Inside The Mets

Mets' 'Offseason Shopping List' Reveals Likely Free Agency Strategy

The New York Mets have their work cut out for them when it comes to procuring a successful offseason.

Grant Young

Jul 30, 2024; New York City, New York, USA; New York Mets president of baseball operations David Stearns speaks to the media about the MLB trade deadline before a game against the Minnesota Twins at Citi Field. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-Imagn Images
Jul 30, 2024; New York City, New York, USA; New York Mets president of baseball operations David Stearns speaks to the media about the MLB trade deadline before a game against the Minnesota Twins at Citi Field. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-Imagn Images / Brad Penner-Imagn Images
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The New York Mets have an opportunity to cement themselves as perennial World Series contenders for the near future if they have a successful offseason.

Of course, "successful" is an subjective term in this regard. But there are several potential moves and acquisitions the Mets can make this winter that would make it hard for any fan to complain.

And these moves are alluded to in a November 8 article from Bleacher Report's Kerry Miller, which reveals his take on each MLB team's 'offseason shopping list'.

"Offseason Shopping List

1. Starting Pitching
2. First Baseman
3. Corner Outfield," Miller wrote for the Mets' section.

"Hitting free agency for the Mets are three of the seven players who struck at least a dozen home runs in 2024, the three team leaders in innings pitched in 2024 and, in total, 10 of the 26 players who were on the NLCS roster," he continued.

"However, by no means is it a question of 'if' the Mets will spend this offseason.

"It's a question of 'where' and 'on whom' they'll be throwing all sorts of money."

Miller then added, "The great white whale is Juan Soto, who seems destined to sign a contract with a greater present-day value than Shohei Ohtani's mammoth deal from last offseason.

"But if Soto sticks with that other team in New York, that would put the Mets in a better spot to diversify their portfolio, if you will, by signing a bunch of next-tier free agents.

"Suffice it to say, retaining Pete Alonso while adding something along the lines of Corbin Burnes, Yusei Kikuchi and Anthony Santander would be quite the consolation prize for losing the Soto sweepstakes," Miller concluded.

So it seems like the Mets' offseason strategy will be to either sign Juan Soto or miss out on Soto and sign several other elite free agents.

Both of these strategies should sound pretty good to Mets fans.

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Grant Young
GRANT YOUNG

Grant Young covers the New York Yankees, the New York Mets, and Women’s Basketball for Sports Illustrated’s ‘On SI’ sites. He holds an MFA degree in creative writing from the University of San Francisco, where he also played Division 1 baseball for five years. He believes Mark Teixeira should have been a first ballot MLB Hall of Fame inductee.

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