The New York Mets, in addition to trying to bring back Pete Alonso and Edwin Diaz, know they have to address their starting rotation this winter.
With a plethora of options available in free agency and the trade market, David Stearns has a lot of different ways to go about reconstructing the rotation for Carlos Mendoza. Now that the winter meetings are under way, it appears as if the organization has identified its top priority.
According to MLB insider Mark Feinsand, that priority appears to be San Diego Padres starting pitcher Michael King.
“Michael King appears to be the Mets’ top rotation target, as a source confirmed that the right-hander recently held a Zoom meeting with the club,” Feinsand wrote for MLB.com. “According to sources, Mets president of baseball operations David Stearns is hesitant to sign a starting pitcher to a long-term deal of five or more years, which could take New York out of the mix for other top starters such as Framber Valdez, Ranger Suárez and Tatsuya Imai.”
Based on what Feinsand is being told, this means the Mets were never really interested in signing Dylan Cease. Taking themselves out of the equation for the other three pitchers mentioned above is risky, but Stearns can certainly work around it.
King recorded a 3.44 ERA for the Padres this year in just 15 starts. Injuries derailed his season in San Diego, but he showed he can be a workhorse in 2024 when he made 31 appearances (30 starts).
The 30-year-old right hander has been projected to sign a $75 million contract this offseason, and it appears he would receive that over the course of 3-4 years in Queens.
King may not be an ace, but he would certainly provide stability and consistency to a pitching staff that lacked both this year. Having a pitcher of his caliber who can go at least five innings every night sets up the team for success every time he takes the mound.
While he would likely not be the only signing for the rotation, King would be a great starting point for the Mets to retool their pitching staff.
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