Mets Seen As Best Fit To Land All-Star Slugger After Impressive Season

New York still could end up landing one of the top offensive free agents available

The New York Mets have plenty of money to spend this offseason.

New York has taken a much more cautious approach this offseason than in the previous few. The Mets haven't spent big this offseason and instead have opted for players with upside on cheap contracts.

If the Mets want to make a run in 2024 and return to the postseason, though, they need to land some help for the middle of the lineup. New York let go former slugger Daniel Vogelbach and designated hitter now is a position of need.

There still are some pretty interesting players available and one slugger who the Mets are viewed as the best fit to land is Teoscar Hernández, according to MLB.com's Thomas Harrigan.

"For all of the focus that’s been placed on the Mets’ rotation this offseason, the team still has several question marks on offense as well, with Brett Baty, Tyrone Taylor, and DJ Stewart all penciled into starting spots, and 35-year-old right fielder Starling Marte coming off a .625 OPS in 2023," Harrigan said. "A proven power threat who has hit more than 20 homers in each of the past five full seasons (excluding the shortened 2020 campaign), Hernández could serve as a middle-of-the-order complement to Pete Alonso while bouncing between both corner-outfield spots and filling in at DH."

Hernández is one of the top offensive players remaining in free agency so if the Mets want to land him, they likely will have competition. The Boston Red Sox have been linked to the slugger on multiple occasions this offseason already as well. 

New York needs some help in the middle of the order and Hernández makes perfect sense. He could see time at DH as well as help out defensively in the outfield when needed. A move makes plenty of sense for the Mets.