Mets Lose Bidding War To White Sox For Intriguing Free Agent Starting Pitcher

New York will have to look elsewhere for starting pitching

The New York Mets are in the hunt for starting pitching this offseason after losing their two most valuable arms at last year's trade deadline.

This year's market has an abundance of talent to help replenish the rotation, however, the competition is stiff.

Recent reports indicate that Mets owner Steven Cohen was outbid in a pursuit to land a compelling free-agent starter.

"Erick Fedde goes to the White Sox, pending physical," New York Post's Jon Heyman reported Tuesday. "Mets tried there".

Fedde held a 21-33 record with a 5.41 ERA, 352-to-191 strikeout-to-walk ratio, .282 batting average against and 1.52 WHIP throughout six seasons pitched for the Washington Nationals.

The 30-year-old's underwhelming Major League Baseball career came to a halt in 2022 when he was granted free agency but did not love the offers he had stateside. Fedde proceeded to take his talents overseas where he played for the KBO -- Korea's top baseball league.

The right-handed pitcher posted an impressive 20-6 record with a 2.00 ERA, 209-to-35 strikeout-to-walk ratio, and 0.95 WHIP in 180 1/3 innings pitched for the NC Dinos in 2023 -- earning himself the Choi Dong-won Award which is the KBO equivalent of MLB's Cy Young.

The White Sox were able to reach Fedde on a two-year $15 million contract, thus outbidding the Mets' hopes of landing the comeback player.

Luckily, the Mets are still in striking distance to land some of the top names on the market and are far from finished in retooling the rotation.

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