New York Mets players and people around MLB still expect Steve Cohen to spend in free agency after the 2023 season, according to The Athletic's Ken Rosenthal. A few months ago, any baseball fan would've come to such an obvious conclusion. The idea that the Mets would be active in free agency came into question after Max Scherzer was traded and his subsequent comments about New York's supposed plans to rebuild.
When the Mets approached Max Scherzer about accepting a trade to the Texas Rangers, general manager Billy Eppler told the veteran that New York was making deals so that it could contend in 2025-2026, according to Scherzer. The suggestion that the Mets would treat 2024 as a “transitory year” seemed to go against everything that Cohen stood for since buying the team.
Eppler's comments to Scherzer indicated that the Mets wouldn't pursue Shohei Ohtani in free agency. Rosenthal's report indicates that New York should absolutely be considered a threat to give Ohtani a record-setting contract.
The Mets could be active in free agency and upgrade the team without spending a half-billion on one player. Yoshinobu Yamamoto might be the best fit for New York in free agency, according to Rosenthal. Yamamoto has won back-to-back Eiji Sawamura Awards, the Japanese version of the Cy Young award. Yamamoto is expected to join MLB this offseason, during which he'll only be 25 years old.
New York is much more likely to pursue young free agents like Yamamoto than older, accomplished veterans. Don't expect the Mets to break the bank for older players after the signings of Scherzer and Justin Verlander turned out to be disastrous.
Follow Us
Subscribe
