It took some time amid numerous backlash from the Mets trustworthy over the jettisoning of Pete Alonso, Brandon Nimmo and Jeff McNeil, however in a rapid-fire six days final week David Stearns was lastly in a position to put collectively the staff he’s needed in Flushing. And you would need to agree the additions of Bo Bichette and Luis Robert Jr. to the lineup, and Freddy Peralta to the highest of the beginning rotation, seem to make the Mets considerably higher than the disappointing 83-win outfit of final 12 months.
And all it price was a ton of Steve Cohen’s cash and some younger gamers who didn’t determine to be main elements on the 2026 staff.
In his dedication to rebuild the Mets with an emphasis on run prevention, it’s nonetheless a little bit of a head scratcher how taking part in newcomers Bichette at third and Jorge Polanco at first — positions neither one in every of them have ever performed earlier than — accomplishes that, however Robert, who came visiting the White Sox in a $20 million wage dump for the nonetheless unproven Luisangel Acuna, is an elite defensive heart fielder. And as Stearns identified Thursday, the addition of Marcus Semien at second base provides the Mets one other premier defensive participant, and, if not the corners, they’re vastly improved defensively up the center.
However that’s if the 35-year-old Semien (who missed the final six weeks of final season with a fractured foot) and particularly Robert, who has a historical past of nagging accidents and solely as soon as performed greater than 110 video games in six years with the White Sox, keep wholesome. Due to his five-tool expertise, nonetheless, Robert, at 28, was well worth the gamble by Stearns, and to Cohen. What’s one other $20 million added to the $351 million payroll? Apart from, that’s a smidgen to the $42 million Cohen will likely be paying Bichette subsequent 12 months (see under).
Of all of the acquisitions Stearns has made this offseason, none was extra vital than the commerce with the Brewers that capped off the dizzying week through which he despatched two high prospects, righty Brandon Sproat and versatile velocity service provider Jett Williams for Peralta and reliever Tobias Myers. Till now it was as if Stearns had a blind spot when it got here to high echelon beginning pitchers, refusing to transcend three years for any on the free agent market, and it got here again to actually hang-out final 12 months.
However scouts I talked to consider, regardless that Peralta could be a free agent after this 12 months, Stearns acquired a steal of a deal for the 29-year-old righty who led the NL in wins (17-6) whereas ending fifth within the Cy Younger voting final 12 months. In accordance with one scout: The important thing to the deal was the 5-7 “gnat” Williams, who can play second base, shortstop and heart area and had 17 homers and 34 stolen bases at Double-A and Triple-A final 12 months:
“The Brewers love those pesky little guys like Williams, who can run and also hit for power, doesn’t strike out a lot and can play a lot of positions. Kind of like the guy they got from the Yankees (5-7 third baseman Caleb Durbin) last year and (5-7 Sal) Frelick who did such a good job in right field for them. That’s their game.”
The scouts additionally actually just like the 27-year-old Myers, who they consider will likely be a plus issue within the Mets bullpen this 12 months.
“I was frankly surprised the Brewers included him in the deal,” stated one of many scouts. “He’s a work horse who throws strikes.”
The Yankees had been in on Peralta initially however would have had to surrender on the very least their high prospect, shortstop George Lombard Jr., in addition to a beginning pitcher — a value they had been unwilling to pay for a rental participant, particularly since they count on their injured starters Gerrit Cole and Carlos Rodon again in Might and Clarke Schmidt by midseason.
With the lineup and beginning rotation now set, I’d count on Stearns to perform a little extra superb tuning with the bullpen, however after rebounding from shedding out to the Dodgers for Kyle Tucker with three daring strikes for Bichette, Robert and Peralta he has the satisfaction of — at the least for now — not being essentially the most hated man in Queens.
IT’S A MADD, MADD WORLD
It’s the opinion right here that Phillies president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski is getting a nasty rap from the Philly followers upset over him shedding out to the Mets for Bo Bichette. Understandably Dombrowski is simply as upset about not touchdown Bichette after Bichette’s man from the Blue Jays, Don Mattingly, helped launch the recruiting course of when he was employed as bench coach by the Phillies and Dombrowski reportedly supplied a seven-year deal within the $200 million vary — solely to be blind-sided by a panic-driven and silly three-year/$126 million supply by Steve Cohen and the Mets. Why do I say silly? As a result of not solely will the Mets be paying a ridiculous AAV of $42 million over the three years for Bichette, however in addition they gave him the flexibility to choose out after the primary 12 months which — if he does — would entitle him to a different $5 million in accordance with The Athletic’s Ken Rosenthal. Take into consideration that. Cohen conceivably might be paying Bichette $47 million in 2026 — together with a further $15.2 million in 110% luxurious tax — and watch him stroll away. As one former GM instructed me: “In what world does a team pay a player for leaving?” (In contrast, the Yankees’ five-year/$162.5 million contract for Cody Bellinger accommodates choose outs — however solely after the primary two years — by which era he’ll be 32, and there’s no payoff if he leaves.) There’s no method Dombrowski, who’ll someday go to the Corridor of Fame as one of many savviest GMs in baseball historical past, might or would have competed with such an irresponsible supply. In the meantime, after shedding out on Bichette, Dombrowski is being criticized by Philly followers and a few Philly media for primarily bringing again the identical staff subsequent 12 months — however an enormous a part of that was re-signing Kyle Schwarber for 5 years/$150 million. And in Brad Keller (75K, 2.07 ERA in 69.2 innings for the Cubs final 12 months), Dombrowski added a pleasant bullpen piece for 2 years/$22M together with former All-Star Adolis Garcia for outfield depth, and with the cash saved on Bichette, he was in a position to convey again Phillies mainstay catcher J.T. Realmuto on a three-year/$45M deal.
