Here’s a look at the best of what’s left of the free agents out there, whether they would fit the Mets and if there has been any chatter about them coming to New York.

Photo Credit: David Banks-Imagn Images

Offense

• OF Kyle Tucker — He would fit in the outfield and the lineup and adding him would flip the Mets’ offseason narrative. The Blue Jays are thought to be the favorite to sign him, with the Mets, Yankees and Dodgers in the mix, according to reports.
• 1B-OF Cody Bellinger — Great fit in the field and with the bat. An even better fit if you want to make stealing a player from the Yankees an annual event. He has been linked to the Mets often, with talk picking up after Pete Alonso left.
• 1B Munetaka Murakami — He hit 56 home runs in Japan in 2022. He hit 22 this year in 56 games before he was sidelined by an oblique injury. But he strikes out a lot and his defense is questionable. The window to sign him closes in six days on December 22. He has been connected to the Mets, Red Sox, Tigers, Mariners, Blue Jays and others.
• 1B Kazuma Okamoto — A better defender than his countryman Murakami, which would make him a better fit given David Stearns’ thirst for run prevention. He can also play third. He hits for less power, but strikes out less. The Mets are among a bunch of teams on the radar. His signing window closes Jan. 4.
• 1B Ryan O’Hearn — He can play first and left so we have a match. The latest reports have the Reds and Pirates interested. Could be a fallback option.
• SS Bo Bichette, 3B Alex Bregman, 3B-DH Eugenio Suarez, C J.T. Realmuto, 2B Luis Arraez, CF Harrison Bader, DH Marcell Ozuna, and 1B Rhys Hoskins — Misfits and/or free agents I have not seen connected to the Mets of late.

Sam Navarro-Imagn Images

Starters

• LHP Framber Valdez — Every good starting pitcher is a fit and ones who provide length are even better. Valdez has thrown more than 190 innings in three of the last four seasons and the other year he threw 176 1/3. David Peterson led the Mets last season at 168 2/3 innings. Valdez, along with the next four pitchers listed, have been connected to the Mets. However, there have been reports that Stearns is reluctant to hand out a long-term deal to a starting pitcher.
• LHP Ranger Suárez — He is a good starting pitcher, therefore, see above, though he hasn’t been the innings eater that Valdez is. He tosssed a career-high 157 1/3 innings this season. Subtracting him from the Phillies is a bonus.
• RHP Tatsuya Imai — He was excellent in Japan this season, pitching to a 1.92 ERA in 163 2/3 innings with 178 strikeouts this season. His signing window closes on Jan. 2.
• RHP Michael King — He is likely, per MLB.com’s Mark Feinsand, to be the next starting pitcher to sign. He is looking for a four-year deal while the three pitchers above want five or more years. The Mets, Yanks, Cubs, Orioles and Red Sox are interested.
• RHP Zac Gallen — We have now reached the point where I don’t know if the starter would be an improvement over who the Mets have in the middle of the rotation. Gallen’s ERA was 4.83 last year, though his peak was Cy Young output.
• Some of the rest: RHP Lucas Giolito, RHP Chris Bassitt, RHP Zach Eflin, RHP Zack Littell, RHP Max Scherzer, RHP Dustin May

Relievers

• RHP Pete Fairbanks – A 2.83 ERA, 1.04 WHIP and 27 saves in 32 tries this year make him the best of the free agent relievers remaining. He struck out 59 in 60 1/3 innings. There is not much left on the free agent relief market.
• RHP Luke Weaver – 3.62 ERA, 1.02 WHIP, 72 strikeouts, 64 2/3 innings.
• RHP Brad Keller – 2.07 ERA, 0.96 WHIP, 75 strikeouts, 69 2/3 innings.
• RHP Seranthony Dominguez – 3.16 ERA, 1.28 WHIP, 79 strikeouts, 62 2/3 innings.
• RHP Michael Kopech – 2.45 ERA, 1.73 WHIP, 12 strikeouts, 11 innings.

Who should the Mets target?

The post Who Are the Best Remaining Free Agents? appeared first on Metsmerized.

The Mets, who could use a reliever to set up Devin Williams, may look to pivot to Pete Fairbanks, a free agent who saved 27 games for Tampa Bay this year. The Mets were also one of several teams reportedly interested in Brewers closer Trevor Megill.

David Stearns said earlier this week during the winter meetings (prior to Edwin Díaz leaving for Los Angeles) that the bullpen was a “work in progress.”

The Braves can now finish games with Suarez and Raisel Iglesias. A source told Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic that Iglesias will remain the closer and Suarez will set up. The Braves re-signed Iglesias to a one-year, $16 million deal last month.

Suarez will earn $13 million, $16 million and $16 million for the contract with no deferred money, per Jon Morosi of MLB Network.

The post Braves Sign Robert Suarez to Three-Year Deal appeared first on Metsmerized.

Position: RP B/T: R/R
Player Data: Age: 31 (12/16/1993)

2025 Traditional Stats: 61 G, 60 1/3 IP, 2.83 ERA, 1.044 WHIP, 59 SO, 18 BB
2025 Advanced Stats: 145 ERA+, 24.2 K%, 7.4 BB%, 3.04 xERA, 3.63 FIP, 3.76 xFIP, 1.2 bWAR, 1.0 fWAR

RUNDOWN

Drafted by the Texas Rangers in the ninth round of the 2015 draft, Pete Fairbanks burst onto the scene in Tampa Bay after being dealt from Texas in 2019. His main breakout year was the COVID-shortened season, in which he threw 26.2 innings with a 2.70 ERA. In a year when the Rays made it to the World Series, Fairbanks was one of their main contributors out of the bullpen.

His best year, 2022, had a delayed start after suffering a torn lat during spring training, which made him miss time until mid-July. When he came off the IL, he was elite, putting up a 1.13 ERA, 43.7% strikeout rate, and a 0.86 FIP in 24 games.

Fast forwarding to 2023, his first full season as a closer was a success, gathering 25 saves and a 2.58 ERA. His name was on everybody’s radar at that point. Going into 2024, expectations were high, but Fairbanks didn’t live up to the standards he set the season moving, seeing his ERA jump almost a full run and his strikeout rate drop from 37% to 23%. It wasn’t a great season, but also not a bad one.

Fairbanks came back in 2025 and showed that he can still shut down big league batters at a solid rate. While his strikeout rate only went up .4%, his walk rate dropped almost 2%, and his barrel rate fell to 4.8. The 31-year-old figured out a new way to approach batters, as his stuff+ has fallen from 149 (career high in 2022) to 111 this past season. Instead of trying to overpower batters, he’s simply just thrown as many strikes as possible, limiting walks and limiting damage. Combine that with a 24% strikeout rate, and you still have a really good pitcher.

Contract

The Rays declined to re-up Fairbanks for 2026 at $11 million. Fairbanks on the open market could get more than that with more years attached. MLB Trade Rumors predicts Fairbanks will get a two-year contract worth $18 million, which isn’t a bad deal for many teams, as you can potentially get a top-end closer at a solid price tag. It’s worth noting that Fairbanks has Raynaud’s syndrome, which makes it difficult for him to pitch in cold weather, and that may scare off some northern teams from signing him.

Recommendation: Worth Checking In

Signing Fairbanks really only makes sense for the Mets if they cannot retain Edwin Díaz, as to put it simply, I don’t believe, looking at Stearns’ track record, that he will commit to two hefty deals in the bullpen. At that same point, if the Mets can find a way to retain Díaz while also bringing Fairbanks, their back end of the bullpen could be one of the best in baseball. Time will tell us how the cards will fall, but hopefully the Mets find a way to retain Díaz or get Fairbanks, or maybe both.

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