Oct 18, 2024; New York City, New York, USA; New York Mets first baseman Pete Alonso (20) celebrates scoring on an RBI from right fielder Starling Marte (6, not pictured) with New York Mets second baseman Jeff McNeil (1) during the eighth inning against the Los Angeles Dodgers during game five of the NLCS for the 2024 MLB playoffs at Citi Field. Mandatory Credit: Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images
The New York Mets are ahead of schedule as they enter a pivotal winter that should see them at the forefront of free-agency spending.
Initially projected to contend for a playoff spot, the Mets were just two wins away from a National League pennant, but they lost in six games to the eventual World Series champion Los Angeles Dodgers in the NLCS.
Despite having a cornerstone in Francisco Lindor and a breakout star in Mark Vientos, president of baseball operations David Stearns has a roster in flux with sizable changes believed to be on the horizon this winter.
Just how dramatic they will be is unknown for now, but the 2025 Mets could be a completely different-looking unit come Opening Day. Here are five things to watch for as free agency officially kicks off on Monday.
5 things to watch from Mets during free agency
Entering the Juan Soto sweepstakes: The Mets are expected to be one of the major players for Soto — the 26-year-old superstar who put up one of the finest seasons of his young career with the Yankees in 2024.
Soto’s price tag is expected to be around $600 million, at least. With the Yankees’ spending plans uncertain, the Mets could enter a bidding war with any other potential suitors in Major League Baseball.
If the Mets are hellbent on getting Soto, owner Steve Cohen will provide the necessary funds and pay the penalties for his expected blow-by of multiple luxury tax thresholds.
Not only would Cohen be getting a generational talent, but he would help address his team’s uncertainty in the outfield. Starling Marte is still under contract for one more year, but injuries have forced him to the shelf multiple times over the last three seasons.
As it stands, Brandon Nimmo is the only cemented starter in the outfield, with center fielder Harrison Bader hitting free agency, and Tyrone Taylor is arbitration eligible.
Is Pete Alonso a Met for life?: In theory, Alonso could provide the Mets with something they have never had across their first six decades of existence: A homegrown, power-hitting, premier talent that stays healthy and spends his entire career in Queens.
In six years, the slugging first baseman has assaulted the Mets’ offensive record books, already penning his name as one of the more imposing bats in franchise history. But he turned down a seven-year, $158 million contract extension offer last season and in 2024, had one of his worst years as a pro with 34 home runs and a .788 OPS; it shows just how spoiled the Mets have been if that is a down year.
But Alonso and his agent, Scott Boras, have been keen on getting a contract near the $200 million mark, which is a pipe dream at best. If the Mets either do not believe they can get Soto or do not want to dole out the huge funds, Alonso becomes the team’s top priority.
Is there a universe in which the Mets get Soto and bring back Alonso? If anyone could do it, it’s Cohen.
Manaea or Severino?: Both of the Mets’ top starting pitchers, Sean Manaea and Luis Severino, are free agents this winter following career resurgences in Queens.
Manaea was one of the best pitchers in the National League during the second half of the season, posting a 3.02 ERA in his final 18 starts of the season. Severino decreased his ERA from 6.65 last year with the Yankees to 3.91 with the Mets.
Sweeping changes are coming to the Mets’ rotation in 2025 as they will test the free-agent market for another top-tier arm to pair with Kodai Senga. That means big money will be invested elsewhere, and the team will likely have to decide between bringing back Manaea or Severino, not both.
Big arm hunting: The trade market will always provide an avenue for Stearns to add more starting pitching if he spends big elsewhere in free agency. But the Mets are entering this winter as a team to keep an eye on in the pitching market, too.
Corbin Burnes, Max Fried, and Blake Snell are three of the big-name free agents this winter, and they are aiming to potentially create an imposing top three in Queens between Senga and, potentially, Manaea.
It is important to note, though, that Stearns has never broken the bank for a starting pitcher. Instead, he has gone the trade route or signed arms to short-term deals, as he did with Severino and Manaea.
Bullpen revamp: One of the weakest aspects of the Mets’ NLCS side was the bullpen, though they found a go-to combination down the stretch between Phil Maton, Reed Garrett, Ryne Stanek, and Edwin Diaz.
The problem is that the Mets declined Maton’s $7.75 million option for the 2025 season, making him a free agent and subtracting one more reliable arm from an already thin unit.
This means Stearns will have to spend significant time putting together a legitimate stable of relievers this winter. At least two to three more arms will be needed this winter after already picking up Dylan Covey — a 33-year-old right-hander who was rehabbing a shoulder injury in the Philadelphia Phillies organization last season.
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