Major League Baseball’s lockout forbids teams and players to speak in any capacity, which naturally brought the free-agent and trade markets to a screeching halt nearly two months ago. But the Mets’ hot stove continues to churn.
MLB insider Jon Heyman reported on Monday that the Mets “might consider singing another significant” pitcher and bat upon the lifting of the lockout — which will come whenever the owners and players can come to terms on a new CBA.
The Mets had one of the busiest offseasons during a frantic spending spree just before the lockout.
In a matter of two days from Nov. 30-Dec. 1, the Mets officially announced the signings of outfielders Starling Marte and Mark Canha, infielder Eduardo Escobar, and — the most earth-shattering of all — starting pitcher Max Scherzer.
Those four contracts alone will cost owner Steve Cohen $254.5 million, which catapulted the Mets well past Major League Baseball’s competitive balance tax threshold with a 2022 team payroll of $270 million.
Now with potential interest in another sizable arm or bat, the Mets could be looking at a $300 million payroll.
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Despite the feverous activity from the league just before the lockout, a number of notable free agents are still available that could take the Mets up another notch.
Carlos Rodon leads the pack of available starting pitchers that would be advantageous for the Mets to sign. They lack a legitimate southpaw in their rotation and Rodon is coming off a 2021 season in which he went 13-5 with a career-best 2.37 ERA with 185 strikeouts in 132.2 innings pitched.
In terms of another hitter, the Mets had been continuously linked to Kris Bryant for years. The former Chicago Cub spent half of 2021 with the San Francisco Giants and put up another strong showing — posting an .835 OPS with 25 home runs and 73 RBI. It would also bolster the Mets’ need at third base for years to come.
Kyle Schwarber is another notable name to watch as a potential designated hitter option once the universal DH is instituted this year, but his defensive uncertainties would limit the Mets to keeping him solely in that spot rather than potentially spreading at-bats around to the likes of Dominic Smith, Robinson Cano, and Pete Alonso.
