The New York Mets had a reasonably quiet offseason last winter. President of baseball operations David Stearns only signed one player to a multi-year deal. They should be aggressive in free agency this time around, as the club has its eyes set on trying to lure outfielder Juan Soto to Queens. Could that just be the beginning of a historic shopping spree, though?
Soto's next contract could cost $600-plus million. If the Mets do land the 26-year-old slugger, is homegrown first baseman Pete Alonso destined to play elsewhere in 2025 and beyond?
Not quite, according to FOX Sports' Deesha Thosar. She said the Mets could not only afford to pay both Soto and Alonso, but they could also keep going after that. They would have no choice at that point, either. Dropping an insane amount of money on those two sluggers means they're all in on trying to win a World Series. Stearns would then have to address the starting rotation after losing Sean Manaea, Luis Severino and Jose Quintana to free agency.
So, what kind of spending spree could the Mets go on after falling two wins shy of the 2024 World Series? FOX43's Cale Ahearn is predicting New York will sign four of MLB's top 50 free agents to multi-year deals. Here's the breakdown of the Mets' predicted haul:
- Outfielder Juan Soto: 14 years, $700 million
- First baseman Pete Alonso: five years, $130 million
- Starting pitcher Sean Manaea: three years, $60 million
- Relief pitcher Tanner Scott: four years, $55 million
This would result in committing a total of $945 million between four players, and with more work to do on the roster.
Stearns said earlier in the offseason the Mets are aiming to acquire more than one starting pitcher. Many people around the league believe New York will end up with at least one of the top three free-agent starting pitchers. This trio includes Corbin Burnes, Max Fried and Blake Snell.
Either way, it should be an active winter for the Mets as they look to build on the momentum from their unexpected deep postseason run in 2024.
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