The Mets had a crazy amount of internal free agents last season. That included Edwin Diaz and Brandon Nimmo (who were both re-signed), and Jacob deGrom and Chris Bassitt (who both walked).
The same isn't the case this offseason, with the Mets' most notable free agent being Carlos Carrasco, who will not be back and whose career might be over.
With the Mets needing to rebuild their rotation, bolster their bullpen, and add some punch to their offense, hereare the top 10 free agents who should be on their wish list, ranked...
10.Matt Moore, LH reliever
The Mets are going to need multiple additions to a bullpen that will have Diazback but still needs more late-inning arms.
A look at the pending free agents shows that there are some very intriguing names out there, including Josh Hader,Jordan Hicks, and Craig Kimbrel.
As it pertains to Hader, the Mets assembling perhaps the most lethal 1-2 punch ever is tantalizing. But it's hard to see them giving Hader -- who will almost certainly be attached to a qualifying offer --the years and dollars he'll be seeking when they already have Diaz.
Meanwhile, Hicks (durability concerns) and Kimbrel (consistency concerns) aren't the best fits.
Moore isn't the biggest name, but since transitioning to relief full-time, he's posted a 2.22 ERA (3.28 FIP) and 1.17 WHIP while striking out 142 in 125.2 innings (10.2 per 9). He has serious crossover ability (righties slashed just .216.,272/.338 against him this season), but he did struggle against lefties this year -- which could be a one-season blip.
9. Tommy Pham, OF
Pham's critical comments about his now-former teammates' work ethic should not be a deterrent when it comes to a potential reunion -- especially since those comments were received well by Francisco Lindor.
And with Starling Marte'shealth and ability to contribute meaningfully in 2024 in serious doubt, the Mets should be looking to add a starting-caliber outfielder -- preferably on a one-year deal.
Pham, entering his age-36 season, could be a perfect fit.
8. Jordan Montgomery, LHP
As we'll discuss at greater length later on in this piece, the free-agent-starting-pitching market is not great.
There are some extremely talented guys at the top, and it gets very murky after that. But with the Mets needing two and perhaps three starting pitchers, they're going to have to dip into free agency.
Montgomery is ineligible for a qualifying offer, which should make him appealing to the Mets. But there's a chance he'll be the most sought-after starting pitcher beyond the top tier, which could drive his price up significantly.
He profiles perfectly as a No. 3 starter on a contending team, but his contract might end up in a different stratosphere than that of a mid-rotation arm.
7. Adam Duvall, OF
Duvall doesn't get on base a ton, but he rebounded in 2023 with a season power-wise that reflects the production he was known for from 2019 to 2021.
Like Pham, he could perhaps be had on a one-year deal.
And with Nimmoand Jeff McNeil on the roster -- and Drew Gilbert perhaps ready for the majors at some point in 2024 -- the Mets should be trying to keep any outfield signing to one guaranteed year.
6. Joc Pederson, OF
Of the Pham/Duvall/Pederson trio, it's Pederson who is the most intriguing.
He was a borderline difference-making bat in 2018 and 2019, and an All-Star in 2022, when he resurrected his career with the Giants.
Pederson didn't have his best year in 2023 in his second year in the Bay Area, but he was an above average offensive performer, will not be attached to a QO, is still relatively young (entering his age-32 season), and has the ability to pop 25 or 30 homers.
5. Teoscar Hernandez, OF/DH
If the Mets add an outfielder to a deal of longer than one season, Hernandez could be the best fit. And with him having experience as a designated hitter, he could potentially slide into that role eventually.
A career .261/.317/.487 hitter, Hernandez has eclipsed 25 home runs every year since 2019, with the only exception being the shortened season of 2020, when he smacked 16 homers in 50 games.
One thing that could complicate a Hernandez pursuit is that he'll likely be attached to a QO.
4. J.D. Martinez, DH
I wanted the Mets to pursue Martinez or another DH last offseason, but they instead went into the season with the duo of Daniel Vogelbach and Darin Ruf. That obviously didn't work out.
That means they'll again enter an offseason in need of a legitimate DH. And luckily for them, Martinez will again be a free agent.
Martinez was an All-Star for the third straight season in 2023, slashing .272/.321/.572 with 33 homers and 27 doubles for the Dodgers.
3. Shota Imanaga, LHP
A star in Japan, Imanaga will be posted this offseason. And he could be a very strong fit in the middle of the Mets' rotation.
The 30-year-old Imanaga is in the midst of a fantastic season for Yokohama, with a 2.80 ERAand 174 strikeouts in 148 innings pitched.
Imanaga's walk rate is also minuscule -- a career-best 1.3 per nine innings.
In eight seasons in Japan for NPB, Imanaga has a 3.18 ERA and 1.11 WHIP while averaging 9.2 strikeouts per nine and 2.5 walks per nine.
2. Shohei Ohtani, DH/RHP
This is Ohtani, so there's no reason to list any of his stats. He is a unicorn, and the best player ever.
But with Ohtani undergoing surgery on his UCL, he won't be pitching until 2025. And the fact that this was his second Tommy John-like procedure casts a long shadow on what his future will be on the mound when he does make it back.
Still, Ohtani would be a perennial MVP candidate if he was a hitter only.
With that said, when you combine the uncertainty surrounding his future as a pitcher, the amount of money he could get annually for his ability to hit and pitch ($45 million ... $50 million?) and the length of a potential deal (10 years?), this could be the biggest boom or bust contract ever.
1. Yoshinobu Yamamoto, RHP
I went into detail here why Yamamoto should be the Mets' clear top free agent target -- even over Ohtani. So we'll break it down succinctly...
Yamamoto is the best pitcher in Japan and could be an immediate ace upon his arrival in the majors.
Yamamoto is 25 years old.
The Mets are in dire need of an ace to pair up with Kodai Senga.
Get it done.
***
You probably noticed that Blake Snell, Aaron Nola, and Cody Bellinger aren't on this list. Here's why...
When it comes to Snell, who will be coming off a Cy Young award but is entering his age-31 season, it's incredibly hard to see him coming close to living up to the contract he'll get. Snell has two ace-level seasons out of eight, has serious control issues, and has eclipsed 130 innings just twice in his career.
As far as Nola, who is also entering his age-31 season, he has had two mediocre seasons sandwiched around a terrific 2022 campaign. The risk here is not worth it.
Bellinger became a star again this past season, but that followed three years where he combined to hit .203/.272/.376. A lot of that could've been due to injury issues, but banking on him playing like a star for the duration of the contract he'll get would be an enormous gamble.
