What starting pitchers could Mets get in free agency

What starting pitchers could Mets get in free agency

Jim, how likely is a short-term deal for one of the top starters from the Mets? >> Well, I think when you looked at the market after Dylan C signed, you’re like, “Oh, there’s no chance you’re getting any of these other guys, you know, at a shorter term deal.” Cats was seven years, $210 million. But the more the market has gone on here over the course of the winter, the feeling has been that’s more of an outlier on in the marketplace and a lot of these other guys like Valdez, I know his agent was looking for six or seven years at the winter meetings, not getting any takers. And so, you know, that tells me that the most he’s going to get is four or five. And if you’re willing to go a little higher AAV, which you know, the $35 million or so in that range per year, a lot of times you can get that, you know, amount or or the years down maybe even into the three. So, I don’t know if it’s Valdez, maybe him because he’s 32, he’s a little bit older. He might be a guy that you could get on a three in a in a club option for a fourth. I don’t think where you can, but you never know. Again, the market is very fluid right now and I think the Mets are in a really good position to to react and pounce on it for some of these potential opportunities. >> Which one would you want if of the top guys if they’re available? >> I’ve been pounding the table all off season for Michael King because I think the Mets need a starting point, right? This is the foundation and then you build, you layer up from there. If you want to swing a trade for a bigger starting pitcher, you can. But start with the free agent market and you’re telling me that Robert Valdez may not get six or seven years. I think Michael King’s probably available for two or three. Reportedly four at the most for Michael King who has ace upside, but he’s probably a three starter on a real championship team, a two starter on this current Mets team. He’s got nasty stuff. He wants to be in New York. And the Mets love picking up their former Yankees. So go get another Michael. >> Yeah, I wouldn’t mind him. I just don’t look at him. I know he’s one of the best starters on the market, but I’m talking top guys. I’m talking Valdez. I’m talking Suarez. >> You got to start somewhere though, >> right? But King should be a part of it regardless. And then they need a top guy. And I understand they’re not just going to sign every free agent. We’ll get into the options and trade stuff and all that. But if the market does come back down a little bit. Me personally, I wanted Suarez all along. He would be my top choice. Let’s make the call to the bullpen. Welcome in Brit JRI. Brit, which free agent starting pitcher would you go after? >> I’m with you, S. I think Suarez. I think, you know, especially if David Sterns is doing what we think he’s doing, which is creating a different clubhouse chemistry. I think Valdez with some of the issues they had in Houston just would make me a little wary. A guy like Ranger Suarez I think presents really the total package for the Mets. I don’t know if you’re going to get him on that shortyear deal like Jim was discussing. I think you’re probably looking at four or five years is what he’s looking at. But this is a guy who has elite command. Uh he’s very tough for hitters to square up. He doesn’t allow a lot of home runs. Weak contact guys. Lowest hard hit rate in the majors. One of the lowest barrel rates from opposing hitters. And that’s true for exit velocity as well. is in the top three or four in Major League Baseball. So, if you have a Mets team that you’re trying to kind of patch together, you’re trying to get the defense a little bit better, why not have a guy who is tough to square up, who’s going to make it a little bit easier on that defense because these balls are not flying all over. They’re not going out of the stadium. They’re not a ton of line drives. I think he’s a guy who really a lot of the teams are looking at, but for the Mets in particular, I think you need to go out and you need to get a top guy. And then you get the Michael Kings and then maybe you make a trade and add a starter. But they’ve got to I don’t want to say salvage the offseason. It’s not even Christmas yet. But they need to go out and they need to make some proactive moves. I think Suarez is the best pitcher available. Even though his fastball velocity isn’t something to write home about, I think he’s more of a pitcher and I think, you know, Jim can get more into this. I think those guys age better than the guys who simply throw hard. He is a pitcher to the highest degree. He’s not just a hard thrower. >> My my favorite thing about Suarez is he’s not an ex Yankee. Bring him in. sign somebody from another team. Uh, you know, the the Mets do seem to be though more aggressive in the second tier market. Jim, who do you like there? >> Well, I mean, there’s there’s a lot there. You know, it’s not the guys that they need, you know, the main priority, which is high-end starters, but there are some guys in that second tier that can make, you know, 30 starts can give you a lot of innings. A couple of them now, one one of them, Tyler Molly, was injured a little bit there last year, but he was very effective. He had a low actually under three RA, one of the lowest ERAs in the American League before he got injured. He was starting to get healthy at the end of the year. So, he’s a he’s an aggressive guy. He knows how to pitch. He’s not a high strikeout guy. Um, but I would definitely look into him. His offspe stuff is really good. And the other one for me, uh, is, uh, Zack Latell, who was with Tampa and with Cincinnati, pitched in the postseason and got a postseason start against the Dodgers for, uh, for the Reds. He’s he’s a guy that the last couple of years has given you almost 30 starts. last year was 32 starts, 186 innings. Again, it’s like a seven strikeouts per nine. They’re not the sexy names. They’re more backend type starters. But again, when you’re trying to be patient, you don’t want to forget that, hey, you need innings elsewhere. So, go get what you can. Go get a, you know, backend starter. And then, you know, hopefully the other part of the market, the top end of the market, will end up playing itself out and you get either Valdez or Suarez. >> Another maybe not sexy name gonna bring back awful memories for you. Sell. >> Oh, no. Chris Basset, 37 years old. I understand it didn’t finish well in 2022. He had a stellar season. He makes 33 starts every single year. There’s something to be said for that. Maybe you get him on a one-year deal. You watch him pitch in the postseason. Ultimate team player coming out of the bullpen in Toronto, dominating out of that bullpen in Toronto. He’s the type of guy I don’t want just pitching for the Mets 33 times a year. I want that influence in the clubhouse. He had one bad start. One bad start and all of a sudden he’s this unforbidden list with the Mets. No, I want Chris Bass. >> If there’s one thing I want less than former Yankees, it’s former Mets. I don’t want to see Bassid back here. He was fine, but I can’t No, I can’t get over South’s forbidden list is what it is. It’s not the Mets forbidden list. >> I can’t get over the final series in Atlanta in 2022. I’m sorry. I’ll never forgive him for

SNY’s Sal Licata, Jim Duquette, Emmanuel Berbari, and Britt Ghiroli discuss which starting pitchers the Mets should target in free agency and their thoughts on Clay Holmes and Nolan McLean playing for Team USA in the World Baseball Classic.

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