The New York Mets are looking to bounce back from their disappointing 2023 season and make up ground in the NL East. However, the Mets have been thwarted in that quest by a pair of former All-Star free agents.
New York finished second in the free agency pursuits of Aroldis Chapman and Julio Teheran, via Andy Martino of SNY. Chapman signed with the Pittsburgh Pirates while Teheran landed with the Baltimore Orioles.
The Mets offered Chapman a deal in the $8 million range with Pittsburgh winning out with a $10.5 million contract. New York’s offer to Teheran was not made clear. However, he is a pitcher the team plans on monitoring if he chooses to opt out of his Orioles deal.
While neither player is a blockbuster signing at this stage of their career, it’s clear the Mets are trying to add to both their rotation and bullpen. With Justin Verlander and Max Scherzer dealt at the trade deadline, New York lacks much firepower atop their rotation. Especially with Kodai Senga suffering an injury ahead of Opening Day.
The Mets will be welcoming back Edwin Diaz to the ninth inning in 2024. However, Chapman would at least give New York a veteran option with playoff experience in front of him.
As they go through spring training, the Mets will continue scouring the market for potential pitching additions. David Stearns and company are building the Mets back from the ground up. Their roster may not include Aroldis Chapman or Julio Teheran, but that only means there’s more room for potential New York additions.
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