The Mets may have their outfield future mapped out, but that doesn’t mean the offseason shopping list is closed.
With Juan Soto, A.J. Ewing, and Carson Benge already giving New York a strong-looking group on the grass, the bigger question is whether the club wants to keep building around that core or swing for another bat anyway. After an average offensive season, the idea of adding one more impact hitter still makes plenty of sense.
That’s where two Chicago Cubs names enter the picture: Seiya Suzuki and Ian Happ. Bleacher Report recently pointed to both as possible fits for the Mets, even with the outfield seemingly spoken for.
“The Mets appear to have their present and future outfield in place with Juan Soto and 2026 rookies Carson Benge and A.J. Ewing, but designated hitter is a potential area to upgrade. The DH spot produced a .213/.310/.378 line this past season, and with their limitless budget, a run at signing Suzuki to fill that hole is not out of the question,” Joel Reuter wrote.
The logic is straightforward. Soto is already one of the game’s elite players, Benge carries real star upside, and Ewing looks like someone the Mets can lean on for years. Those three are expected to be in the lineup every day, and that doesn’t automatically rule out a move for Suzuki or Happ.
If New York decides the best way to improve is simply to stack as much offense as possible, either Chicago bat could fit the plan. The real issue is whether the Mets are ready to pay for it, because players with that kind of value won’t come cheap.
In Other News...
Mets First Base Search Is Coming Down To One Crucial Debate
The Mets offseason first-base search is starting to take shape, and the debate has become less about finding a name and more about deciding what kind of fit matters most. With the position underperforming in 2026, the club is weighing several options, including free agents Ty France and Jake Bauers, along with international bat Teruaki Sato, each bringing a different blend of offense, defense and long-term appeal.
France offers a steadier major league track record, Bauers brings a different power-leaning look, and Sato adds the intrigue that comes with an overseas target. For a team trying to shore up first base without creating another hole elsewhere, the decision comes down to balancing reliability against upside, with each choice carrying its own risk and reward as the Mets sort through the market. [Read more 🡒]
Mets Already Face A 40-Man Decision On Three Overlooked Additions
Late in the 2026 season, the Mets used waiver claims to add Christian Cairo, Cameron Weston and Philip Abner to their 40-man roster, a trio of moves that barely registered outside the front office but can matter a lot once the offseason roster crunch begins. None of the three appeared in a major league game for New York, yet each gives the club another arm or infield option to sort through as it tries to balance depth, upside and flexibility.
Now comes the part the Mets always have to navigate this time of year, when marginal additions can turn into real decisions. Cairo, Weston and Abner all sit in that gray area where recent performance and organizational need will shape what comes next, but the bigger question is how much room New York is willing to keep open for players it only just brought in and has not yet seen on the field. [Read more 🡒]
Mets May Be Headed For Another Steve Cohen Pitching Showdown
Tarik Skubal is heading toward free agency after the World Series, and the left-hander is already shaping up as one of the defining names of the winter market. Projected to land a deal in the $324 million to $400 million range, he is the kind of frontline starter who can reshape a rotation and force big-market teams to pick their spots carefully. The Dodgers, Yankees and Mets are all viewed as major contenders, with Betonline.ag listing them among the favorites to make the biggest run.
For the Mets, the appeal is obvious. Steve Cohen has shown a willingness to chase elite talent, and a pitcher of Skubals caliber would fit the kind of aggressive offseason the club has rarely been shy about considering. The wrinkle is the broader market, where a possible MLB lockout could affect how freely teams spend and how they approach long-term commitments, leaving the Mets to navigate both a bidding war and an uncertain winter. [Read more 🡒]