Mets have tons of work left after silent Winter Meetings, with Yoshinobu Yamamoto pursuit front and center
Until the Yankees and Padres finalized the Juan Soto blockbuster, the 2023 Winter Meetings were perhaps the quietest in the history of the event. And the Mets were among the many teams that did nothing buzzworthy.
With the exception of the Soto deal, the Orioles inking Craig Kimbrel to a one-year pact, and the Diamondbacks signing Eduardo Rodriguez -- a pitcher whose market was severely limited due to him leaving his team during the 2022 season over a personal matter and vetoing a trade to the Dodgers at the 2023 trade deadline -- really nothing happened.
And when I say nothing happened, I mean that in addition to there being mostly crickets when it came to actual trades or signings, the level of chatter and rumors was also as low as it's ever been.
A lot of that had to do with the fact that most teams are waiting for Shohei Ohtani and Yoshinobu Yamamoto (much more on him below) to sign before kicking their offseasons into high gear.
But for Mets fans, some uneasiness at this point is understandable.
After signing Luis Severino earlier this offseason, the Mets have done work on the margins, with small signings like utility player Joey Wendle and reliever Michael Tonkin. There were also the minor league signings of slick-fielding infielder Jose Iglesias and relievers Kyle Crick and Andre Scrubb.
However, while the Mets have done nothing major beyond signing Severino, there are two reasons why -- at this point -- that's just fine.
The first reason is that nearly every player the Mets should have had interest in via free agency or trade when the offseason started is still available.
The second reason is that the Mets are clearly laser-focused on their pursuit of Yamamoto, with their offseason -- as David Stearns explained on Wednesday -- taking one path if Yamamoto lands in Queens and another if he lands elsewhere.
So let's discuss Yamamoto...
Owner Steve Cohen and Stearns flew to Japan to meet with the 25-year-old star and his family last week, and Yamamoto will be coming to the United States in the next few days to meet with interested teams -- including perhaps another meeting with the Mets.
In addition to the Mets and Yankees, who are still pursuing Yamamoto after landing Soto, the Dodgers, Giants, Red Sox, and Cubs have been among the teams most connected to Yamamoto.
It will not be easy for any team to close the deal with Yamamoto, with the combination of his age, career results, and elite stuff making him one of the most sought-after free agents in history.
Initially expected to get around $200 million, multiple reports are now suggesting that number could be closer to $300 million.
And while the Mets go full bore after Yamamoto, they still have to add at least one other starting pitcher, multiple relievers who can pitch in the late innings, an outfielder (preferably one who profiles as a starter), and -- ideally -- a designated hitter who can inject some power into the lineup.
As was noted above, as the Mets look to fill all those holes, they have plenty of quality options to choose from on the free agent and trade markets -- whether they ink Yamamoto or not.
Among the options:
Jordan Montgomery
Blake Snell
Tyler Glasnow
Lucas Giolito
Shota Imanaga
Jorge Soler
Teoscar Hernandez
J.D. Martinez
Rhys Hoskins
Jung Hoo Lee
Lourdes Gurriel Jr.
Joc Pederson
Hector Neris
Matt Moore
Phil Maton
David Robertson
The list, while not made up of perfect players, is long and is full of guys who would fill each spot the Mets have a serious need.
I would not want the Mets to go after Snell because of concerns over his injury history, an inability to amass innings, and the fact that he's attached to a qualifying offer. But he did just win the Cy Young award, and they do have interest.
In an ideal world, the Mets sign Yamamoto and a second less expensive rotation option, add a DH like J.D. Martinez on a one-year deal, sign two relievers out of the group of Neris, Moore, Maton, and Robertson, and add an outfielder like Lee (or trade for one who isn't on the above list).
It could also make sense for the Mets to pursue a trade for Glasnow, who -- unlike Dylan Cease and Corbin Burnes -- should not cost an acquiring team a lot.
Glasnow is ace-level when he's right, but he comes with a $25 million price tag, a scary injury history, and has never thrown more than 120 innings in a season. The Mets, and any other team willing to take on that contract, should be able to get him without giving up a true impact prospect.
To circle back to Yamamoto, it needs to be stated again that how much of the offseason plays out in Queens will come down to how that pursuit resolves.
It should also be pointed out that the Mets' full-court press of Yamamoto -- and their plan to pursue a different frontline starter if they miss out on him -- is the latest proof that they are in no way punting the 2024 season.
However, just how seriously the Mets plan to compete in 2024 will likely be revealed through the player acquisitions they make over the next month or so.
