The Mets’ offseason shopping list is starting to take shape, and October is doing some of the sorting for them.
Postseason baseball has a way of sharpening the picture fast. Some players look built for the spotlight, while others raise fresh questions when the games get tighter and the margins shrink. For New York, that means a few potential targets are helping their case, while others are making it harder to imagine a serious pursuit.
Tarik Skubal is one name that has only gotten louder. The Los Angeles Dodgers ace has made just one postseason start so far, but it was a strong one.
In Game 1 of the NLDS against the Atlanta Braves, the left-hander worked six innings on 94 pitches and gave up only two hits and a solo home run. He struck out seven and walked two.
If Skubal helps the Dodgers capture a third straight World Series title this October, his value will only climb higher before he reaches free agency this winter. The Mets should be aggressive about chasing him, though prying him away from Los Angeles would be a tough ask, especially if the Dodgers complete the three-peat.
Michael King has also boosted his stock. The San Diego Padres right-hander, who is sure to opt out of his contract and test the market, has handled the postseason with real poise.
Across three appearances and two starts in the Wild Card round and NLDS, he owns a 0.64 ERA. That showing got even bigger on Tuesday night, when the Padres faced elimination against the Milwaukee Brewers.
With Mason Miller on the paternity list and Adrian Morejon dealing with a shoulder injury, King came out of the bullpen on two days’ rest and threw two shutout innings on 40 pitches to earn the save. It was exactly the kind of rescue act that can make a team believe in a pitcher, and the Mets should be paying attention.
On the other side of the ledger, Adrian Morejon’s appeal has taken a hit. He’s now working through a shoulder issue that kept him out of his team’s biggest game of the season.
The results have been solid - a 2.25 ERA in two appearances covering four innings - but he also allowed three hits and a solo homer in Game 1 of the NLDS. Then came the availability problem: he was out for Game 3 and Game 4.
Morejon is expected to draw significant money in free agency, and shoulder injuries are never a comfortable combination for a pitcher in that range. For the Mets, that makes him a less attractive option after this postseason.
Kevin Gausman’s October didn’t help his case either. The Chicago Cubs starter was not sharp in his only appearance, lasting just 3.1 innings on 54 pitches in Game 2 of their elimination loss to the Padres.
A frontline starter is exactly the type of arm the Mets need to add before the 2027 season, but Gausman didn’t look the part in that outing. He also posted a 4.83 ERA in nine starts after the Cubs acquired him from the Toronto Blue Jays at the trade deadline.
The Wild Card round didn’t change the conversation, either, with the Cubs getting swept in two games and Gausman coming up small in the finale.
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The Mets are heading into an offseason where the top of the rotation could look very different, and Tarik Skubal is shaping up as the kind of arm that could change the conversation. New York is reportedly preparing to chase him, though the Dodgers loom as a major rival for his services, which means the market may quickly turn into a heavyweight bidding battle before the Mets even get to their preferred target.
Michael King is part of the broader picture, too, especially because his recent move from the bullpen into a starting role has made him one of the more intriguing arms available. His rise as a starter gives the Mets another possible path if the market breaks the wrong way, and his status will be worth watching as free agency opens and the rotation market starts to sort itself out. [Read more 🡒]