The Mets don’t need to splash everywhere this winter, but they can’t afford to guess wrong at the wrong spots either.
After two straight years without a playoff berth and a 2026 season that was over before anyone really had time to settle in, David Stearns is back in the hot seat with fans demanding answers. He has already shown he’s willing to spend Steve Cohen’s money, from the obvious Juan Soto move to the shorter-deal, higher-AAV approach he’s often preferred.
Still, this offseason may be the one where the Mets try to save a little at certain positions. The trick is knowing where that’s possible.
There are three areas where New York can probably avoid major spending if the front office makes the right calls. They can’t cut corners at all three, but getting by at two of them feels realistic.
First base is the clearest place where the Mets need to act, even if they don’t want to go big. Jared Young doesn’t look equipped to handle left-handed pitching, and the fallback options are thin, with Brett Baty as the emergency answer if someone gets hurt. The team could get creative and shift someone new to the position, but expecting Jorge Polanco to provide much defense there is basically off the table.
At a minimum, the Mets need a right-handed bat at first who can be better than Mark Vientos. It’s close to a lock that Vientos has already played his last game in a Mets uniform.
Among free agents, Paul Goldschmidt looks like the most realistic fit if he’s willing to accept a platoon role. Ty France, meanwhile, has little reason to sign up for a setup where he could quickly get pushed into the short side of a platoon.
Second base is murkier, but not necessarily expensive. Marcus Semien and Brett Baty are likely to split the job more than Stearns ever expected.
Semien’s decline might not be over, though the defense wasn’t good enough to justify treating him like a No. 9 hitter. The Mets could use another infielder in the mix, but not someone who’s going to soak up a huge chunk of the innings at second.
A lot depends on how the younger players develop. Jefferson Rojas would immediately enter the picture for playing time there if Bo Bichette returns.
Emilien Pitre is another name who could force his way into the conversation pretty quickly. With that kind of prospect depth and two major leaguers already on hand, it’s hard to picture the Mets making a full-on investment at second base.
Moving Bichette there later in the season, or even from Opening Day, remains another possibility.
The bullpen is the other spot where the Mets may be able to stay disciplined, but not completely passive. They already have Devin Williams on a big salary, and Kodai Senga looks headed for some kind of role.
Sean Manaea could even wind up in a longman job again. On paper, this is an area where the Mets can piece together a workable group without going overboard.
Daniel Duarte, Nate Lavender, Dedniel Nunez, Cionel Perez, and Austin Warren all profile as usable pieces. But the Mets can’t roll into next season with just that collection and call it done.
They still need an upgrade, and it may only be one mid-tier reliever. Waiver claims and even a trade shouldn’t be ruled out.
The biggest bullpen need is the spot left behind after the Luke Weaver trade.
That likely means one reliever in the $10-12 million range at most. After watching a Milwaukee Brewers vs. Tampa Bay Rays World Series, the Mets may be leaning toward smart spending instead of a spending spree.
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His place in club lore was already secure long before the team retired his No. 36 in 2021, making him just the third player in franchise history to receive that honor. Koosmans 140 wins and 3.07 ERA speak to the consistency he brought over a long run in Queens, and his passing is a reminder of how much of the Mets earliest success was built on players whose impact still echoes through the organization. [Read more 🡒]