Juan Soto discusses Mets’ failure despite lofty expectations for 2025
After the Mets were eliminated from playoff contention on the season’s final day, Juan Soto discussed what went wrong on Sept. 28, 2025, in Miami.
The Mets struck early once again Monday night when they agreed to bring in former Yankees reliever Devin Williams on a three-year deal.
The club’s restoration has started in full force, with Williams now occupying a late-inning role and David Stearns hatching a trade to bring in Marcus Semien at the expense of Brandon Nimmo.
That opened up a need in the outfield that had not been anticipated heading into the offseason.
The work is far from over, with the futures of Pete Alonso and Edwin Diaz still up in the air, a need to bolster the starting rotation and several remaining holes in the bullpen. Baseball’s Winter Meetings, which begins Sunday in Orlando, Florida, can begin to provide a roadmap for how the rest of the offseason could play out.
With some moves already made and a few more set to come down the chute, here are some free-agent targets for the Mets in each of their areas of need:
Mets free agency targets: OutfieldersCody Bellinger
With the trade of Nimmo, the Mets have a clear hole in left field, but Cody Bellinger could provide more than cover for that position. On top of that, he has great bat-to-ball skills and quality pop.
The allure of Bellinger is the 30-year-old could provide elite defense at all three outfield positions — the Mets need some help in left and center — and first base, where there is a noticeable void at this point in the offseason.
Kyle Tucker
A month ago, it did not appear the Mets would be fishing in the pool of top free-agents, but then Nimmo’s departure opened up a glaring need where the top offensive free agent fits.
Kyle Tucker is a toolsy player who is two years younger than Bellinger. Since the 2021 season began, he is a four-time All-Star while slashing a combined .277/.365/.514 in those five seasons. He piles up extra bases, flashes decent power and steals bases.
Adolis Garcia
Beyond the two top outfield targets in free agency, there is a decent drop-off to the next crop.
At one point, Garcia appeared to be a cornerstone piece for the Rangers after winning ALCS MVP on the club’s path to the 2023 World Series. This offseason, he was non-tendered by the team after posting his second straight sub-.700 OPS season.
This would be a gamble on upside. Garcia has two 30-home run seasons and another two 100-RBI seasons since 2021. And he played above average defense with a rocket of an arm.
Mets free agency targets: First BasePete Alonso
A departure of the Mets’ homegrown superstar would cut deep into their offensive production. Alonso is coming off one of his best offensive seasons as he provided a .871 OPS with 38 home runs and 126 RBI. He has driven in more than 115 runs in three of the last four seasons with no fewer than 34 home runs.
Alonso is not only an offensive stalwart but one of the most durable players in the game, playing all 162 games in the last two seasons. These factors could make the market more lucrative for Alonso this time around after he was backed into a corner and signed a two-year, $60 million deal last season.
While the defense is a worry, the bat might be too good for the Mets to lose.
Kazuma Okamoto
Kazuma Okamoto is one of two Japanese corner infielders who have piqued the interest of major league clubs, alongside Munetaka Murakami. At 29 years old, the right-handed hitting Okamoto does not have the same upside as the 25-year-old Murakami, but he brings a higher floor.
In Nippon Professional Baseball, Okamoto has better than .800 OPS in each of his last eight seasons, eclipsing 30 home runs six times and five 90-RBI seasons. He has spent an even amount of time between third base and first base over the last few seasons.
Ryan O’Hearn
If the Mets cannot manage to retain Alonso, Ryan O’Hearn would provide a bit of positional versatility and a left-handed weapon in the lineup. In addition to first base, O’Hearn also saw time in the corner outfield spots in 2025 in his two stops between the Orioles and Padres.
O’Hearn produced at least an .800 OPS in two of his last three seasons, including 2025 when he earned his first All-Star selection and finished with 17 home runs and 63 RBI. As the antithesis to Alonso, O’Hearn finished with a +5 outs above average last season.
Mets free agency targets: Starting PitchersMichael King
Since transitioning from a spot starter/reliever role with the Yankees to becoming a full-time starter with the Padres, King has proven to be a capable top-of-the-rotation piece. His best season came in 2024 when he finished 13-9 with a 2.95 ERA and 201 strikeouts to finish seventh in NL Cy Young voting.
The 30-year-old righty was impacted by a right shoulder impingement and knee inflammation last season, limiting him to 15 starts. He finished 5-2 with a 3.44 ERA. He won’t command the top dollar that other top free-agent starters will get, but he boasts the potential with his command of a wide repertoire.
Tatsuya Imai
One of the more intriguing starting pitching options is the 27-year-old righthander Tatsuya Imai, who is one of the hardest throwers to come stateside, with a sharp slider and changeup to match.
In the NPB, Imai has not posted an ERA above 2.70 since 2021, and struck out 178 batters across 163⅔ innings for the Seibu Lions last season. His sidearm release would bring a different profile to the Mets’ rotation.
Mets free agency targets: RelieversEdwin Diaz
The Mets’ course of action might have changed when they agreed to sign Devin Williams to a three-year deal, but Diaz remains one of the top closers in the game, and it would be hard for the Mets to stomach seeing him exit New York.
But Diaz has the track record to draw in the top spenders in MLB to drive up the bidding. He has won the NL Reliever of the Year Award in two of his last three seasons, striking out a combined 218 batters in 128⅔ innings between his 2022 and 2025 campaigns. The 31-year-old right-hander seems intent on seeking a long-term deal for stability into his mid-30s.
Would the Mets be willing to shell out in excess of $35 million dollar per season to form a dynamic 1-2 punch of Diaz and Williams in the late innings?
Robert Suarez
If the Mets cannot bring back Diaz, they might pivot to targeting a handful of the high-end relief prizes to fill in the gap in a piece-meal fashion.
Next to Diaz and Williams, Suarez is arguably the best reliever on the market. The 34-year-old righty, who has spent all four of his seasons with the Padres since arriving from an extended stay in Japan, is coming off his best season. He secured a league-high 40 saves while positing a 2.97 ERA and 0.90 WHIP.
Michael Kopech
In his first two seasons at the helm, Stearns has had a knack for pulling off the risk-reward play to try and cut down some of the team’s cost. It has paid off in the case of reclamation projects in Sean Manaea, Luis Severino and with Clay Holmes’ transition.
Could Michael Kopech be that next gamble?
With a vicious fastball, Kopech is tough to hit at his best. After being acquired by the Dodgers in 2024, he struck out 29 batters in 24 innings, while limiting opponents to three runs. Last season, the 30-year-old righty dealt with a right shoulder impingement and torn meniscus, which could bring down his cost.