MLB Insider reveals Mets’ preferred free agency plan

In a piece for The Athletic previewing the offseason, Bowden spoke to front office personnel from every team, including the Mets. Those conversations led Bowden to believe that the organization's preferred method of upgrading the rotation would come via trade to add a starter with shorter-term control.

The obvious trade fit for the Mets would be Tarik Skubal, who Bowden feels would be a home run for them if they can pull it off. There is risk in a Skubal pursuit, however, since there will be an intense bidding war for Skubal's services and he is likely to test the free agent market after reportedly asking for close to $400 million in extension talks with the Detroit Tigers.

There are other potential trade options that could help the Mets improve the rotation, such as Minnesota's Joe Ryan and Milwaukee's Freddy Peralta; Bowden notes that the latter would be reunited with David Stearns in a deal. While neither has the upside of Skubal, the cost to acquire them would be far less in terms of prospect capital.

What is the best route for the Mets to address their rotation?

While it may be the Mets' preference to improve their rotation on the trade market, Bowden also noted that the Mets won't be closed off to free agent pursuits. Those deals would cost more in terms of money and guaranteed years, which is something Stearns usually avoids for players at or near 30 years old.

It will also be interesting to see if the qualifying offer discourages the Mets from pursuing some free agent options. A number of top starters received qualifying offers from their previous teams, including Valdez, Suarez, Dylan Cease and Michael King. While the Mets were happy to surrender a draft pick to land Juan Soto last winter, it remains to be seen how Stearns views pursuits of players with the QO attached that aren't generational superstars.

Either way, it makes sense for the Mets to pursue multiple starting options this winter after the rotation was their single biggest point of failure in 2025. While Nolan McLean and Clay Holmes appear the safest bets to appear in the rotation in 2026, Stearns has a lot of potential avenues to upgrade this group during Hot Stove season.