On the day before Thanksgiving, the New York Mets got some bad news for their pursuit of a pitcher for the front of their rotation when veteran strikeout machine Dylan Cease agreed to a huge seven-year, $210 million deal to take his talents to Canada for the Toronto Blue Jays.
The pitcher’s decision takes a notable piece off the board as the Mets seek out an ace-level pitcher for 2026. However, there are many realistic options still available on the free agent and trade market remaining for New York. Let’s look at five potential options.
Framber Valdez
Framber Valdez has been such a good player for the Houston Astros during his eight-year career because not only is he a very good top-of-the-rotation pitcher, but he is also steady and consistent. He is a lock for double-digit wins, an ERA in the threes or lower every year, and is an innings eater. He would be the top target of every team this offseason, but an ugly moment where he purposely threw at a teammate following a mix-up on a pitch in the second half of the season has brought up a lot of questions about his character.
Sandy Alcantara
Tarik Skubal and Freddy Peralta are unlikely to be traded this offseason. However, 2022 Cy Young winner Sandy Alcantara could definitely be moved by the Miami Marlins. In the second half, he started to look like the pitcher he was before Tommy John surgery. The two-time All-Star is a proven star, and the Mets have the prospects to make a deal worth it for Miami.
Michael King
New York Yankees and San Diego Padres veteran Michael King has quietly been a very good front-line starter for several years now. He has performed under the NYC spotlight and showed that the Pads got a solid return when they traded Juan Soto two years ago. While injuries hampered him for much of this season, the 30-year-old is right in his prime, is usually durable, and can handle the big stage better than most.
Tatsuya Imai
Japanese pitcher Tatsuya Imai is being overshadowed by the big bats from his country that are joining him in MLB free agency this winter. He shouldn’t because he has a mid-90s fastball that can reach the high-90s when he needs it. Has a wipeout slider, and he mixes in a changeup, splitter, curveball, and sinker. Imai is durable and projects to be a pretty good front-line starter who might get a bigger deal than Framber Valdez, Dylan Cease, or Michael King.
Joe Ryan
Minnesota Twins ace Joe Ryan had a breakout season in 2025 as he earned All-Star honors. Despite throwing in only 171 innings, he was still top 15 in the league in strikeouts with 194 Ks. The Twins would prefer to hold on to him, but they are very much in a silent rebuild, and the Mets have the young assets Minnesota would be silly not to have interest in acquiring.
