The New York Mets could be about to lose several starting pitchers to free agency, but don't be surprised if the team turns around and loads right back up.

With a glut of top-end starting pitchers hitting the market this winter, the Mets figure to be contenders for several. ESPN surveyed a bunch of MLB executives for their free agency predictions, and they liked New York's NL team to land both Corbin Burnes and Max Fried. An additional executive also predicted they would end up with Blake Snell.

In terms of free agent starting pitchers with MLB experience, Burnes is the best of the bunch. In his first (and maybe only) season with the Baltimore Orioles, Burnes started 32 games, posting a 2.92 ERA in the hard-hitting American League East. That was enough to earn him his fourth consecutive All-Star nod.

Burnes has already listed his criteria for his next team. He wants to go to a contender who is unafraid to spend money and has a bright future. The Mets have a middle-of-the-pack farm system, but coupled with a front office expected to be aggressive in free agency, New York could check all the boxes for the Orioles ace.

As for Fried, the southpaw pitched to a 3.25 ERA for the Atlanta Braves in the same division the Mets compete in. A member of the Braves' 2021 World Series winning team, Fried has made two All-Star teams and has exemplified consistency since 2020. Over the past five seasons, he's working with a 2.85 ERA and 1.093 WHIP while winning more than twice as many games as he's lost.

Corbin Burnes and Max Fried would be instant rotation upgrades for the Mets

Atlanta Braves starting pitcher Max Fried (54) tips his hat to the crowd after being removed from a game against the Kansas City Royals in the ninth inning at Truist Park.
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The Mets' starting rotation was perfectly average in 2024, with Luis Severino, Sean Manaea, and Jose Quintana all turning in strong seasons. That trio are all free agents, and while the Mets could bring back any of them, none can be counted on as a No. 1 starter.

“They might lose all three starters who led them in the playoffs,” one executive told ESPN. “Why not try to get better?”

They'll hope that Kodai Senga can be their ace, much like he was in 2023, but he missed almost the entire season with a shoulder injury before coming back to pitch in the postseason. Adding Burnes or Fried would take some of the pressure off of Senga.

It would also give the Mets some insurance if they elect to bring back any of their three free agent starters. They're all in their 30s and they all have question marks entering 2025.

Garrett Crochet could also help. The Chicago White Sox ace will be a rumored trade candidate all winter, and the Mets could be a good fit. One executive, who predicted Crochet to land with the Braves, brought up that Chicago would rather deal Crochet to the NL rather than have to face him in the AL.