Reese Kaplan -- Mets Offseason Roster Bullet List Number Nine

Mack's Mets will summarize players mentioned as possible new members of the team available via trade or free agency that have popped up in the media associated with them as a part of the 40 man roster.  These bullet points are not necessarily factual as if they were leaked from the Mets front office.  They comprise opinions, rumors and hypotheticals that various Mets beat writers and bloggers have felt necessary to put out into public notice.  Like EPA gas mileage ratings, take the news with a grain of salt.  We share but don’t necessarily endorse any of these transactions.

The Pete Alonso Adventures Continue...

Jesse Winker has indicated he is comfortable playing 1st base and would move over to that position if the manager or front office felt he would be better served there than as a spare outfielder or part time DH.  He had played there back in 2023 during injury rehabilitation and said he enjoyed the position, feeling comfortable there.

A repeat of a silly overpay for Vlad Guerrero, Jr. resurfaced with the Mets being expected to give up Mark Vientos, Jett Williams, Ronny Mauricio and Starling Marte.  The ridiculousness of this proposal is that it includes a one-year rental of a free agent in 2026.  It would seem much more sensible simply to wait.

Jim Duquette citing a source said that the Toronto Blue Jays felt they addressed their need for raw power through the addition of Anthony Santander and consequently are no longer interested in signing Pete Alonso.  They instead want to work more intensely on an extended contract for free agent to be Vlad Guerrero, Jr.  While that evaluation makes sense it seems to run contrary to what has been done with regard to Guerrero up until this point.  Then again, the Mets were fully expected to extend and retain Alonso which now appears not to be happening.

The contract offers that have passed back and forth between the Mets and the Alonso camp include difference in money and in opt-out clauses.  Ideally Alonso would want to make the choice to stay or go after each season but he wants more than three seasons at a higher AAV.  No progress nor departure has happened.

Three additional teams have been rumored to be landing spots if the Mets/Alonso reunion never happens.  One is Buster Posey’s San Francisco Giants who would insert Alonso at first base as part of a splash in the former All Star player’s desire to remake the team under his leadership.  They have been good at setting up option laden contracts that help preserve flexibility for the player choosing his new employer. 

The somewhat surprising revelation was the Seattle Mariners who were generally not known to be interested in expanding payroll.  In fact, there have been a great many stories about reducing it by trading away expensive but solid starting pitcher Luis Castillo.

As perhaps the most farcically appropriate landing spot, a story arose that the Los Angeles Angels are now talking about trying to land Alonso on a four year $100 million contract with multiple opt outs.  Given the recent injury history of Mike Trout, the club could use another powerful bat alongside of him or to act as a reinforcement if the multi All Star misses a significant amount of time yet again.  Arte Moreno has a reputation as one of the game’s least liked team owner, so losing him to the folks in Anaheim might just be the perfect conclusion to this never ending saga.  Truthfully, the key here would be the 4th contract year and the AAV is slightly higher than what is offered by the Mets.  That deal would certainly be closer to what Alonso has been seeking though still less than he would have gotten if he’d signed the original extension offer he declined.

If indeed the Alonso era is over and there’s no prospective arrival of Vlad Guerrero, Jr., there are some Japanese free agents becoming available in the 2025/2026 off season.  The first is named Munetaka Murakami.  The very young slugger is a deplorable third baseman but has also played some first base and scouts feel his future in the MLB is there or as a DH.  At just age 22 he put together a monster season, hitting .318 with 56 HRs.  He struck out and walked at about 20% rates for each.  Unfortunately his batting average and power display have declined as NPB is experiencing a long ball slowdown akin to a deadball era, but everyone pretty much agrees he is a consistent 30 HR or more threat annually.   As a free agent he would be age 26.

The other intriguing prospect is named Kazuma Okamoto.  He’s a little bit older, but has put together 6 straight seasons of 30 or more home runs before falling just short this past year with 27 while hitting .280.  He has always been among the league’s top hitters in OPS and slugging, finishing second in aggregate total homers to Murakami who had that one non-duplicated year with 56.  He strikes out very little which is unusual for a power hitter and keeps his batting average up where he could play nicely in the middle of the lineup.  He will be age 30 when available at the same time as Murakami. 

At the Amazing Mets day this past week manager Carlos Mendoza reiterated that the pair of third baseman, Mark Vientos and Brett Baty, will be working out at first base to see possible fit for the position in an Alonso absence.  Somewhat surprisingly he also cited minor leaguer Joey Meneses and Jared Young as possibilities to contend for a starting role at Alonso’s former corner as well.  Since both are not on the 40-man roster the probability of either gaining more than a bench role is fairly slim.

With the Mets allegedly no longer showing any interest in free agent Alex Bregman, the other notable third baseman available came to the surface once again.  Nolan Arenado is most definitely on the trading block, particularly after a power deficient 2024 season.  They want prospects and the Mets farm system has many available to whet the Cardinals’ appetite.  The issue at hand is the nearly $25 million per season due to the player for the next three years.  Compared to Alonso, obviously you get Gold Glove defense from Arenado, but the run production numbers would be down and he would cost more money plus players. Unless the players included were outside the top ten or if the Cardinals would absorb an expiring contract like Starling Marte it wouldn’t seem to make a lot of sense.

While obviously most baseball writing concerns acquiring Guerrero to replace Alonso, two other names surfaced this week in multiple places.  Former first round pick Spencer Torkelson may be out of a job in Detroit with other roster additions having them shuffle players around the field.  The strong defender did put together a 2023 season that included 31 HRs and 93 RBIs with a modest .233 average.  He obviously can hit the long ball but more in the all-or-nothing mold of Dave Kingman.  He’d cost next to nothing, not even yet eligible for arbitration and would play 2025 at 25 years of age.  One prospective package offered up would include Kevin Parada and Colin  Houch.  If that was the price, it might be worth at least opening up several evaluation tools to determine if the potential good from Torkelson is valuable.

The other first baseman who appeared in a few places was the Baltimore Orioles’ Ryan Mountcastle.  He has played both first base and left field for his current employer.  Back in 2021 as a rookie he hit 31 HRs and drove in 89 while batting .255.  The power has never fully returned since then with Mountcastle accumulating totals in 2022, 2023 and 2024 of 22, 18 and 13 in each of those years.  He’s a .265 hitter which is an improvement but not enough to be batting as protection for Juan Soto.  He is turning age 28 for the upcoming season and earns just over $4 million. 

In the Non-Alonso Rumors...

Remember Max Scherzer?  Well, he didn’t lead the Mets to the promised land his last time around but his pitching overall was pretty much what you’d come to expect from him.  He is now hitting 40 but still wanting to pitch.  Chances are with the amount of time he’s missed lately due to injuries and his less than Scherzer-like results when available, he’s likely getting a single year deal with a team option for a second year.  It will be at a greatly reduced rate but still likely north of $20 million.  Several places cited the Mets showing interest in a possible reunion.

Once again a story arose about trying to pry loose closer David Bednar from the Pirates after a down year when his price would be depressed.  With a career ERA of 3.36 after a horrific 2024 when he tallied 5.77 over 63 games, he’s likely suitable for a setup role for the 8th inning and an emergency closer should Diaz get hurt or suspended again.  Right now he’s earning just over just under $6 million as he’s still only arbitration eligible.  The big man would cost some player personnel to obtain him.  The proposed deal would send Brett Baty and a paid-down Starling Marte to return home towards the end of his career.  Pretty much any Mets fan would sign off on that deal but would Pittsburgh?

Speaking of Marte, his name came up in a pair of prospective deals.  On an even-up or slightly paid down contract the Mets could send Starling Marte to the Giants for lefty reliever Taylor Rogers who is set to earn $13.5 million.  The alternative that surfaced was a more-or-less dollar even deal sending Hunter Harvey and Hunter Renfroe to the Mets for Starling Marte. 

Another player in the middle of a pricey contract is Jeff McNeil.  While the Mets have middle infielders in abundance from their farm system, the crosstown rival Yankees do not.  Would they want to take him on for the final two years of his deal?

Former Met reliever Ryne Stanek hit the Mets rumors this week as well, but also was apparently on the radar of the Cubs and the Braves, too.

Reliever Danny Coulombe is someone who might be a bargain having had injury issues in two of the past three years.  The veteran southpaw has been surprisingly effective since turning 30.  Before that were some ups and downs resulting in a career 3.52 ERA which is respectable but not stunning.  However, from 2020 through 2024 that number drops to 2.69 with better than a strikeout per inning pitched and a WHIP of just 1.074.  Yes, he’s worth considering as he enters his age 35 season.  His last paycheck was just $2.3 million.

There were numerous rumors about Nick Pivetta and Jack Flaherty being starting pitcher additions to the staff with Flaherty being likely the more attractive as there is no QO minor league compensation necessary to sign him.  Also he’s a 3.63 career ERA pitcher vs. 4.14 for Pivetta.  Flaherty earned $14 million for the Tigers and Dodgers last year finishing 2024 with a terrific 3.17 ERA.  He’ll be getting a big raise.

Reliever Tim Hill’s name once again arose as a second left option for the Mets bullpen.  Watching video of his odd release point which is characterized as 3/4 but more often resembles submarine, it’s easy to see why players constantly drive his pitches into the ground which is helpful when a double play is needed.  For the Yankees last season he appeared in 35 games with a 2.05 ERA.  He doesn’t strike out many batters, but he also doesn’t require a big paycheck.  He earned just $1.8 million last year and is turning 35.

A general “The Mets can add to the bullpen” article cited the availability of some pitchers already mentioned as well as Carlos Estevez, Dylan Floro, Jakob Junis, Phil Maton and David Robertson.

One final amusing podcast this week offered up a one-for-one trade of Brandon Sproat for Vlad Guerrero, Jr.  It was presented as a rental and as one in which, like the long ago Johan Santana trade, the Mets had an opportunity to negotiate a long term deal with he first baseman.  I can’t see the Blue Jays doing that, but then again they lose him for a draft pick next year.