The Top Five Free Agents That The Mets Should Target

With new president of baseball operations David Stearns at the helm, the New York Mets look to leave the 2023 season in the rearview mirror and move forward in a new direction as they attempt to ascend towards contention. With a top-heavy free agent class on the horizon, let’s take a look at the top five players that should be on the Mets’ wish list this offseason.

1). Shohei Ohtani, SP/DH

This one is a no-brainer.

Shohei Ohtani’s forthcoming free agency is among the most highly-anticipated cases in MLB history. It’s not often the best player in the sport reaches the open market, and even that label may be selling Ohtani’s talents short. He was the best hitter in the league this season as he slashed .304/.412/.654 with 44 home runs and a 180 wRC+. Not to mention, as a pitcher, he posted a 3.14 ERA and 11.39 K/9 across 23 starts on the mound, This is all likely to culminate in the second MVP award of his career.

Signing a player of Ohtani’s caliber comes with a bevy of benefits both on and off the field, making him a dream acquisition for any team. There have been numerous reports regarding the Mets’ interest in him, and it would certainly appear that owner Steve Cohen is willing to go above and beyond to bring Ohtani to Queens if he decides to leave the West Coast. It’s a foregone conclusion that he will command the largest deal in baseball history, surpassing teammate Mike Trout’s $426.5 million pact with the Angels. This despite some lingering concerns about his longevity and durability as a pitcher following his elbow surgery in September.

Regardless, Ohtani is a once-in-a-lifetime sort of talent and should be atop the Mets’ wish list this offseason.

2). Yoshinobu Yamamoto, SP

With the Mets in need of another frontline starter to pair with Kodai Senga, there’s no better option than his fellow countrymen in Yoshinobu Yamamoto.

The buzz around Yamamoto’s name has been palpable for quite some time now, and for good reason. The 25-year-old has taken Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB) by storm since debuting in 2017, compiling a 1.82 ERA and 9.3 K/9 across nearly 900 innings in 172 games with the Orix Buffaloes. Yamamoto won each of the MVP award, Triple Crown, and Sawamura Award (equivalent of the Cy Young award) in both 2021 and 2022. Additionally, he also looks poised to win the award for a third-consecutive season in 2023 after posting a 1.21 ERA with 16 wins and 169 strikeouts.

The Mets’ interest in Yamamoto has been well-documented, with Jon Heyman of the New York Post reporting that those around the league believe the team covets the star pitcher and will throw their hat into a ring as the potential highest bidder for his services. After an illustrious career in Japan, and an impressive showing in the World Baseball Classic this past spring, Yamamoto appears ticketed for a contract nearing $200 million once posted and would classify as a significant signing by David Stearns and company.

3). Jordan Montgomery, SP

The name of the game for New York this offseason is starting pitching, and Jordan Montgomery is equipped to arise as one of the best among the free agent crop.

Montgomery carved out a role in the backend of the New York Yankees’ rotation for several years before being dealt to the St. Louis Cardinals for Harrison Bader at last year’s trade deadline. There, he pitched to a 3.11 ERA across 11 starts down the stretch and replicated that success in 2023 with a 3.42 ERA and 127 ERA+ across 21 starts. He was then flipped yet again at the deadline, this time to the Texas Rangers, and was as dependable as ever with a 2.79 ERA, 160 ERA+ and 3.27 FIP in 11 regular season outings. Additionally, he added a strong performance in Game 1 of the Wild Card Series against the Tampa Bay Rays last Tuesday.

Montgomery ranks as one of the more consistent starters in the game while being the type of player that any team would benefit from adding to the middle of their rotation, qualifying him as a seamless fit on the Mets’ roster next season.

4). Adam Duvall, OF

The Mets have a surplus of young infield talent that’s ready to make a splash at the big-league level, but the cupboard in the outfield is a bit barren. Sure, Drew Gilbert may very well rake his way onto the major league roster at some point next year and it’s possible Ronny Mauricio or Luisangel Acuña shift out there, but a lot of question marks remain about the status of the group for 2024. With Brandon Nimmo as the only player that can truly be locked into a defined role as of right now, the Mets would greatly benefit from bringing in outside reinforcements to bolster their situation. That’s where Adam Duvall comes into play.

Duvall, who reportedly piqued the Mets’ interest last offseason, would once again make sense as a solution at one of the corner positions in Queens. The 35-year-old struck a one-year pact with the Boston Red Sox before the 2023 season and enjoyed one of the best campaigns of his career as he slashed .247/.303/.531 with a 116 wRC+ and 21 home runs despite appearing in just 91 games and 353 plate appearances after dealing with a left wrist injury for the second year in a row.

Duvall spent a majority of his time in Boston as a center fielder despite struggling there defensively, but he was worth 1 Out Above Average (OAA) combined in left and right field in just over 200 innings. He also remains a proficient base runner and supplies more than his fair share of power as evidenced by his 184 career homers, which should entice the Mets and make him a prime target this winter.

5). David Robertson, RP

Who doesn’t love a good reunion?

The bullpen market isn’t exactly brimming with late-inning options this offseason, but the familiarity and fit that David Robertson would provide to the Mets likely sets him apart from the rest of the pack. He would help stabilize a unit that needs remodeling while also earning a chance to become the primary set-up man for Edwin Díaz, a role he was initially brought on to fulfill in 2023.

Robertson pitched to a 2.05 ERA with 14 saves in 40 appearances as a Met, and despite faltering after his trade to the Miami Marlins, he should still has plenty in the tank.