Reese Kaplan -- Filling the Mets Now Greatly Weakened Offense

While the handwriting on the wall screams Kyle Tucker and Cody Bellinger, the fact is that the Mets are not going to finnd 120 RBIs to replace Pete Alonso at first base.  Yes, they could bring in Bellinger for any of the three vacant positions the Mets must fill before opening day. However, just Bellinger alone would not add up to what was provided offensively by Brandon Nimmo as well.  The easiest replacement, of course, would be center field since their collective productivity is inferior to many AAA options on other ball clubs.

So what do the Mets really want out of the first base position?  On the one hand you can book the slugger d’jour available via trade or free agency, though many of them would be at the tail end of their careers and the likely productivity would be a shell of what they once were capable of providing.

Another approach some advocate is the weird position switch of someone who thinks first base is not a defensive keystone but instead where you dump players who don’t fit anywhere else.  A case in point would be Mark Vientos whose defensive struggles would be acceptable if he provided the 2024 season type of offense.  There’s no guarantee it will happen.

Now sometimes these swaps can work.  We’re not flashing back to the Todd Zeile decision but when the Cardinals took lifelong catcher Willson Contreras and inserted him as their regular first baseman in 2025.  He surprisingly turned in a highly commendable defensive performance out there, but is rebuilding with player turning 34 for the upcoming season the right way to go?  He’s good for about 20 HRs and a .260 average along with 80 RBIs.  Coupled with good glove work then he could be useful but is he worth $18 million per year for the next two years?

Now the two high ticket free agents left open for bidding could indeed replace some of Pete Alonso’s average contributions while also being assets on the field playing defense.  With $54 million gone in salary from Diaz and Alonso you do have some money to spend, though factor in about $17 million per year for the three years of Devin Williams.  That does still leave for 2025 an extra $37 million to spend.  As much as they might want it neither Tucker nor Bellinger are hitting that annual salary. 

We’ve already identified a few Gold Glove level outfielders who could help, but are the Mets really looking for their next Jose Siri?  You can get away with a glove-first center fielder if your offensive contributions in left are more All Star worthy.  However no one has suggested a notable addition being in the cards for this season’s Mets roster.  Granted, this front office is a bit better at protecting roster secrets better than some in the past but the proof is in the pudding and has been served up in 2025 was curdled.

Right now keep reminding yourself it’s not yet January and there is still time for the rebuild, restructure or repurposing to be executed.  There are a great many who have now started drawing up their own “Fire Stearns” posters due to the curious moves made and not made.  It could all turn out to be better when the dust settles or it could just be a dusty roster filled with AAAA projects.   We’ll know soon enough.