Major League Baseball might be in a lockout right now, but that hasn't stopped the New York Mets from plotting their next move in Free Agency. The organization already made a serious splash before the lockout, signing the likes of Max Scherzer, Starling Marte, and Mark Canha, among others.
But according to Jon Heyman of MLB Network, the Mets want to bring in one more arm and bat, which could push their payroll to a whopping $300 million:
Have heard Mets might consider signing another significant pitcher and hitter once the lockout ends, on top of Scherzer, Marte, Canha and Escobar. If so $270M payroll could approach $300M.
— Jon Heyman (@JonHeyman) January 31, 2022
There are quite a few pitchers left on the market that could be viable options for New York. Clayton Kershaw, Carlos Rodon, and Zack Greinke are a few, while the Mets may also go the trade route. As we know, their rotation is already looking mighty strong with Jacob deGrom, Carlos Carrasco, Taijuan Walker, and Scherzer, but the team did lose Marcus Stroman, Noah Syndergaard, and veteran lefty Rich Hill this offseason.
As for hitters, Nelson Cruz, Jonathan Villar, and Kyle Schwarber are some interesting names to keep an eye on for the Mets. Cruz is still producing at a high clip, while Schwarber is coming off a phenomenal run with the Red Sox in the second half of last season and in the postseason.
After missing out on the playoffs in 2021, the Mets are evidently making sure that doesn't happen again by splashing the cash.
