Reese Kaplan -- The Top Quartet of Starting Pitcher Free Agents

So, no matter how you slice it, the Mets need both starting pitching and a slew of good relievers available to support them after they leave the game.  Let's not go back and look at the horrific numbers provided by folks pressed into emergency starting pitching assignments due to injuries and trades.  

The fact is that when your rotation includes the likes of Jose Butto, Joey Lucchesi, Tylor Megill and David Peterson instead of vintage Max Scherzer, Justin Verlander and a renewed Carlos Carrasco, it became inevitable that the Mets were facing an uphill battle to try to win ballgames.  

While it's possible for the as yet unfound and unnamed General Manager can execute trades to reinforce the Mets starting rotation, it would involve sacrificing either established veteran players who might or might not be able to be replaced with more Baby Mets, or it could mean sending away some of the duplicate Baby Mets to try to secure more immediate help for the starting rotation and bullpen.

So for now lets instead look at the free agent picture and decide who should be on David Stearns' spreadsheet analyzing cost/benefit formulas to determine how to spend like Milwaukee but perform like Milwaukee as well.  Yes, Steve Cohen has a lot more money to spend but I would think that after 2023's results he might not be so quick to dole out enormous sums for older players who are very good but also not providing the quality necessary to ensure victories.  

Obviously the 25-year-old wunderkind Yoshinobu Yamamoto will be at the top of everyone's lists, not just the Mets.  His numbers are phenomenal and his age suggests he could be an anchor in the rotation for many years into the future.  Yes, he'll cost more than the very successful Kodai Senga, but he's not likely to tap into the Scherzer/Verlander price range.

Following behind him is another Japanese hurler by the name of Shota Imanaga, a 30 year old lefty who has consistently put up commendable numbers while playing for Yokohama.  His most recent metrics are eye popping -- 2.80 ERA with 174 strikeouts in 148+ innings pitched.  Given his age and less publicity than Yamamoto he will be considerably less expensive and could be part of a three-man Japanese starting pitching force at Citifield. 

Another southpaw who most definitely should be on the Mets team radar is Jordan Montgomery.  While his overall career numbers are better than average, lately he's come to achieve another upper level of productivity and doesn't require any compensation as a free agent.  This past season he had a 10-11 record but with a 3.20 ERA and a commendable WHIP under 1.200.  At age 30 he's likely good for a 3-5 year deal and his last salary was $10 million.  He wouldn't break the bank.

The next pitcher is one very familiar to the Mets team, front office and media -- Seth Lugo.  He left the Mets to transition from being a setup reliever into a starting pitcher and his 2023 trial in San Diego was way better than anyone expected.  He went 8-7 over 26 starts with a 3.57 ERA with about a strikeout per inning pitched and a decent WHIP.  

He's already announced he's opting out of his current deal to pursue more money in free agency a second time.  His current salary is just $7.5 million, so even at double that number he'd be a great back end addition to the rotation.

There are numerous other starting pitchers to consider who have had either health issues or career inconsistencies, but this select group would seem to represent the best of the lot for the Mets.  Yes, they could go after Aaron Nola or Blake Snell but the investment for these pitchers is going to approach $30 million and the incremental advantage does not seem a particularly shrewd investment.