The Mets had a great run in 2024 however got here up simply in need of the ultimate objective, getting eradicated by the Dodgers within the NLCS a couple of days in the past. President of baseball operations David Stearns met with members of the media at the moment to debate the season that was and the offseason forward, with SNYtv relaying the whole half-hour press convention on X.
Stearns mentioned numerous subjects however a serious theme was the membership’s excessive variety of departing free brokers. Every of Pete Alonso, Jose Quintana, Luis Severino, Harrison Bader, J.D. Martinez, Jesse Winker are Jose Iglesias headed to the open market, together with numerous relievers. Sean Manaea can also be going to be added to that record finally, as soon as he formally declines his $13.5MM participant possibility.
That leaves quite a lot of holes on the roster but additionally means some huge cash is coming off the books. The Mets additionally ate cash in facilitating trades in earlier years, sending out gamers like Max Scherzer, Justin Verlander and James McCann. These contracts are additionally expiring now, releasing up much more money. RosterResource tasks the Mets for about $161MM for subsequent 12 months’s roster, nicely under this 12 months’s $336MM. A number of non-tenders and Manaea opting out will widen that hole even farther.
“We’ve acquired monetary flexibility,” Stearns mentioned when requested about that topic. “It signifies that just about everything of the participant universe is doubtlessly accessible to us. That’s an infinite alternative. I envision us profiting from that chance and being aggressive in sure areas.”
Since Steve Cohen has bought the membership, the Mets have been one of many prime golf equipment by way of spending, typically on the very prime of payroll lists. Stearns was solely employed a 12 months in the past and an unknown issue within the Mets’ future is how he’ll function with that spending capability, after spending most of his profession with a lower-spending membership in Milwaukee.
His first offseason working the Mets noticed the membership unfold the cash round to varied gamers however with none long-term commitments. He signed 9 gamers to one-year offers with Manaea the one participant to get even a second season, and even that got here with an opt-out after one 12 months. That offseason got here after a disappointing 2023 marketing campaign that turned the Mets into sellers, which included the aforementioned Scherzer and Verlander offers, however nonetheless with a number of cash tied up. What stays to be seen is that if Stearns will now act in a different way on the heels of a extra profitable season and with far more powder dry.
“We even have to acknowledge,” Stearns continued, “that we wish to arrange our organizational sample in order that we are able to put money into free company, make investments the place we expect we have to to enrich the membership on an annual foundation. So, you’re proper. We’ve some huge cash coming off the books. I might anticipate us to spend a few of that, a great portion of that, to enrich our crew, to enhance our crew heading into subsequent 12 months. We’re additionally not going to do something that hamstrings us in future years and prevents us from frequently including, supplementing to our core.”
These feedback could possibly be interpreted in some ways. Even the best payroll golf equipment wish to spend their cash as correctly as attainable, which is of course a part of what he’s referencing right here. Whereas that might maybe be a suggestion that the membership may have some restraint with their new spending capability, he additionally wouldn’t be doing himself any favors by popping out and baldly declaring that he was planning on spending his winter throwing cash out the again of a practice. Merely for leverage in contract talks, it is smart for him to play his playing cards near the vest when discussing plans like this.
Time will inform whether or not this offseason will see the Mets signing a bunch of superstars or making extra measured additions, however Stearns didn’t shrink back from the rotation query. As talked about, the membership is ready to lose a bunch of gamers, together with three beginning pitchers in Manaea, Severino and Quintana. Every of these guys topped 170 innings in 2024, so the mixed subtraction of that trio shall be vital. Christian Scott additionally underwent UCL surgical procedure in September and can probably miss all of 2025.
Subsequent 12 months’s rotation at present tasks to incorporate Kodai Senga, David Peterson and Tylor Megill. Senga missed most of 2024 on account of varied accidents whereas Peterson and Megill are a tier under absolutely established starters, because the Mets have moved every to the minors or the bullpen from time to time. Stearns was requested about Peterson, Megill and José Buttó however wouldn’t commit on whether or not any of these guys could be extra prone to be within the rotation or bullpen in 2025. The membership can retain Paul Blackburn through arbitration however he has battled a number of accidents in his profession and lately underwent a spinal process that’s going to take months to get well from, which might result in a non-tender.
“We confronted an analogous activity final offseason. We’re going to have to switch innings,” Stearns mentioned when requested in regards to the rotation. “Actually, a part of that might doubtlessly be from a few of these guys returning or we might look elsewhere. However we’re going to have so as to add beginning pitching. We’re going to have so as to add a number of starters. We perceive that. We went into final offseason with the identical want and I believe we’ll be capable to do it.”
Final winter, the rotation was with out Verlander and Scherzer after these trades whereas Carlos Carrasco had additionally grow to be a free agent. As talked about, Stearns gave a one-year deal to Severino whereas Manaea acquired two years with an opt-out, and the membership additionally acquired Adrian Houser from Milwaukee.
The Severino and Manaea offers each labored out nicely, which is why Manaea is now slated to opt-out and can also be prone to obtain a qualifying provide. Severino might get one as nicely however is maybe extra of a borderline case, as explored by MLBTR’s Anthony Franco yesterday.
The Mets might look to convey these guys again, as Stearns mentioned, however the market may have different choices. Corbin Burnes, Blake Snell, Max Fried and Jack Flaherty would be the prime free brokers this winter and will command nine-figure offers. Stearns by no means spent on pitching in that method with the Brewers however was additionally working with far much less spending capability. He continued to take a position considerably modestly final winter however maybe might pivot now that the Mets are in a unique place than they have been a 12 months in the past.
If he and the Mets choose to stay to a decrease degree of free company, Manaea, Severino and Quintana shall be there alongside guys like Yusei Kikuchi, Michael Wacha, Nick Pivetta, Nathan Eovaldi and others. Regardless of all of the accessible payroll house, Stearns mentioned he nonetheless deliberate to discover the commerce market, which might be one other path to upgrading the rotation. Garrett Crochet, Sonny Grey, Zack Littell and simply a number of the names that might speculatively accessible in that house.
Alongside considerably comparable strains, there may be the Pete Alonso query. Stearns by no means spent huge cash on first basemen throughout his time in Milwaukee, with the three-year, $15MM deal for Eric Thames being his largest funding in that place. Alonso will definitely command greater than that and reportedly already turned down an extension provide of $158MM from the Mets in June of 2023, earlier than Stearns was employed.
The deserves of spending that form of cash on a primary baseman whose contributions are principally within the energy division will be debated, however Alonso can also be a franchise icon at this level, due to his homegrown standing in addition to his crowd-pleasing performances in dwelling run derbies and playoff video games. Stearns mentioned the membership would like to have the Polar Bear again however that Alonso deserves to discover the free agent market.
“All of that’s essential,” Stearns mentioned, when requested about weighing Alonso as a participant but additionally as a staple of the franchise. “Who Pete is as an individual is essential. What he means to this franchise is essential. Who he’s as a participant can also be essential and what he contributes on the sphere. There’s no magic system to this. There’s no equation that spits out what all of that’s for us. And so, there’s judgment concerned. There’s evaluating the market concerned. And we’ll see how this course of goes all through the offseason.”
Stearns was additionally requested about hiring a normal supervisor, which he didn’t appear in a rush to do. Billy Eppler was going to work in that position underneath Stearns till he stepped down a 12 months in the past after it was revealed he was underneath investigation for the membership misusing the injured record. Stearns mentioned he’s proud of the present entrance workplace make-up and doesn’t plan to do any form of GM search, although he would take into account making a rent if somebody intriguing grew to become accessible.
There’s nonetheless loads to be decided in precisely how the Mets will function this winter, however given the variety of openings on the roster and the membership’s spending capability, it doesn’t seem to be something is off the desk at this level.
