The New York Mets splurged in MLB free agency two years ago, committing to spend more than $500 million on free agents only to trade them away and miss the postseason. Now, following a surprise trip to the National League Championship Series this past season, MLB rumors are swirling about the club’s winter plans.
New York has already been heavily linked to Juan Soto, the top MLB free agent this offseason. Many around baseball believed during the season that it would come down to a two-team race for Soto between the Mets and New York Yankees, but the sentiment around the league seems to be changing.
- New York Mets payroll 2025 (FanGraphs): $162 million
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The current projected Mets payroll in 2025 only ranks 11th in the majors, thanks in large part to the front office getting out of some bad contracts in the last year-plus. However, another big part of the reason for the freed-up financial flexibility is the number of Mets free agents this winter.
- New York Mets free agents: Pete Alonso, Sean Manaea, Jose Quintana, Luis Severino, Harrison Bader, J.D. Martinez, Adam Ottavino, Brooks Raley, Jesse Winker
New York would like to retain All-Star first baseman Pete Alonso, who remains a fan-favorite at Citi Field. However, the two sides never came close to a contract extension this past year as they were tens of millions of dollars apart on a new deal. Now, many around baseball are weighing in on how they think New York approaches MLB free agency.
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According to Bob Nightengale of USA Today, many MLB executives don’t believe that Mets president of baseball operations David Stearns has any interest in meeting Alonso’s asking price ($200-plus million). Furthermore, there’s a strong belief that Stearns doesn’t want to pay out a $700 million deal to Soto.
Instead, those inside the league who are familiar with Stearns’ thinking believe he’s more likely to spread the money around this offseason to address multiple needs instead of adding just one player.
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One scenario thrown out would involve the Mets replacing Alonso directly, signing first baseman Christian Walker. While the former Arizona Diamondbacks first baseman isn’t as nationally recognized as Alonso, he has won the Gold Glove Award in three consecutive seasons. On top of that, Walker’s OPS (.818) is actually higher than Alonso’s (.804) in the last two seasons.
Walker would come at a significantly cheaper cost, freeing up the Mets payroll even more with potentially a more well-rounded player. It could then allow Stearns to invest heavily in pitching, potentially adding a front-line starter to the Mets rotation and strengthening the bullpen. While it would mean losing out on a potential star, it could be more beneficial to the Mets next season and beyond.
