The Mets have a first base problem, and it’s one they can’t afford to ignore this offseason.
For years, Pete Alonso gave New York stability at the position, playing every day and eventually becoming the franchise’s home run leader. But after Alonso left in free agency for a five-year deal with the Baltimore Orioles last offseason, the Mets were left trying to piece together first base on the fly. The Jorge Polanco experiment flopped badly, and that sent the team into a season-long shuffle at the spot.
Now the pressure is on David Stearns and company to find a real answer.
One possible route could run through Minnesota, where Twins infielder Royce Lewis has emerged as a name to watch. His future with the Twins has not been publicly confirmed, but he is reportedly one of the reasons his time in Minnesota could be nearing an end. The injury history is real, but so is the appeal.
Lewis has spent five years in the majors and has hit .246/.302/.429 with 61 home runs, 213 RBIs and a .731 OPS in 683 career games. He also just put together a career-high 125 games this past season, a notable step forward after years of health issues. Just as important for the Mets, he comes with the kind of defensive versatility teams covet.
Most of Lewis’ career has come at first base and third base, which makes him a natural fit for a club looking for flexibility. That connection gets even more interesting because of Derek Falvey, who spent the previous 10 years in the Twins’ front office as executive vice president and chief baseball officer, as well as president of baseball operations. Falvey also drafted Lewis first overall in the 2016 draft.
If New York were to land Lewis, he could slot into a platoon at first base alongside Jared Young, whom you would consider to be on the roster in 2027. It wouldn’t be a flashy solution, but it could be a practical one that gives the Mets some cover at a spot that has been unsettled for too long.
Lewis also brings something the Mets lacked for much of last season: a right-handed bat with useful numbers against left-handed pitching. He hit .252 with five home runs against lefties last year and struck out only 32 times. Against right-handers, the power was there too, with 10 homers, but the contact took a hit as he batted just .216 and struck out 98 times.
And because his overall run in Minnesota has been uneven, it likely wouldn’t take much to get him. The Twins are trying to retool a fairly young roster, which could make Lewis available at a reasonable cost.
If the Mets are looking for a low-key move that could help reshape the roster, Royce Lewis is the kind of name that fits the bill.
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Mets Have Made One Lineup Fix Their Clear Offseason Priority
The Mets have already narrowed one of their biggest offseason questions to a single spot. President of baseball operations David Stearns said adding a first baseman is a top priority this winter, even as Jared Young is expected to remain part of the plan there next season. The idea is not to overhaul the position so much as to give the lineup a more balanced look, with the club wanting a right-handed bat to pair with Young.
New York is expected to pursue that help either in free agency or via trade, with Ty France, Paul Goldschmidt and Alec Bohm among the names in the mix. Elsewhere, the Mets sound comfortable with their internal options, and Marcus Semien is expected to compete for playing time at second base. For a team trying to fine-tune rather than rebuild, first base has become the clearest place to shop. [Read more 🡒]