What about the Mets on Yoshinobu Yamamoto, Juan Soto?
As reporting this week about Yoshinobu Yamamoto and Juan Soto has focused on the Yankees, Mets fans were left to say, and understandably so, “Hey, what about us?”
Indeed, the Yankees stand a strong chance of acquiring one of those players (it remains to be seen if they will raise the payroll enough to accommodate both). But while the Mets are not involved in the Soto sweepstakes, they remain heavily in the mix for Yamamoto.
For Soto and the Mets, the timing is simply not right. The Mets are trying to compete in 2024 without sacrificing the future, which is why they are not engaged in trade talks for Soto, Rays starter Tyler Glasnow, and just about anyone else who would cost significant prospect capital.
That’s not to say that the Mets can’t make the playoffs in ‘24, or even advance to the World Series like the surprising Arizona Diamondbacks did this year. But with a new head of baseball operations, new manager and new prospects in the system after last year’s trade deadline, their window is not open in a sell-the-farm-for-Soto way.
When Soto is a free agent in 12 months? That, of course, could be a different story, but not now.
It is the Yankees who are feeling more heat to reach the World Series in 2024, and therefore are willing to swing a dramatic trade for a one-year rental (Soto is not expected to sign an extension with the team that acquires him).
As for Yamamoto, he is intrigued by the iconography and history of the Yankees and Dodgers. But the less iconic Mets (Steve Cohen is hoping to change that perception, but hasn’t had enough time yet) have a deep desire to sign him and deeper pockets than anyone. For these reasons, they are real players for Yamamoto, despite the utter lack of buzz linking the two sides. The Mets will try their best to sign him.
A Yamamoto doomsday scenario for New York baseball exists in which Shohei Ohtani chooses a team other than the Dodgers -- semi-informed gossip about that scenario is rampant this week in baseball circles -- leaving Los Angeles with hundreds of millions of dollars to lavish on Yamamoto.
Speaking of Ohtani: If there were any indication within the industry that he would come to New York, the Mets would obviously pursue him aggressively. But so far, there does not seem to be any indication.
Regardless of where Yamamoto signs, the Mets are working to add several more starting pitchers. At the moment, Jordan Montgomery is a more likely high-end target than Eduardo Rodriguez or Blake Snell. The Mets expect to sign more pitchers to one-year deals, as they are in the process of doing with Luis Severino, and will explore another NPB pitcher, left-hander Shota Imanaga.
