The Mets enter this offseason with no shortage of holes to patch, and the margin for error is thin. With the 2027 season looming and this free-agent class lacking the kind of depth teams usually hope for, every decision matters a little more than usual. That makes familiarity inside the division especially appealing for David Stearns and the front office, who need to avoid another winter full of misfires.
If the Mets are going to shop among their NL East neighbors, there are a handful of names that fit the bill.
Tyler Mahle is the kind of arm who can change the look of a rotation in a hurry, even if the road to that point has been uneven. Atlanta picked him up at the trade deadline from the San Francisco Giants, a move that raised some eyebrows at the time because he carried a 5.13 ERA in 18 starts.
Then came the turnaround. Mahle finished the season with a 1.99 ERA and 48 strikeouts over his final nine starts, then kept rolling into October by allowing just two earned runs in 13.1 innings across two strong postseason appearances.
He’ll be 32 when the offseason begins, and the combination of that late surge and his injury history gives him a complicated market. That could be enough to make him attractive to the Mets, who need multiple starters to support a young rotation.
One of those arms should be a top-end piece, but another needs to be a sturdy mid-rotation starter. A two- or three-year contract with a high annual salary and opt-outs could fit Mahle and New York both - a meaningful payday for him, but not a long-term commitment for the Mets.
At first base, Alec Bohm stands out as a possible answer. He has been a constant presence in Philadelphia since debuting in 2020, although his performance has swung wildly from one stretch to the next.
His 2026 season told that story clearly. By the end of July, he was hitting .223 with a .647 OPS.
Then he caught fire in August and September, batting .305 with two home runs and an .807 OPS. He also delivered a big postseason moment, launching a go-ahead homer in the 10th inning of Game 2 of the Wildcard Round against the Braves.
The Phillies also moved Bohm from third base to first, which only adds to his appeal. The Mets need help at first base, and Bohm could slide in without a long-term commitment attached.
He could also share time with Jared Young, whom the Mets would still like to get at-bats for. There’s another layer here too: Bohm hit .292 against left-handed pitching last season and knocked seven of his 15 home runs against southpaws, exactly the sort of production New York lacked.
That same weakness against left-handers makes Edmundo Sosa worth a look as well. Philadelphia has leaned on him as a utility piece since acquiring him in 2022, and in 124 at-bats against lefties this season he hit .290 with six home runs and an .835 OPS.
The Mets, meanwhile, finished with the eighth-worst OPS against left-handed pitching in 2026. They also lost Tyrone Taylor at the deadline, taking away one of their better bats against southpaws and an experienced right-handed pinch-hitting option.
Sosa could help in more than one spot. He would give the Mets another answer at shortstop behind Francisco Lindor, an area where depth was lacking last season. It may not be the loudest move on the board, but it could wind up one of the more useful ones.
The bullpen needs attention too, especially after New York traded away five relievers at the deadline. Multiple high-leverage additions are on the checklist, and Brooks Raley is an obvious name to circle if the Mets want to bring back someone they already know well. Before the trade to Philadelphia, he was arguably their most valuable reliever, posting a 1.96 ERA, 40 strikeouts and a 1.09 WHIP in 41.1 innings.
His stint with the Phillies went in the opposite direction. Raley posted a 7.94 ERA in 11.1 innings and was left off their postseason roster.
He’ll be 39 next season, so there’s obvious concern after that finish, but a short-term reunion still makes sense. The Mets need experienced left-handed help in the bullpen, and a familiar arm could bring some stability in a division that includes bats like Bryce Harper and Kyle Schwarber.
Then there’s Raisel Iglesias, one of the better late-inning relievers on the market. He converted 34 of 37 save chances in 2026 for Atlanta and finished with a 2.55 ERA, 64 strikeouts and a 1.08 WHIP over 60 innings.
At 36, he’ll likely want to keep closing wherever he lands, but the Mets already have Devin Williams as their ninth-inning option. That opens the door for Iglesias to work in a setup role if New York wants to pair him with another proven arm.
That kind of structure would give the Mets two established late-inning options, no matter who takes the ninth. And after the way last offseason went, that sort of clarity might be just as important as any single signing.
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