Cy Young Winner Expected to Opt-Out of Deal; Should Mets Pursue Him in Free Agency?

Should the New York Mets target this Cy Young winner if he opts out of his contract this winter?

Aug 2, 2024; Cincinnati, Ohio, USA; San Francisco Giants starting pitcher Blake Snell (7) pitches against the Cincinnati Reds in the first inning at Great American Ball Park. Mandatory Credit: Katie Stratman-USA TODAY Sports / Katie Stratman-USA TODAY Sports

The New York Mets have been without a true ace pitcher in their starting rotation all year, as Kodai Senga has been limited to just 5.1 innings on the season due to a multitude of injuries.

But whether Senga stayed healthy or not in 2024, the Mets were likely going to have to add a frontline starter following the season anyway.

While president of baseball operations David Stearns was unable to land a top flight starting pitcher at the trade deadline, which is always a difficult task to pull-off in season, New York could instead look to sign a multi-time Cy Young Award winner if he hits the open market this winter.

This hurler would be left-hander Blake Snell, who will "almost surely decline" his $30 million player option in 2025 with the San Francisco Giants to become a free agent for the second straight year, as MLB insider Jon Heyman of The New York Post reported.

It has been a bizarre campaign for Snell, who signed late short-term deal with the Giants and missed all of spring training as a result. He has also spent two separate stints on the injured list this year, but has been dominating since his return from the shelf in July. In his last six starts, Snell has posted a dazzling 1.15 ERA across 39 innings. He also tossed a no-hitter against the Cincinnati Reds on August 2.

Snell captured the second Cy Young Award of his career while pitching for the San Diego Padres last season. Although he did not wind up getting dealt at this year's deadline, he will be able to help out a number of teams if and when he opts out of his deal this offseason.

The Mets have a significant amount of money coming off the books ahead of 2025, and Snell would be a legitimate No. 1 starter atop their rotation to pair with Senga next year.

The 31-year-old southpaw will likely be seeking a long-term deal and the Mets could very well be among the top suitors as they look to bring in some star power to their rotation.