Mets Viewed as Ideal Fit For Top Reliever on Free Agent Market
The New York Mets already have one of baseball's best closers in Edwin Díaz. Aside from him, however, their bullpen is looking relatively barren at this point in the offseason; especially because they plan to use ex-Yankees closer Clay Holmes in the starting rotation.
Thankfully, there are numerous top-tier relievers available in free agency right now, as the bullpen market has been slow-moving this winter.
The arguable best reliever remaining is former San Diego Padres high-leverage hurler Tanner Scott, who tallied a sterling 1.75 ERA and 84 strikeouts in 72 games (72.0 innings pitched) with the Miami Marlins and Padres last season.
And in a January 10 article, Bleacher Report's Zachary D. Rymer deemed the Mets Scott's "best fit" in free agency.
"Fifteen pitchers have amassed at least 7.0 rWAR since the start of 2023, and Tanner Scott is the lone reliever among the bunch," Rymer wrote.
"Save for his typically high walk rates, he really does come away looking that good. His pure stuff is nastiness incarnate, and he barely has a platoon split anymore. For the last two seasons, he owns a .534 OPS vs. righties and a .512 OPS vs. lefties."
He then added, "[The Mets are] an ideal fit, and not just because a $20 million-per-year deal amounts to pennies by Steve Cohen standards. The Mets need another left-hander in their pen, not to mention closer insurance for Edwin Díaz after his rocky return to action in 2024.
"Besides, if the Mets want to unseat the Dodgers as the top power in the National League, it would help to have Shohei Ohtani's personal nemesis on their side," he concluded.
On January 7, Will Sammon of The Athletic reported that the Mets had recently met with Scott. Perhaps this means the two sides are already taking steps toward bringing him to Queens.