers in the National League Championship Series was lineup depth. L.A. boasted a longer and more dangerous lineup, advancing as a result. The Mets certainly need to lengthen their lineup this offseason. However, the overall lack of depth across the entire roster needs addressing. Urgently.

Firstly, the outfield needs bolstering. As it stands, Brandon Nimmo is the only everyday player. Starling Marte hasn’t been able to stay healthy the past couple of years, and he isn’t exactly getting any younger, either. Tyrone Taylor had a terrific year in a fourth outfielder role, but is not exactly an everyday player. However, the recent addition of Jose Siri from the Rays, does give the Mets an elite defensive tandem out in center field. Of course, landing Juan Soto would obviously solve the everyday problem in right field, giving New York elite quality and depth in the outfield.

Secondly, this team will need more impact bats. Even if Soto signs, the Mets could do with a big bat to pair for either the designated hitter spot, if Pete Alonso doesn’t return, or at the other corner infield spot. They will also need to figure out the bottom of the lineup given that both Jose Iglesias and Jesse Winker are free agents. Furthermore, the starting rotation needs filling out, as already mentioned, and the bullpen is in need of some high-leverage arms to slot in behind Edwin Díaz.

If the Mets want to compete in 2025, they will need to sign some high-value players in order to fill out the roster in addition to going big-fish hunting for the likes of Juan Soto.

The post Five Wishlist Items For The Mets This Winter appeared first on Metsmerized Online.

Like many Met fans, I have been thinking nonstop about how I would construct the 2025 World Series-winning Mets. I did say I was biased, right? Back to my introduction. We’ve all wanted to play GM and put ourselves at the helm, so I figured why not put pen to paper on my version of what I think could play out this offseason? Some may agree, and many more will disagree, but that’s what makes the offseason fun.

Creating a Potent Lineup

Sign Juan Soto: A domino creating a 10-year win-now window. It is no secret that the Mets have had their eye on Juan Soto since he was mashing for the Nationals. Now the time has come, go all in on Soto. He is potentially the most exciting offensive player to hit the free agent market since….Bryce Harper? Looking ahead at future free agency classes, there are good but not generational talents available. Creating a lineup that starts with Francisco Lindor, Juan Soto, and Mark Vientos will make the Mets a scary proposition for opposing pitchers for years to come. 

Let Pete Alonso Go (Maybe): Okay, maybe it’s not that simple. It all comes down to value. Pete Alonso has been a mainstay in the Mets lineup for the last six years. ROY, constant home runs, and homegrown… how could you let this guy go? It would not be so easy for the fans to see Pete in another team’s uniform. My grandma, 86 years young, has claimed she will not root for the Mets if they don’t re-sign Pete (this is the same woman who called the former Brooklyn Dodgers owner when there were rumors of trading Jackie Robinson). We know that isn’t true (hopefully), but I feel the sentiment could be true for Met fans, especially after this past playoff run. The true test for Stearns and the front office is how much they value a negative defensive first baseman who as of next year is on the wrong side of 30.

I would pencil Pete in for 30+ home runs over the next few years, but when does he turn into an everyday DH? My take is if you can sign Pete to a 5-140m deal, I would do it. Make him the highest-paid first baseman on an AAV basis, but don’t hurt your future in the process. Pete can break the Mets home run record, win a World Series in Queens, and have his number retired in Citi. If the price moves higher, I think the Mets need to consider other options, such as Christian Walker. You wouldn’t be tied down long-term, he has 30+ home runs a year potential and provides a perfect end gap to up-and-coming power prospects who slot in at first base. If the price for Walker becomes too steep, the Mets should consider moving Mark Vientos to 1B and replacing him with a better glove at third base.  

Trade Starling Marte: It is no secret that Starling Marte has been underwhelming defensively in the outfield. His -8 OAA in RF ranked second to last in all of MLB, and the kicker is that he only played 94 games in the 2024 regular season. With the prospects of signing Juan Soto, who is a negative-5 OAA on his own (how he is up for gold glove is crazy), you simply can’t construct an outfield with Soto and Marte regularly playing the corners. Better yet, it is not in David Stearn’s DNA to do so. The Mets should look to trade Marte for a decent reliever (hello, Mariners). They would need to eat a bit of cash to make it happen, but in the end, unloading him gives the team more flexibility going into next season. After the most recent trade to acquire Jose Siri, the Mets locked up their 2025 centerfield situation with two plus-range outfielders to hopefully cover for Mr. Juan Soto. I liked this move because Siri is cheap enough to have a reduced role if Drew Gilbert forces his way on the roster with a strong spring training or AAA start. 

Jose Iglesias?: This is hard. He was one of the sparks that turned around the Mets season. The team rallied around (a Latin pop star) a career .283 hitter. His defensive metrics don’t paint the picture that he is sure-handed in the infield, but he passes my eye test. I think if the price is right, you consider re-signing him for the purpose of clubhouse comradery and infield security blanket. My only hesitation is the Mets have Ronny Mauricio, Brett Baty, Luisangel Acuña, and Jett Williams biting at the opportunity to do what Vientos did in 2024. The final choice is that I would prefer to give a younger guy a chance. This will also serve as the chance for prospects to showcase their ability to play for the club. Only a year ago, the Mets signed J.D. Martinez to a one-year deal, pushing Vientos off the roster. I don’t think the Mets go down that road again. It would be best if you let young talent flourish and this open spot allows the chance for a hot spring training prospect to make the big-league team for opening day. 

DH?: DH has been a question mark for the Mets ever since the NL adopted the full-time hitting position. I don’t believe the Mets will want to commit to a long-term multiyear solution for a position not playing the field. Realistically, Mark Vientos should slot in here, but he has earned the right to play the field every day. I ideally would like to re-sign a Jesse Winker-type player who also gives outfield insurance for any injuries. He could hopefully share time with Ronny Mauricio here. Then again, it’s too early to pencil a guy in for a consistent role coming off a torn ACL. 

Photo Credit: Jay Biggerstaff-Imagn Images

Upside Pitching Arms

Unpopular Opinion….Pay Blake Snell and not Corbin Burnes. I know what you are thinking: this guy has only pitched more than 140 innings twice in his nine-year career. My counter is that he has won two Cy Youngs and simply shoves when he’s on. The lack of innings doesn’t scare me, knowing baseball continues to move to a six-man rotation. You need to have a guy you want to give the ball to in the playoffs. Time and time again you see playoff teams focusing on their top three starting arms to carry them throughout the whole playoffs. Look at Marcus Stroman for the Yankees, he is middle market arm who is being paid $18.33 million to not throw a pitch in the playoffs. You need to bite the bullet on a top arm, and I think Snell gives the Mets the opportunity to use Steve Cohen’s financial flexibility to their benefit while not making a long-term investment in a Corbin Burnes-type player (look how well those long-term pitching contracts pay off of). Pay Snell for four years and $150 million with a player option if he reaches an inning count – bringing it to five years and $185 million.. You can overpay here knowing Senga’s cheap for the next few years. 

Sign one of Sean Manaea or Luis Severino: My preference would be Manaea, but it will be interesting to see how much its value has increased over the past few months. Middle of the season you may have thought 3 years for 60 million would get it done…. Not anymore. The Mets need to be smart in this situation, and I would choose either one, whichever presents the best value. If Severino takes a short-term deal, I would pass on Manaea’s long-term contract. We will see how his own attached QO plays out in the market. 

Sign a Project Starter: I thought about trading a few prospects for a solid pitcher on the trade market (like a Garrett Crochet), but I would rather let the farm continue to develop young talent and if needed (if the Mets are in playoff position) trade a few away at the deadline to fill potential holes. That being said, I think Stearns (as I would) goes shopping down the bounce-back candidate aisle. I think Walker Buehler type, but as I write this, Walker Buehler might have earned himself a few more dollars this offseason. Maybe Andrew Heaney or Alex Cobb? One-year deal here. 

Build a solid bullpen: You may be thinking, no s**t, Sherlock. Here is one of the reasons Steve Cohen brought in David Stearns. He has been masterful of identifying arm talent that can be used in high-leverage positions. We just saw the Dodgers showcase how important it is to have not only trustable arms but also a good number of them waiting to be used. I would shy away from expensive closer types (cough cough Tanner Scott) on the market. I would rather gather a collection of multiple trusted high-leverage arms than focus on one shutdown setup/closer (caveat relievers who can throw strikes dependably, please). 

Photo Credit: David Dermer-Imagn Images

How does this team turn out?

Lineup

1. SS – Francisco Lindor
2. RF – Juan Soto
3. 3B – Mark Vientos
4. LF – Nimmo 
5. 1B – Christian Walker 
6. 2B – Jeff McNeil
7. CF- Tyrone Taylor/Jose Siri
8. C – Francisco Alvarez
9. DH/ Utility – One of Mauricio or Acuna with Winker (I would lean playing the younger players if push comes to shove)

Starters 

1. Blake Snell
2. Kodai Senga
3. Sean Manaea or Luis Severino
4. David Peterson (he’s earned his spot)
5. Project Starter (Andrew Heaney/Alex Cobb/Walker Buehler)
6. Megill, Blackburn, Jose Butto, or Prospect (Sproat, Tidwell, Hamel)

Payroll Situation *Contract Predictions from MLB Trade Rumors*

Starting at around $160 million with currently 

Subtract 10m by trading Starling Marte (9.5 million on hook for 2024)

Juan Soto (13-600) 46.15m a year

Blake Snell (5-160) 32m a year 

Sean Manaea (3-60) 20m a year

Project starter 12.5m 

Jesse Winker (1-7.5m) 

20m for bullpen

= 288.15 million

The Steve Cohen tax hits at 301 million. Ideally, they stay below this figure but then again, it’s not my money! The Mets still have plenty of holes on this roster. They could probably use another starting pitcher, but I chose to play the long game. Preserve the prospects we have and allow ourselves to reset the tax for future years. 

That being said…. What do you think the Mets should do? What do you agree with or disagree with? 

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This MMO Fan Shot was contributed by Brian Mengler. Have something you want to say? Share your opinions with the best and most diverse Mets community on the web! Send your Fan Shot to michael.mayer4@gmail.com

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It is worth noting that Snell’s free agency in 2024 went well into Spring Training, with Snell not agreeing to his contract with the San Francisco Giants until March 19th. He is showing that he wants to reach a contract for the 2025 season much earlier. In regards to the Dodgers, Rosenthal writes:

The World Series champion Dodgers also would be an attractive option, particularly if Snell, a Seattle-area native, wants to stay on the West Coast. Dodgers president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman was running the Rays when Tampa Bay selected Snell 52nd overall in 2011.

Rosenthal also mentions to not count out the New York teams as being interested in Snells’ services. However, any team looking for a starter may be scheduling meetings to sign Snell.

In terms of a fit for the Mets, Snell would provide them with a frontline starter who has won two Cy Young awards. There are some questions about his durability, as Snell has only thrown more than 128 innings twice in his nine-year MLB career. However, in the two seasons that he did, he won a Cy Young and pitched 180 innings in both seasons. Snell has big swing-and-miss stuff and threw a no-hitter for the Giants in the 2024 season. While Snell has always been wild, he manages to limit hits, holding his opponents to sub-.200 batting averages each of the last seasons. Snell could slot in as the ace of the rotation ahead of Kodai Senga and David Peterson and provide some veteran leadership to a rotation that might include three new starting pitchers.

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According to Andy Martino of SNY, the New York Mets have checked in on San Francisco Giants starter Blake Snell.

Martino added to this points there’s been no traction. He also confirmed the Giants are wanting top prospects and paying Snell’s whole contract, as of now, doesn’t change that ask.

To read more about Snell, click here.

Updated Post – July 29 @ 4:45 pm ET

According to Bob Nightengale of USA Today, the Yankees are in extensive talks to acquire SP Jack Flaherty from the Tigers.

If the Yankees acquire Flaherty or any other starter, the expectation is they will trade SP Nestor Cortes.

Updated Post – July 29 @ 2:10 PM

According to Jeff Passan of ESPN, the Cardinals, White Sox and Dodgers are in agreement on a three-team trade. Ken Rosenthal and Katie Woo of The Athletic was first with reports that the deal was close. Bob Nightengale of USA Today was first with the return to the White Sox. Robert Murray of FanSided had the news of Pham first.

Cardinals Receive: RHP Erick Fedde, OF Tommy Pham
Dodgers Receive: INF Tommy Edman, RHP Michael Kopech
White Sox Receive: Miguel Vargas, SS Jeral Perez (#18 Dodgers prospect), INF Alexander Albertus (#16 Dodgers prospect)

(Prospect rankings according to Baseball America)

In addition, Jon Heyman of the New York Post reports that Tigers RHP Jack Flaherty is expected to be moved soon as he was scratched from his start tonight to protect him for a possible trade. Andy Martino of SNY notes that it won’t be to the Mets.

Correction: An earlier version of this post noted SS Noah Miller was part of the prospect return from the Dodgers to the White Sox. Jeff Passan confirmed he is indeed not.

Original Post – July 29 @ 1:14 PM

Happy Trade Deadline Eve! A slew of pitchers’ names have been floating around the rumor mill and could be on the move by 6 p.m. ET Tuesday. That doesn’t include Michael Lorenzen (5-6, 3.81 ERA, 1.28 WHIP), who the Kansas City Royals acquired from the Texas Rangers Monday.

After the injuries to Kodai Senga and Christian Scott and the rotation inconsistencies, the Mets (55-50) could use a starter. Here is the latest on some hurlers who could be on the move.

Matt Marton-USA TODAY Sports

White Sox Want to Deal

Chicago White Sox lefty Garrett Crochet (6-8, 3.23 ERA, 1.00 WHIP) leads the American League in strikeouts with 160 (114 1/3 innings) but may have turned some potential suitors off last week when he said he wanted a contract extension if he was traded. He also said he didn’t want to pitch out of the bullpen.

The 25-year-old is in his first year as a starter and said he made those demands for health reasons. He had never pitched more than 54 1/3 innings in a season before this one and missed 2022 after Tommy John surgery.

The Atlanta Braves have expressed interest in Crochet, per Jon Heyman of the New York Post.

Another White Sox pitcher available is right-hander Erick Fedde (7-4, 3.11 ERA, 1.14 WHIP). Heyman reports that the St. Louis Cardinals are showing interest. Fedde is having a renaissance year after spending the 2023 campaign as part of the KBO league.

The Mets have expressed interest in Fedde, going back to this past winter when they were a finalist in signing him, but he ultimately chose the White Sox.

Cy Young Winner Available

Per Jon Morosi of MLB Network, there is a “better than 50 percent chance” that reigning National League Cy Youngwinner Blake Snell is moved. He said the San Francisco Giants (53-55) are trending toward selling and that the Baltimore Orioles and New York Yankees would potentially be interested.

Snell (0-3, 5.10 ERA, 1.28 WHIP) has been disappointing overall, but in his last four starts, he’s given up only two runs in 24 innings. He struck out 15 Colorado Rockies in six scoreless innings on Saturday. It was a career-high in punch outs for Snell.

Lefties On the Block

Morosi also reported that the Orioles are in contact with the Detroit Tigers on a potential deal for left-hander Tarik Skubal (12-3, 2.35 ERA, 0.92 WHIP).

Toronto Blue Jays lefty Yusei Kikuchi (4-9, 4.75 ERA, 1.34 WHIP) has drawn interest from the Los Angeles Dodgers, Minnesota Twins, San Diego Padres and Houston Astros, according to Morosi.

Other Rumors

Other pitchers who have popped up in various trade reports are Detroit’s Jack Flaherty, Nathan Eovaldi of Texas, Jameson Taillon of the Cubs, Tyler Anderson of the Angels and Cal Quantrill of the Rockies.

Where the Mets Stand

It’s a seller’s market out there. Asking prices are astronomical, and Andy Martino of SNY noted it may have changed their plans in approaching their deadline targets. Either way, the Mets will add; it will just be a matter of what tier from and who they are willing to part with.

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