By the time the 2026 season winds down, the baseball world could already be bracing for 2027 - and for a market that may move fast. There is a strong likelihood that an extended work stoppage is in store once the collective bargaining agreement expires on December 1, and that could push teams into an aggressive November spending spree.
League sources told The Athletic's Andy McCullough that clubs are expected to chase free agents before the stoppage hits, much like the rush that shaped the market in 2022. That winter brought a wave of notable signings before the lockout, and the Mets were right in the middle of it, landing Max Scherzer, Eduardo Escobar, Starling Marte and Mark Canha on multi-year deals.
That history matters because David Stearns is staring at a straightforward shopping list this offseason. The Mets need rotation help and an upgrade at first base, and a faster-than-usual market could give them a clean shot at solving both problems. If players want financial security before a work stoppage that could change the sport's economic setup, New York can lean on Steve Cohen's wallet and move decisively.
The biggest potential swing here is Tarik Skubal. He checks the box for the ace the Mets have been trying to find for a long time, and his agent, Scott Boras, has strongly suggested that Skubal may want a deal done before any stoppage so it can be grandfathered into possible economic changes.
If that race starts early, the Mets look built for it. They have the kind of financial muscle that can meet a record-setting price, and they also have the flexibility to adjust if the league changes the salary structure.
But Skubal may not be the only place this matters. The middle class of free agents could be just as important, with players possibly trying to lock in contracts before any talk of a salary cap squeezes the market. That would open the door for the Mets to target a few lower-cost options on favorable deals, the same way they landed Canha and Escobar in 2022.
The one mistake New York cannot make is waiting around. If Stearns identifies a player the Mets want, they have to move early, because once the stoppage complicates the market, even a thin free-agent class could start to resemble the waiver wire in a competitive 12-team fantasy football league.
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For a staff candidate, this is about more than swings and mechanics. The Mets need help finding a voice that can steady an underperforming lineup, but they also have to convince people the job comes with enough stability to make it worth taking. In the meantime, the open question is whether the right coach sees a chance to help fix the offense or sees a situation that still looks too unsettled to trust. [Read more 🡒]