When you’ve ever questioned what the MLB Winter Conferences are like, it’s loads of standing round. Standing round speaking to numerous individuals who work in baseball in some capability — like brokers, scouts, league and workforce personnel — most of whom are sporting quarter zips bearing the emblem of their group. Standing round ready for media availability to start, ready for espresso at a resort Starbucks or ready for a drink on the bar.
The final two Winter Conferences have featured much more ready than traditional. Shohei Ohtani and Juan Soto, two of the sport’s greatest stars, held up the new range season with their free businesses in 2023 and 2024. Soto did us all a stable by signing with the Mets on the eve of the conferences final yr, permitting the market to begin shifting.
This week in Orlando, it needs to be completely different. Lastly, we might see a return to baseball’s busy season with out a marquee domino that should fall first.
The Mets have already been energetic, making two big strikes during the last two weeks to commerce Brandon Nimmo and signal reliever Devin Williams. Different groups have already made notable strikes as nicely, with each the beginning pitching and aid pitching markets seeing loads of exercise for the reason that GM Conferences ended final month. Nearer Edwin Diaz and first baseman Pete Alonso are nonetheless free brokers. Extra readability on their conditions might come this week.
The subsequent strikes for the Amazin’s will seemingly be depending on how the markets are shaping up. In the intervening time, that appears like pitching.
The Mets want beginning pitching and have made it no secret that they’d wish to get an ace-type frontline starter. President of baseball operations David Stearns stated that the membership shall be within the combine for the highest arms accessible. We already know who is obtainable in free company, however what’s unclear is which pitchers can be found via trades.
A month in the past, it appeared as if Detroit Tigers ace Tarik Skubal may very well be had in a commerce, however that doesn’t appear to be the case anymore. The identical goes for Freddy Peralta, who has yet one more yr on his contract with the Milwaukee Brewers. The Pittsburgh Pirates are open to buying and selling nearly anybody not named Paul Skenes, with right-hander Mitch Keller garnering probably the most commerce curiosity.
Keller goes into his age-30 season with three extra years on his contract. He can eat innings, having thrown 194 1/3 in 2023, 178 in 2024 and 176 1/3 in 2025 — greater than any Mets starter logged final season. Whereas Keller won’t be one of many sexier decisions, and he’s definitely not an ace, he’s a stable starter who can restrict arduous contact and reliably pitch each 5 days.
Would the Pirates be enticed by Kodai Senga’s upside? Would they be excited about Luisangel Acuña’s pace? The farm system is in a spot the place the Mets are capable of land high gamers in trades. They’ve too many younger infielders and never sufficient locations to play them, so one, if no more of them must be traded, and may very well be traded for pitching given the workforce’s want for it.
The highest unsigned free agent pitchers are left-handers Framber Valdez and Ranger Suarez. The Mets signing away Saurez from the Philadelphia Phillies would intensify an NL East rivalry, however can be investing in a pitcher who solely throws about 90 mph. Proper-hander Michael King has some familiarity with supervisor Carlos Mendoza having performed for him with the Yankees. Former Yankees arms have discovered their approach to Queens lately, with Williams turning into the most recent.
So far as the place participant aspect, the Mets want an outfielder to exchange Nimmo. Jeff McNeil is completely able to taking part in left area, nevertheless it sounds just like the workforce desires to maximise his positional versatility by shifting him across the diamond greater than they’ve the previous few years when he’s been the workforce’s major second baseman.
When Nimmo was traded for second baseman Marcus Semien, it appeared as if the writing was on the wall for McNeil. However Stearns talked to the homegrown utility man about what the commerce meant for him, and McNeil assured him that he desires to be part of what the Mets are constructing this yr. Stearns values positional flexibility, and McNeil brings a ton of it together with his skill to play nearly any place on the sector aside from catcher and pitcher. McNeil shall be 34 subsequent season and has one yr left on his contract with a workforce possibility for 2027.
Run manufacturing is a query for the workforce with out Nimmo. Kyle Schwarber needs to be a goal for the Mets, and it shouldn’t deter them from re-signing Alonso. Steve Cohen needs to be flexing his monetary may this season, particularly with a lockout anticipated subsequent yr.
A possible work stoppage shall be a storyline on the Winter Conferences, although not a well-liked one. That’s a narrative for a special day. Now, it’s time to face round whereas determining the place the Mets go subsequent.
