The New York Mets had the highest payroll in MLB history this season and were the biggest disappointment in baseball. Despite the results that happened during the regular season, it shouldn’t change how New York approaches the winter.
Once things were going downhill, the Mets took the right next steps by clearing out payroll and offloading some talent for prospects. By strengthening the farm system and creating payroll flexibility, New York allowed itself to take a smart, aggressive approach this offseason.
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Let’s examine four moves the New York Mets should make this winter.
1. Hire Craig Counsell as New York Mets manager
Buck Showalter is well-liked around baseball and he certainly wasn’t entirely to blame for a disappointing season. However, a change was necessary. With David Stearns taking over baseball operations, there’s one clear move the Mets need to make to improve things in the clubhouse.
- Craig Counsell record: 707-625 in the regular season
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Counsell is one of the best managers in MLB and his track record in recent years is especially impressive. Since going 134-165 in his first two seasons as the Milwaukee Brewers’ skipper, Counsell boasts a 573-460 mark over the last seven seasons, with five playoff appearances over that span. Just as importantly, Milwaulee only finished with a sub-.520 record once over that span which occurred during the COVID-shortened campaign.
There’s no better proven option out there for New York and this organization can’t risk giving this job to someone who is an unknown. Considering Counsell’s interest in the vacancy, hiring him seems like an easy decision to make.
2. Reunite Corbin Burnes with David Stearns, Craig Counsell
With the Brewers seemingly intent on shopping Corbin Burnes this offseason, it makes perfect sense for New York to go after him. Burnes voiced his frustration with the Brewers’ organization before the year, but his issues are tied more directly to ownership than Stearns and Counsell.
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- New York Mets trade: Jett Williams, Ryan Clifford, Jesus Baez
- Milwaukee Brewers trade: Corbin Burnes
Over the last four seasons, Burnes has been responsible for an outstanding 2.85 ERA with a 0.99 WHIP and an eye-popping 765-175 K-BB ratio across 622.1 innings. In the last three years, Burnes has averaged 188 innings pitched and earned a win in 33 starts.
Because Burnes is entering the final year of his contract, he’ll also be a more affordable trade acquisition. With the assistance of Baseball Trade Values’ trade calculator, a package featuring top prospects Jett Williams and Ryan Clifford with a top-30 prospect throw-in meets the estimated cost of acquiring Burnes via trade.
3. Yoshinobu Yamamoto becomes Mets’ free-agent splash
The New York Mets have already heavily scouted Yoshinobu Yamamoto, along with just about every other MLB team. In short, he’s proven to be the best starting pitcher outside of the United States and he projects as a front-line starter in MLB.
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- New York Mets pitching stats 2023: 4.31 ERA, 1.36 WHIP, .248 BAA, 60 quality starts
In our Mets’ offseason projection, Corbin Burnes provides a short-term boost to the rotation. He’d play out the final year of his contract in New York, serving as the ace of the Mets’ pitching staff. Pitching in a good ballpark with solid defense behind him, Burnes could maximize his value before entering MLB free agency in 2024.
Yamamoto would be the Mets’ long-term ace. It’s reasonable to assume the 25-year-old will experience growing pains in the majors, as most international players do in their first season stateside. Plus, the 5-foot-10 hurler might be better off being eased into an MLB workload after throwing nearly 1,000 innings in Japan.
4. Joc Pederson adds depth to New York Mets lineup
The Mets’ lineup was definitely one of the biggest sources of disappointment last season. New York ranked 20th in runs scored, largely because it had one of the lowest batting averages (.238) in MLB with a sub-par SLG (.407).
It didn’t help that New York didn’t get much from its designated hitters. Across 162 games, Mets’ designated hitters ranked 19th in wRC+ (100) with a .234/.314/.409 slash line. It’s an area for improvement, with Joc Pederson standing out as a viable fix.
Pederson didn’t hit for a high average (.235) in 2023, but he posted a .348 OBP thanks to a career-high 13.4 percent walk rate. Plus, Pederson was even better in 2022 – .274/.353/.521 – and he’s been consistent by averaging over a 100-plus wRC+ over the last three years. When Pederson isn’t serving as a designated hitter, he can still hold down a spot in the Mets’ lineup at first base or in the corner outfield.