The Mets Land Juan Soto: What’s Needed to Secure a World Series Run

 

Photo From Britt Morgan

The New York Mets acquired the most prized possession of the 2024 offseason by signing superstar Juan Soto to a 15-year, $765 million contract, the largest contract in pro sports history.

As a Mets fan, I could not be more pumped about this signing. That said, Juan Soto isn’t the only piece the Mets need to become serious World Series contenders.

The Mets are still in need of an ace in their starting rotation; they still need help with relief pitching, and if free agent Pete Alonso does not re-sign, the Mets will need to figure out what to do at first base.

Let’s examine these three needs and explore how the Mets might address them.

1. Signing An Ace For The Starting Rotation

This is not a new problem, as the Mets lacked a quintessential ace in their starting rotation in 2024. Sean Manaea, who is a free agent this offseason, was the best pitcher in the Mets’ rotation last year, finishing 12-6 with a 3.47 ERA and a 1.08 WHIP. While these are solid numbers across the board, they are by no means dominant, which is what an ace needs to be.

If I were General Manager, David Stearns, I would use Manaea as a safety blanket if the Mets do not sign a big-name starting pitcher. If the Mets acquire an ace, I think financially it would make sense to let Manaea walk.

As of the date this blog is written, the Mets starting rotation currently consists of Kodai Senga, David Peterson, Frankie Montas, Paul Blackburn, Tylor Megill, and potentially Clay Holmes, who may end up back in the bullpen depending on how his early starts go.

Most of the coveted starting pitchers that hit free agency this offseason are already off the board. Blake Snell signed with the Dodgers back in November, Max Fried just inked a deal with the New York Yankees earlier this week, and Roki Sasaki, who has dominated Nippon Professional Baseball  since joining in 2021, is very likely to sign with a west coast team, as the top contenders right now are the Los Angeles Dodgers and San Diego Padres.

However, the grand prize in terms of starting pitchers in free agency is still available. I am referring to Corbin Burnes. The 30-year-old finished his 2024 campaign going 15-9 with a 2.92 ERA and a 1.10 WHIP. He’s made the All-Star team four years in a row and finished in the top five for Cy Young voting five straight times, including his win in 2021. At 30, he’s pitched over 190 innings with an ERA+ over 125 for three straight seasons. This is music to the ears of Mets fans, who have been looking for a consistent and reliable starter for years.

Burnes is going to come at a hefty price tag, but Mets owner Steve Cohen said after signing Soto early this week that he is not done spending this offseason, so who knows? Maybe the Mets get the best batter and pitcher in free agency.

2. Adding Depth To The Bullpen

The Mets relief pitching in 2024 was shaky to say the least. There was not one consistent bullpen player the entire season. Adam Ottavino, who pitched more innings than any other player for the Mets bullpen, pitched so poorly down the stretch of the season that he was not on the postseason roster. Once a reliable closer, Edwin Diaz is not the same since he suffered a right knee injury during the 2023 World Baseball Classic. Others like Reed Garrett, Jake Diekman, Phil Maton, and Jose Butto could not be relied on for consecutive strong outings.

If he does not work out as a starter, the Mets can always move newcomer Clay Holmes back to the bullpen. Holmes had 30 saves with a 3.14 ERA and a 1.30 WHIP in 67 games played with the New York Yankees last season.

There are still plenty of big names in free agency that the Mets can add to the bullpen, including Tanner Scott (22 saves, 1.75 ERA, 1.13 WHIP), Kyle Finnegan (38 saves, 3.68 ERA, 1.34 WHIP), Carlos Estevez (26 saves, 2.45 ERA, 0.91 WHIP), or A.J. Mintar (2.62 ERA, 1.02 WHIP). If they are looking for a cheap short-term rental, they can go for a more seasoned veteran like Kenley Jansen (27 saves, 3.29 ERA, 1.06 WHIP) or Kirby Yates (33 saves, 1.17 ERA, 0.83 WHIP).

3. Finding A First Baseman If Pete Alonso Does Not Re-Sign

Pete Alonso was drafted by the New York Mets in 2016 and has been a full-time starter for the ballclub since 2019. Since joining the Mets, Alonso has been a 4× All-Star, an All-MLB First Team selection, the NL Rookie of the Year, the MLB home run leader, and the NL RBI leader.

The Mets offered Pete a 7-year, $158 million extension last offseason, which he declined. Since he declined the offer, he was eligible for salary arbitration and signed a 1-year contract worth $20.5 million for this past season.

Alonso’s agent, Scott Boras, has come out with multiple statements saying that Pete is looking to surpass $200 million in his next contract. Alonso finished 2024 batting .240 with 34 homers, 88 RBIs, and a .788 OPS.

If Alonso does end up with a new team, the Mets have a void at first base that needs to be filled.

They may be able to do that internally. Third baseman Mark Vientos can move to first base, and if the Mets think Luisangel Acuña is ready to be a full-time starter (he was called up to the big leagues in September of this past year), they can move him over to third base.

If the Mets don’t think Luisangel is ready to be a full-time starter, there is a big-name third baseman on the market that the Mets can sign, Alex Bregman. Bregman has been an excellent third baseman in his 8-year career with the Houston Astros. He is a 2× All-Star, a 2× World Series champion, an All-MLB Second Team honoree, a Gold Glove Award winner, and a Silver Slugger Award recipient. This past season with the Astros, Bregman batted .260 with 26 home runs, 75 RBIs, and a .768 OPS.

Bottom Line

Even though the Mets acquired the most sought-after free agent in the market, they still have glaring holes on their roster that need to be filled. If the Mets do not fill these needs via free agency or their farm system, look for them to be aggressive in the trade market this offseason.