This story was excerpted from Anthony DiComo’s Mets Beat newsletter. To read the full newsletter, click here. And subscribe to get it regularly in your inbox.
The Winter Meetings, which tend to drive Hot Stove action more than any other singular event, have come and gone. Things were relatively quiet for the Mets, which is unlikely to be the case over the next two weeks leading up to Christmas. While New York didn’t complete any major deals at the Meetings, president of baseball operations David Stearns laid groundwork in some areas and offered peeks into his philosophies in others.
Here are the five most important Mets takeaways from the Meetings.
1. The Mets really, really want Yoshinobu Yamamoto
Consider the evidence: Owner Steve Cohen and Stearns flew across the globe last week to meet Yamamoto and his family in Japan, going thousands of miles further than other suitors who plan to host Yamamoto stateside. Stearns later spoke on the record about Yamamoto’s talents, calling him “a potentially elite front-end starter.” For a team that prefers to keep its business private, the Mets are being rather public about their interest in Yamamoto. They would clearly love to make him the centerpiece of their offseason.
2. The team is seeking a “diversity” of arms for its bullpen
The general industry consensus is that, before the offseason is through, the Mets will add one or two relief arms on Major League deals. In the interim, they’ve been collecting lesser pitchers on Minor League contracts, split deals and waiver claims — a group that’s included Kyle Crick, Austin Adams, Cole Sulser, Michael Tonkin and Jorge López (López’s deal is not official). . Many of them are hard-throwing reclamation projects who missed recent time due to injury or who are looking to reestablish themselves in other ways.
The Mets, who employed one of the game’s softest-tossing bullpens last season, are clearly trying to add velocity. But Stearns described his mission as more complicated than that, saying he hopes to build a bullpen with lots of diversity — hard throwers, softer throwers, pitchers with different arm slots and so on and so forth.
3. Outfield help is paramount
Currently, the Mets only have three full-time outfielders on their 40-man roster who might feasibly contribute to the big league team next season. They have been linked in rumors to center fielder Michael A. Taylor, an elite defender who could push Brandon Nimmo to a corner spot. Korean free agent Jung Hoo Lee is another option to fill that sort of role, though he’s not quite as celebrated a defender.
The Mets could also look to add a slugging corner outfielder who can take regular reps at DH, such as Teoscar Hernández or Jorge Soler. They’re going to add offense this offseason, and it’s almost certain to come in the form of an outfielder on a Major League contract.
“We could stand to add an outfielder, no question,” Stearns said.
4. Infield help, not so much
One of the more intriguing Mets headlines this week came courtesy of Stearns, who is committed to finding an in-house solution at third base. While that might not be particularly surprising given the lack of standout options on the free-agent market, it’s nonetheless notable given what it means for the futures of Brett Baty, Ronny Mauricio and Mark Vientos. One of those three will become the full-time third baseman after what figures to be a true camp competition. Consider it an early storyline to watch next spring.
5. Pete Alonso is not going anywhere
At least three times now, Stearns has said on the record that he expects Alonso to be his Opening Day first baseman. Although there seems to be a subset of fans who don’t want to believe the president of baseball ops, it’s abundantly clear at this point that Alonso isn’t going anywhere — for now. That could change if the Mets are out of contention in July, depending on what shakes out in extension talks this offseason.
Typically, teams try to negotiate extensions with players in January, February or March, once the frenzy of the early Hot Stove period has cooled. The Mets will surely aim to do so with Alonso, though that doesn’t mean a deal will get done before the first baseman reaches free agency next offseason.
“I spoke to David, and we just told him we’re all ears,” Scott Boras, Alonso’s agent, said. “‘If you want to talk to us about anything, let us know.’”
