The New York Mets have already added an absurd amount of money in MLB free agency, however, owner Steve Cohen and the front office are reportedly still looking to make more pricey additions to their bloated payroll.
This offseason was expected to be a very busy one for the Mets. After a fantastic showing in the regular season and a 101-win year, the team still fell short of their goals after blowing the National League East title in the final week of the season and being ousted by the San Diego Padres in the opening round of the playoffs.
For owner and long-time New York Mets fan Steve Cohen that result just won’t do. So, despite having one of the biggest payrolls in the game already, he has spent obscene amounts of money this offseason to add ace Justin Verlander — to replace Jacob DeGrom — re-sign closer Edwin Diaz, bring back centerfielder Brandon Nimmo, and add Japanese starting pitcher Kodai Senga.
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However, there is a case to be made that the team mostly replaced good players they lost, re-signed stars they already had, and still have notable weaknesses to address. A new report reveals that the team is aware of that and is still on the hunt to add some more big names for big money.
New York Mets interested in adding J.D. Martinez in MLB free agency
Heading into the winter, adding more thump to the lineup was a goal of the New York Mets front office, but that has not yet been addressed in the various signings the team has made.
Earlier this week, The Athletic’s MLB insider Ken Rosenthal reported on the team’s interest in Carlos Correa — before he ended up signing with San Francisco. In the story, Rosenthal claimed the team wasn’t just interested in Correa over the last week, but they have also checked in about Red Sox outfielder/DH J.D. Martinez and former Mets talent Michael Conforto.
- J.D. Martinez stats (2022): .274 AVG, .341 OBP, .448 SLG, 16 HR, 62 RBI, 76 R
Martinez, a five-time All-Star including in 2022, was a player the team was reportedly interested in at the MLB trade deadline last season. However, Boston ended up holding on to the 35-year-old. Conforto has played all seven of his seasons in New York for the Mets, including an All-Star appearance in 2017.
Conforto sat out all of last season after not receiving the sort of offers he was hoping for in MLB free agency, and instead opted to undergo shoulder surgery and take another run at the market this winter. Both could sign short-term deals but they would also likely be expensive.
- Michael Conforto stats (2021): .232 AVG, .344 OBP, .384 SLG, 14 HR, 55 RBI, 52 R