Report: Mets Looking For Significant Upgrades At Two Positions This Offseason

The Mets' offense has certainly been disappointing this year and there are a few positions that they are looking to upgrade in the upcoming offseason, league sources tells Inside the Mets. Find out the details below.

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It is no secret that the Mets' offense has been extremely disappointing in 2021. And with their playoff hopes fading fast with 10 straight games left against the Giants and Dodgers, their holes have never been more glaring.

Their situational hitting has also been a nightmare, and it was once again on full display when they got swept by the Dodgers over the weekend, going 2-for-29 with runners in scoring position across three games. On Sunday, they recorded just their 13th sacrifice fly of the season, which is ranked dead last in baseball.

Regardless of whether they sneak into the playoffs by winning their weak division or not, the Mets are in need of some personnel changes in their lineup in the upcoming offseason.

And with 45 games left to go in the regular season, the Mets are looking at third base and corner outfield, as two areas where they are seriously considering an upgrade this winter, league sources tell Inside the Mets.

The belief around the league is, that they will also be searching for Michael Conforto's long-term replacement as well, should he bolt in free agency, or sign the one-year qualifying offer to remain in Queens for an additional season to increase his value after a poor campaign.

According to league sources, the #Mets are looking to upgrade at 3B and corner OF this offseason with finding Michael Conforto's replacement in mind whether he accepts the 1-year, qualifying offer or bolts

I explored some options:https://t.co/mZyCKCUiFH

— Pat Ragazzo (@ragazzoreport) August 16, 2021

One name that comes to mind as a potential fit is Cincinnati Reds right fielder Nick Castellanos, who can opt out of his four-year, $64 million contract after the season. The 30-year-old Castellanos is currently having a big year at the plate for the Reds, slashing .315/.374/.563 with a .937 OPS, 20 home runs and 63 RBIs, which should set him up for a huge payday if he chooses to re-enter free agency this offseason.

J.D. Martinez also has an opt out in his deal with the Red Sox after this season, and could make sense for the Mets if the universal DH is implemented in the upcoming collective bargaining agreement. Some additional names that will be in this free-agent outfield class are Starling Marte and Tommy Pham, but along with Martinez, they are all approaching 35 years of age, which doesn't exactly make them a long-term fit, but more so as short-term upgrades or stopgaps. 

If Conforto does stay for another season, an additional impact bat that can play the corner outfield would enhance the Mets' lineup and provide more flexibility if he walks after 2022. It would also potentially allow the Mets to shop Dom Smith on the trade market, or revert him back to a bench/platoon role. 

After a monstrous 60-game campaign in 2020, Smith has been disappointing at the plate this season, as someone who was being relied on as a middle of the order hitter. But he does provide value as a platoon player, given his .340/.395/.453 clip against left-handed pitching.

As for third base, this is the most obvious position of need for the Mets, as they look ahead to the future. The top candidate available will be Kris Bryant, who the Mets lost out on at the trade deadline to the NL West leading San Francisco Giants. Albeit, it might be difficult to lure him away from San Francisco depending on how they finish in the postseason.

The Mets made a mistake by not going harder for outfielder George Springer last winter, who ultimately signed a six-year, $150 million deal with the Toronto Blue Jays. And Springer has been on an offensive tear since returning from the IL in late-June (14 home runs, 32 RBIs, .972 OPS).

This could see the Mets be more aggressive this time around for a player of Bryant's caliber. But Eduardo Escobar will be a free-agent, and possibly Nolan Arenado if he chooses to opt out of his deal with the Cardinals.

And in all likelihood, the Mets will have a new president of baseball operations leading the charge, as Mets owner Steve Cohen plans to re-enter the hunt for this position, which he whiffed on after taking over the team last year. Regardless of whether they bring in a new president of baseball operations, acting general manager Zack Scott is expected to have the permanent tag placed on him as well.

The Mets are pretty much set at first base, second base, shortstop, catcher and center field next year with Pete Alonso, Jeff McNeil, Francisco Lindor, James McCann and Brandon Nimmo. This leaves third base, left field and possibly DH (If included in the new CBA), as the clearest vacancies on the roster.

J.D. Davis is another potential trade chip, but if the Mets can't deal him, his starting job will certainly be in jeopardy if and when they do decide to bring in a new third baseman. Davis would likely be a strong candidate to serve in a bench role next season, with Smith holding the most value on the trade market.

The Mets also have deadline acquisition Javier Báez set to become a free-agent after the season as well. But Báez is a long-term risk due to his wild approach and lack of discipline at the plate. It is currently unclear if the team plans to pursue Báez when he hits the open market, but it is still an option after they used their 2020 first-round pick Pete Crow-Armstrong to acquire him.

While there are a number of uncertainties surrounding the Mets' long-term plan, one thing is for certain, that their offense is in need of a shakeup after a disappointing 2021 season. Overall, they rank 25th in MLB with a .234/.313/.380 slash line and an anemic .693 OPS. They've slugged just 123 homers as a team (6th worst in MLB) and have scored a mere 3.8 runs per game.

They also have a number of hitters underperforming this year in Conforto, McNeil, Lindor, McCann and Smith.

The Mets held onto first place in the NL East for three straight months, but after losing Jacob deGrom (right elbow inflammation), Francisco Lindor (oblique strain) and failing to add enough at the trade deadline, their playoff hopes are looking very bleak at the moment with time running out.