What could be next for the Mets?

By Mark Halpern

Since Steve Cohen purchased the Mets, his quest for a championship back in New York is beyond Aggressive. The first move he did as an owner was traded for Francisco Lindor, last year we saw him go get the likes of Starling Marte, Eduardo Escobar, and Chris Bassitt and just this year has kept Brandon Nimmo from getting away and Edwin Diaz but also brought in Justin Verlander with DeGrom leaving. Over the last month, Mets fans had hopes of Carlos Correra joining this already talented infield but his physical didn’t pan out and the Mets became frustrated and let him go. So what is in store for this team next?

     The Mets have a few areas that need addressing (what team doesn’t.) The Mets have a great outfield but need another on the bench who can fill in just as well as the starters. The first name that comes to mind is Brian Reynolds from the Pittsburgh Pirates. Reynolds, considered one of their top prospects, had a solid year batting .262/.345/.807. He has good speed and proved he can cover a lot of ground. However he is going to come at a very high cost as Mark Vientos and Rooney Mauricio would be like part of the trade but, Pittsburgh wants top pitching and that is not something the Mets are going to move. Another outfield option could be Baltimore’s Anthony Santander who is coming off a monster year by belting 33 home runs, 89 rbi, and a .240 average. That was his downside and that can be improved on and will also cost the Mets less. The last name for the outfield is Jurikson Profar. Profar is a young ballplayer who has a skill that few ball players have. He can play anywhere on the field if needed. He reminds me of Joe McEwing when he was with the Mets. Last year for the Padres he batted .243 with 15 home runs, 58 rbi’s but 80 runs scored. He has good speed, and great vision on the field and yes his hitting needs help but, having such a versatile player like him on the team makes the most sense.

    On the infield, the Mets are locked in at first, second, shortstop, catcher, and starting pitcher positions. Third base is a question for the Mets as they thought they had their hooks in Carlos Correra but, we know what happened there. Right now we have Brett Baty who is their top prospect at third base. Baty who only played one-month last year before tearing a ligament in his wrist will make the roster but, still as a rookie, having a mentor around for a couple of years would make great sense. Matt Chapman is a name that just leaps off the list of players in their final year. Chapman was traded from the A’s to the Blue Jays and is in the final year of his contract. Chapman is a great solid defender and has a powerful bat. His average will not impress you as he batted .229 last year but was coming off an injury. Chapman won’t come cheap by any means but, won’t cost as much as someone like Correa and could sign for the next 3 years to help Baty.   

    The free agents who signed their massive contracts are done, and a lot of the big names are off the board but there are still possibilities. I think the Mets need some Bullpen help as well and there are some names left the question becomes do they fit the Met’s roster? Spring Training is a month away and the World Baseball Classic is 2 months away and the Met’s star first baseman and star shortstop are playing so the Mets may be inclined to add a backup SS or 1B as well. We shall see as there is plenty of time before Opening Day.