Despite their best efforts, the New York Mets came up well short in their efforts to sign the top free agent this winter, Kyle Tucker.
Heading into Thursday, reports claimed the club was willing to give the four-time All-Star as much as $50 million a season. However, it was revealed late last night that the team’s final offer would actually have paid him $55 million per year.
Well, that wasn’t enough, and to the dismay of MLB fans around the nation, the defending champion Los Angeles Dodgers threw a ridiculous sum at another top free agent and won the Tucker sweepstakes with a bid of four-years and $240 million ($60 million a season).
With the NY Mets still in need of an impact bat in the outfield, let’s look at six bold and boring players the club could target in the days and weeks ahead.
Luis Robert Jr.
Chicago White Sox veteran Luis Robert Jr. has been a rumored target of the NY Mets for the last couple of years. However, the asking price has always been too high for teams around the league. Following a second straight injury-laden and disappointing season, his value has dipped even further.
While giving up a top 20 prospect would be a risk, the 28-year-old one-time All-Star is still filled with so much potential. Furthermore, he is in the final year of his deal, so if this is the player he really is, the team can move on from him after the season.
Lars Nootbar
Another player the NY Mets have been linked to is St. Louis Cardinals veteran Lars Nootbar. His addition won’t excite fans. But for a team looking for cost-effective options that help with the offseason goal of improving the defense — along with bringing a little pop — his acquisition makes sense despite it not being sexy whatsoever.
Fernando Tatis Jr.
If the NY Mets wanted to make a move that would excite fans and be a bold pivot after losing the Kyle Tucker sweepstakes, San Diego Padres star Fernando Tatis Jr. would be an interesting option. It is no secret that San Diego really wants to slash payroll. Do they want to move the star outfielder? Probably not, but if the Mets are willing to take Xander Bogaerts’ contract in a deal, they should seriously consider it.
Furthermore, after the Dodgers’ latest moves, the Pads are falling far behind in the arms race. So, offloading a lot of payroll and getting some of New York’s elite prospects back would benefit the franchise in a major way for the short and long-term.
For the Mets, the combo of Juan Soto and Tatis Jr. at the heart of the order — and Francisco Lindor leading off — is reason to hope that they can at least contend for an NL East title in 2026.
Brenton Doyle
Another unsexy option that is reportedly on the NY Mets’ radar is Colorado Rockies centerfielder Brenton Doyle. He offers a similar skillset to Nootbar. Solid to good outfield defense, a little pop at the plate, and at an affordable cost. It won’t excite fans frustrated with the team’s offseason achievements, but he is a solid addition.
Cody Bellinger
Along with their pursuit of Tucker, the NY Mets have reportedly been big fans of New York Yankees star Cody Bellinger for quite some time. He would be a good fallback option due to his versatility in the field and adding a meaningful bat to the lineup.
However, the club does not like giving out long-term deals, especially to players 30 and above. All signs point to Bellinger being strong in his stance of a pact for five or more years. If he doesn’t give in, they are unlikely to lure him to Queens.
Byron Buxton
A sleeper option that could be available is Minnesota Twins star Byron Buxton. The word around the league is that the Twins are open to slashing payroll and trading key players if the price is right. The Mets have one of the best farm systems in MLB, so they have the assets to entice Minnesota.
Although he is 32, Buxton brings a very similar skillset to Bellinger with a far more reasonable yearly rate. A deal would just cost New York prospects instead of big money.
