Despite indications that the team might be more conservative in how they spend this offseason, word around MLB is that the New York Mets have been very aggressive in pursuing notable free agents in recent days.
After a disastrous start to the 2023 season, the New York Mets threw up the white flag in July and decided to be sellers at the trade deadline. In trading away aces Justin Verlander and Max Scherzer, the organization decided to foot the bill for a lot of the money still owed to the pitchers so they could land better prospects.
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In taking on that notable debt for players that won’t be on the roster this season, the assumption was that the organization would be nowhere close to as active in free agency as they have been in years past. However, a new report suggests that may not be the case at all.
On Thursday, New York Post MLB insider Joel Sherman revealed that executives around the league claimed the Mets are going “full bore” in landing two of the top pitchers on this year’s free agent market. One exec also said the organization is “not messing around” in the market because “I don’t think they have the stomach for a year or two to get the ship turned around.”
If the organization has shifted gears and is shopping for a slew of impact players at the winter meetings next week, here are six players they might be targeting.
6 players New York Mets may be going ‘full bore’ after in MLB free agency
Yoshinbobu Yamamoto
Japanese ace Yoshinobu Yamamoto has been linked to the New York Mets for months and seems to be their top target at the moment and Sherman’s report claims that executives believe Cohen will match any offer he is given. While he may not be a player the caliber of Blake Snell, he is only 25 and has the potential to be that level of pitcher in the near future.
With the organization needing a lot of help in the starting staff, Yamamoto makes a lot of sense as a player they would splurge on.
Hector Neris
Along with upgrades in the starting rotation, the Mets also need help in the bullpen. Hector Neris is the best middle reliever on the current free agent market and is an under-the-radar move that is worth being aggressive to pursue since it is another clear need for the team.
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Shota Imanaga
Along with going hard for Yamamoto, the Mets are reportedly going “full bore” for his World Baseball Classic teammate Shota Imanaga. While he is not as talented as the 25-year-old, he is a veteran who had similar stats to Kodai Senga in Japan, and we all know how well he performed for New York this season.
Lourdes Gurriel Jr.
In 2023, outfielder Lourdes Gurriel Jr. had a breakout season just in time for a jump into free agency. The outfielder had a career year as he posted a .463 slugging percentage, 24 home runs, and 82 RBIs for the NL champion Arizona Diamondbacks. Third base and left field are areas the team could certainly look to upgrade and let Jeff McNeil man the other spot if they don’t trade him.
The Cuban is right in the middle of his prime and might be worth giving a short-term deal with a high annual average.
Jung Hoo Lee
Jung Hoo Lee is a name that hasn’t gotten a lot of talk over the last few weeks, but the South Korean baseball star is their version of Ichiro Suzuki and was recently posted by his league. While he is a centerfielder by trade, he could be another option in left field and is the type of on-base machine the team could certainly use.
Justin Turner
Justin Turner is one of those players the New York Mets should have never let get away. He went to two All-Star games after he left New York nearly a decade ago and is simply a winning player. Yes, he is in the final years of his career, but he is a proven utility man who can also DH and give the locker room a little bit more leadership and moxy in 2024.