Five Things the Mets Must Get Right This Offseason

The New York Mets have a laundry list of issues to sort out prior to the start of the 2027 season. With free agency officially opening up this week, there’s no better time to examine what exactly New York must do to contend next season.

Last offseason was an unmitigated disaster for the Mets, who seemingly pushed every wrong button, resulting in a non-competitive 2026 campaign.

New York has a strong core in place built around Juan Soto, Francisco Lindor, and its budding crop of young players, but the rest of the roster has to be filled out in order for the Mets to contend.

This offseason is unique, as the lockout beginning on December 1 means a boatload of transactions will take place prior to that date. As we saw during the 2021 lockout, some players will choose to sign before the shutdown, while others will wait until after and gauge the market on the flip side.

No matter when the players are added, the Mets have to improve their roster ahead of next season. Let’s take a look at the five biggest issues that need addressing on New York’s roster.

1. Acquire a Frontline Starting Pitcher

Since Jacob deGrom’s departure after the 2022 season, this issue has been the main roster concern for New York. The Mets thought trading for Freddy Peralta last offseason had solved the issue, only for Peralta’s tenure in New York to turn into a disaster.

The obvious answer here is to sign Tarik Skubal. It’s not often that one of the best pitchers in the game, in the midst of his prime, hits the open market. However, David Stearns has shown a tendency to shy away from long-term commitments for starting pitchers, which raises questions about what the Mets will do.

Skubal will command a mega-deal, and there’s no doubt that the Mets have the money to meet his demands, but it remains to be seen if Stearns has the willingness to do so. It’s possible that desperation creeps in after consecutive disastrous seasons.

Other names worth mentioning on the open market are Michael King and Sonny Gray, two veteran right-handers coming off very strong 2026 seasons. Shota Imanaga is another name worth mentioning who will command a hefty payday. All three of these hurlers are solid, but a step below the Cy Young-caliber Skubal.

Other options outside of free agency exist on the trade market, but in many cases, it’s hard to see teams moving off their frontline arms. Cases could be made for Tampa’s Drew Rasmussen, Seattle’s George Kirby and Logan Gilbert, and Miami’s Sandy Alcantara, but it’s very possible that they all stay put.

The Texas Rangers reportedly would like to move Jacob deGrom and Nathan Eovaldi, two other names to watch for New York.

Skubal is the most expensive, yet most accessible, option for the Mets. He would solve a lingering issue for this team and lead their rotation for the foreseeable future.

2. Fill Out the Starting Rotation

The main issue facing the starting rotation resides above, but even if the Mets are able to bring in an arm to lead the rotation, the rest of the group still needs to be filled out.

Nolan McLean, Christian Scott, and Sean Manaea are penciled in, with depth arms like Zac Thornton and a returning Tylor Megill also in the mix. The Mets need to add at least one more depth arm to bolster the back end of their rotation.

There are a handful of viable options on the market who will likely fall in the $10-$15 million AAV range, such as Clay Holmes, Brandon Woodruff, Shane Bieber, Tyler Mahle, and Michael Soroka, to name a few.

While the Mets have a solid group of starters in place, adding another arm to the middle or back end of the rotation behind their acquired frontline starter and McLean would greatly increase their chances.

3. Fix the First Base Issue

Another issue that the Mets attempted to fix last offseason was first base, when they inked Jorge Polanco to a two-year, $40 million deal. Polanco’s first year with the Mets went as poorly as possible, as he played in just 37 games and accumulated -1.4 fWAR.

Polanco projects to see more time at designated hitter in 2027, with the hope that he will be able to stay healthy and produce. Additionally, Jared Young had a strong season after winning the starting job in the second half of the year. Young offers strong platoon potential at first base or designated hitter, slashing .275/.339/.454 against right-handed pitching in 2026.

Despite Young’s success and Polanco’s presence, the Mets should still look to find a full-time starting first baseman this offseason.

Teruaki Sato is the big fish in the first base market this offseason. The 27-year-old will be coming over to the majors from Japan after slugging a combined 79 homers across the last two seasons in NPB.

Stateside options include Ty France and NLCS MVP Jake Bauers, if he decides to decline the qualifying offer. Both sluggers are coming off very strong seasons in San Diego and Milwaukee, respectively.

The trade market could be the solution for New York here, with names like Houston’s Christian Walker and Isaac Paredes, as well as Detroit’s Spencer Torkelson, all potentially available.

The Mets adding an impact bat at first base would lengthen their lineup and greatly improve their chances of returning to the postseason in 2027.

4. Build Out the Bullpen

The foundation for a strong bullpen is already in place for New York, with Devin Williams, Dedniel Núñez, Nate Lavender, Daniel Duarte, and Kodai Senga all likely locked into roles.

Filling out the rest of the group with quality depth arms to surround the existing core has to be another priority.

It wouldn’t be smart for New York to pursue the top relievers on the free-agent market, like David Bednar, Adrian Morejón, or Raisel Iglesias, given its already bloated payroll. Targeting arms further down the board who could still be effective is the better plan of attack.

Names like Evan Phillips, JoJo Romero, Alex Vesia, and others make more sense for the Mets given the situation they’re in.

With Williams having two years left on his deal, he’s locked into the closer role moving forward. Stearns needs to build a steady bridge to get the ball to him in the ninth inning.

5. Add a Fourth Outfielder

The final area of this Mets roster that needs to be addressed is a fourth outfielder off the bench to improve depth. If the season started today, rookie Nick Morabito would likely fill this role.

With further development, Morabito could one day fill the role, but for now, New York needs an upgrade. It would certainly help to bring in a player with veteran presence to assist Carson Benge and AJ Ewing in their sophomore seasons.

A reunion with Tyrone Taylor or signings of Austin Hays or Lane Thomas are all viable options for this part-time role.

A team’s World Series odds are not going to dramatically shift with the addition of a depth outfielder, but it is still an important hole that has to be addressed for this Mets team moving into next season.