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The Mets’ offseason plans for 2023 are going to be fascinating to watch unfold over the next few months.
Despite winning 101 games in 2022, questions abound for the Mets, especially after a disappointing loss in the Wild Card Round. Clearly, they didn’t have enough to measure up to the best of the best, so changes could be afoot, as the Mets have offseason needs that need to be addressed and big questions to answer.
Mets offseason plans 2023
But what could be in the Mets’ offseason plans for 2023? There are tons of Mets free agents for 2022 who will have to be re-signed or replaced in one form or another.
For a team that won 101 games and made the playoffs this past season, the list of Mets’ offseason needs could be surprisingly big this winter. That’s why we put together a preview of the New York Mets offseason and some of the biggest questions that need to be answered before the start of the 2023 season.
Keeping Jacob deGrom
Without question, deGrom is the biggest of the Mets’ free agents in 2022, looking ahead to 2023. The two-time Cy Young winner has indicated that he’ll opt out of his current contract to hit the free-agent market.
There’s nothing concrete to suggest that the 34-year-old wants to leave the Mets or that the Mets don’t want him back. But anything can happen once he hits the open market and it won’t be cheap to keep him, even with deGrom coming off two injury-plagued seasons.
What’s the rest of the rotation look like?
In addition to deGrom, Chris Bassitt, Taijuan Walker, and Carlos Carrasco are also set to hit the free-agent market this winter. Whether they want to or not, the Mets’ offseason plans for 2023 could involve reconstructing their starting rotation.
Max Scherzer will be back while David Peterson and Tylor Megill will be options. But that leaves a lot of empty spots and uncertainty since the Mets don’t have much depth in the minors. In addition to deGrom, the likes of Bassitt and Walker are pitchers the Mets will want to re-sign.
However, finding the money to afford all of those pitchers could be tricky. The Mets could also look outside of the organization for rotation help.
Keeping Edwin Diaz
Unfortunately, deGrom isn’t the only key free agent for the Mets this winter. Closer Edwin Diaz is hitting the open market after an unbelievable season.
Coming off his 2022 campaign, Diaz could command as much money as any closer has ever received on the open market. Keeping him would require another sizable financial investment in addition to what the Mets need to spend on their rotation. Of course, even if it’s not Diaz, the Mets will need to find a closer this winter one way or another.
The rest of the bullpen
It’s not just Diaz who will be a free agent.
Relievers Trevor May, Mychal Givens, Adam Ottavino, Seth Lugo, and Trevor Williams are also set for free agency. Again, there isn’t much existing depth in the upper minors, so the Mets will have to find multiple relievers on the free-agent market.
Ottavino and Lugo, in particular, are pitchers the Mets will likely look to re-sign. But how much money will the Mets have to rebuild their bullpen this winter?
Where do youngsters fit in?
Perhaps the biggest difference between the Mets and Braves this year is that Atlanta got a lot of production from rookies whereas the Mets didn’t. That being said, the trio of Brett Baty, Mark Vientos, and Francisco Alvarez are all close to contributing in the majors.
The question is where can the Mets pencil them in for the 2023 season?
Is Baty ready to play third base every day and push Eduardo Escobar elsewhere? Could Vientos be the primary third baseman or at least part of the solution at the DH spot? How much more seasoning does Alvarez need at triple-A before he’s ready to be the team’s primary catcher?
There aren’t clear answers to any of those questions as the Mets approach the offseason. However, the Mets will have to approach their offseason plans knowing that those three players are close but might not be ready to play a prominent role by opening day in 2023.
Is Judge an option?
Now that Steve Cohen is the owner of the Mets, the fanbase expects the Mets to be players for the top free agents in baseball. This winter, that means going after Aaron Judge.
Could the Mets take a serious shot at signing Judge away from the team on the other side of town?
Obviously, he would be a huge addition to their lineup with either Judge or Starling Marte playing center field. But would paying a fortune for Judge be a wise investment compared to trying to re-sign Brandon Nimmo or add another outfielder this winter?
Also, would trying to sign Judge have an impact on the Mets being able to re-sign deGrom, Diaz, or one of their other key free agents? In other words, this isn’t a convenient time for the Mets to pursue a player like Judge.
Is there trade capital?
Finally, the Mets need to think about what trades they could possibly make this winter to help fill some of the voids with so many key players becoming free agents.
For instance, could Escobar become expendable with either Baty or Vientos being trusted at third base? What value could the Mets get for Dominic Smith or James McCann on the trade market?
Would the Mets be willing to sacrifice Baty, Vientos, or Alvarez in a trade that makes them better in the short term? With so many free agents to replace, the Mets might need to be creative this offseason, and that means assessing what players could be valuable on the trade market.
