The New York Mets have let plenty of their stalwarts leave this offseason.

And now, among many needs, the Mets need an outfielder.

There are big names still available in free agency, including Kyle Tucker and Cody Bellinger.

It looks like the Mets might go bargain shopping instead, though. The New York Post’s Jon Heyman reports that they might want to sign Austin Hays.

Hays spent the 2025 season with the Cincinnati Reds and put up a .768 OPS.

He’s not a bad player, bringing a good combination of power and speed while being particularly effective at the plate against left-handed pitching. 

He also wouldn’t be the headline-grabbing signing that many Mets fans would surely like.

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Pete Alonso is gone. Edwin Diaz is gone. Brandon Nimmo is gone. Jeff McNeil is gone.

These Mets will look very different than recent iterations. It feels like the least they could do is land a star player to join the new-look bunch.

It’s not clear whether that will happen, though. If it did, it’d likely be either in the outfield or on the mound.

But if these indications have truth to them, the Mets might have to settle for a guy like Hays rather than someone more exciting.

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