Jul 13, 2022; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; A detailed view of a New York Mets hat and glove in the dugout against the Atlanta Braves in the eighth inning at Truist Park. Brett Davis-Imagn Images

Mets urged to add front-line starting pitcher

Originally posted on New York Mets on SI
By Nick Ziegler | Last updated Jan 12, 2026 12:00 PM ET

The New York Mets have had a disappointing offseason so far in the eyes of many, but the team still has time and the ability to turn things around.

Coming into the winter, the Mets were a team that everyone had their eyes on. Following their collapse last season, personnel change was expected and that has undoubtedly been the case. Some fan-favorites and longtime players are no longer on the team, and the franchise is clearly going into a different direction.

As of now, the Mets have gone in the wrong direction due to their lack of meaningful replacements, but there are options available that could quickly turn that narrative around. There has been a lot of discussion about adding one of the star outfielders in free agency, with both Cody Bellinger and Kyle Tucker being excellent fits. However, one of the main reasons for the Mets’ collapse was their starting rotation. With options available in free agency and the trade market, that is arguably where they should try to improve first.

Bradford Doolittle of ESPN recently wrote about the Mets needing to add a front-line starter to pair with some of the talented young arms they have in the rotation.

Mets' Rotation Has High Upside

While the rotation needs a front-end leader, there are some appealing options still on the team. Barring a trade, New York still has the young arms of Nolan McLean, Jonah Tong, and Brandon Sproat.

Of the three, McLean figures to be the one that the team will be relying on most in the rotation in 2026, but everyone in this trio has high upside and can figure heavily into the Mets' future plans. However, despite the talent they possess, adding a bona fide front-line starter is a need.

The trade market has some appealing options available, with Freddy Peralta being the most coveted option and MacKenzie Gore having some untapped upside of his own. But there are two talented left-handers in Framber Valdez and Ranger Suarez on the free agent market, without the need for the Mets to sacrifice high-end prospects.

Both Valdez and Suarez are known for their durability, as they can reliably pitch deep into games and make upwards of 25 starts a year (Valdez is capable of 30+ starts). Either one of those two would be a significant upgrade for the team and help provide stability to a unit that needs it.

However, president of baseball operations David Stearns hasn’t appeared to be keen on signing free agent pitchers to expensive long-term deals. Even though Valdez and Suarez's markets might not have materialized the way they would have liked, it’s hard to imagine either taking a short-term contract.

Nonetheless, adding a front-end starter for the Mets makes a lot of sense, whether it be in a trade or in free agency. With a few talented young pitchers prepared to help in 2026, an ace could be the missing piece.

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