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The New York Mets had a miraculous 2024 season. From an 0-5 start to the NLCS, they captured fans' hearts and placed high expectations on next year's team. This offseason will bring many changes to the team, especially to their starting rotation. In his first full offseason running the team, David Stearns could be looking to make a splash. Which pitcher could the Mets trade for this offseason?
Stearns put together a solid rotation in his abbreviated offseason in 2023. With Luis Severino, Sean Manaea, and David Peterson all playing big roles, they powered through the loss of Kodai Senga. The free agency class is full of ace-caliber pitchers, including Corbin Burnes after a great season in Baltimore. Free agency could be the place where Stearns finds his ace, but the Mets can improve their rotation with an offseason trade.
Severino, Quintana, and Manaea are all free agents and can head elsewhere. The Mets are unlikely to bring back all three, as they will be expensive and they can find better options. If one were to come back, it is likely to be Manaea, who declined his player option after the World Series. He was the best of the three pitchers with a 114 ERA+.
With spots to fill in the rotation, there are plenty of teams looking to move on from pitchers who should call the Mets. Who fits the best and who will cost a reasonable amount?
Pitchers the Mets could trade for this offseason
The Cubs went through a tough season last year but proved they had an ace in the process. Shota Imanaga had a spectacular season and there are better options than Taillon on the free agency market. Max Fried has been connected to the Cubs and makes Taillon expendable. That is where the Mets should swoop in.
Taillon has experience pitching in New York from his time with the Yankees and is a solid third option. The Cubs expressed interest in trading him at the deadline but decided to hold on. The Mets should swoop in to make Taillon their third option behind Senga and a free-agent ace.
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The biggest trade target on the bump is Garrett Crochet. The White Sox starter was in the rumor mill at the deadline but some demands that teams did not want to meet got in the way. While he struggled down the stretch, that can be chalked up to pitching in front of the worst team of all time. The lefty will cost a fortune but could be the piece that puts the Mets over the top.
Crochet would require the move of a top-shelf prospect. The White Sox are in a colossal rebuild and want as many great young players as they can get their hands on. When the Mets traded Max Scherzer and Jacob deGrom, they took on salary to get better prospects. They can use that capital to get a 26-year-old lefty starter with very few miles on his arm.
Where else can the Amazins improve?
The rough part of this amazing season is that the Mets expected to turn their roster over dramatically this off-season. That means that role players and fan-favorites like Jesse Winker and Jose Iglesias are likely to leave the team. That means that the Mets need a new outfielder and second baseman.
The outfielder could be Juan Soto, who just had a career year with the New York Yankees. He is likely to break every position player contract record there is and could command north of $600 million. The Mets are one of the few teams in a position to pay that, so don't think they will go away quietly there. Luisangel Acuna is one of those prospects acquired in 2023 and could be the second baseman.
Outside of Soto, the rotation will get the most attention. While the signing of an ace will get big headlines, a trade for their third starter could make the difference in a tight National League pennant chase.
