The Mets don’t need another headline-grabber at first base as much as they need the right fit, and Jake Burger checks a lot of boxes.
After Pete Alonso left last winter, David Stearns got a clear reminder of how much production had been built into that spot every day. Jorge Polanco was supposed to help fill the void, but an injury-plagued 2026 season likely leaves him headed for designated hitter work next year. In the meantime, Jared Young stepped in and made himself part of the picture moving forward.
Young’s season gave the Mets something real to build on. In 103 games, he hit .266/.330/.429 with 17 doubles, nine home runs and 39 RBIs. That’s useful production, but not enough to simply hand him the first-base job for 2027 without competition.
That’s where Burger comes in.
The Rangers first baseman isn’t a household name, but the power plays. In three of his four full major league seasons, the right-handed hitter has cleared 28 homers. Last season, he posted .228/.302/.421 with 23 doubles, 28 home runs and 90 RBIs despite an uneven year at the plate.
The raw power is obvious in the underlying numbers, too. Burger’s 75.7 mph bat speed and 12.3% barrel rate both sit in at least the 80th percentile, according to Baseball Savant. He can really drive the baseball.
The problem has been consistency, especially against right-handed pitching. Burger hit just .215 with a .659 OPS against righties last season, while doing much more damage against lefties, batting .265 with 12 home runs and an .891 OPS. That split makes him a natural platoon candidate, which is exactly why he fits New York.
A trade with Texas could be realistic as well. According to Evan Grant of the Dallas Morning News, the Rangers are open to moving several key players this offseason as they try to “reallocate” money while keeping payroll around $190 million.
Burger isn’t one of their biggest contracts, with MLB Trade Rumors projecting him at $6.9 million in arbitration, but his value could still make him movable. Jacob deGrom, Corey Seager and Nathan Eovaldi all have full no-trade clauses, which gives Texas fewer easy paths if it wants to shuffle payroll.
Burger also comes with two more seasons of team control, which gives him more appeal than a pure rental. And because he plays first base and has had his share of offensive volatility, he likely wouldn’t cost as much in a deal as more established names such as Yandy Diaz or Christian Walker.
There’s also the glove to consider. Burger isn’t a Gold Glove type, but he was at least solid at first last season, finishing with plus-1 Outs Above Average.
The Mets do have other right-handed options if they want to stay in free agency, including Ty France and Paul Goldschmidt. But if they decide to spend heavily elsewhere - on top targets like Tarik Skubal or Michael King - a lower-cost trade target like Burger starts to make a lot of sense.
A Burger-Young tandem would give New York better balance at first base and let both hitters work in the matchups that suit them best. And if Burger irons out his numbers against right-handed pitching, he could eventually force his way into the everyday role, with Young sliding into a bench or designated hitter spot.
For a team that still has plenty to sort through this offseason, Burger may not be the loudest move on the board. But it could end up being one of the smartest.
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It is a crowded setup for a department that already includes two hitting coaches and recently saw Mariano Duncan promoted to the major league staff. For a club trying to get more consistency at the plate, the move suggests the organization wants as many perspectives as possible in the room, even if it leaves open how all those voices will be sorted out once the season gets moving. [Read more 🡒]