The Mets made one of the first splashes of the offseason Monday when they agreed to sign Devin Williams to a three-year deal.
The agreement with one of the top available relievers began to fill a massive need in the bullpen ahead of Major League Baseball’s Winter Meetings in Orlando, Florida, that begin Sunday.
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But the move only begins to scratch the surface for the Mets front office to fill a swath of roster holes and help erase the sting of a 2025 campaign rife with disappointment.
Williams’ addition plugs in one of the gaps, and the Mets could elect to double down and bring back Edwin Diaz, but now there are bigger weaknesses to address.
EDWIN DIAZ: His future with the Mets after they sign Devin Williams
A season ago, the Mets also acted swiftly at the offset of baseball’s preeminent offseason event when they inked Juan Soto to a record deal. The hot stove is ready to ignite in less than a week.
With baseball’s offseason picking up steam, here are the Mets’ three biggest needs heading into the Winter Meetings:
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Two spots in the outfield
Oct 5, 2025; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; New York Yankees left fielder Cody Bellinger (35) rounds the bases after hitting a home run in the sixth inning against the Toronto Blue Jays during game two of the ALDS round for the 2025 MLB playoffs at Rogers Centre. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Sousa-Imagn Images
The Mets already entered the offseason with an urgency to reinforce center field after a pair of misses with Jose Siri and Cedric Mulllins. They bring back Tyrone Taylor on a one-year, $3.8 million deal, but while the 31-year-old offers elite defense, he’s an inconsistent bat.
And the left side is now completely vacant after the front office elected to deal Brandon Nimmo and his five remaining years of his contract to the Rangers in exchange for second baseman Marcus Semien.
President of baseball operations David Stearns has preached the need to improve the Mets’ run prevention heading into a new season, and the addition of a two-time Gold Glover in Semien helps that goal. But they are losing Nimmo’s 92 RBI and 89 runs in that quest.
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The Mets could stand to gain some more potential firepower in the outfield before spring training kicks off in two and a half months. Two of the prizes in this year’s free agent class — Kyle Tucker and Cody Bellinger — would fill that need.
Beyond that, it is a sparse outfield market and the trade block could be a spot where the Mets could find a replacement while their prospects, like Carson Benge or Jett Williams, get their feet under them.
Offensive anchor at first base
Jul 17, 2019; Minneapolis, MN, USA; New York Mets first baseman Pete Alonso (20) reacts after the seventh inning against the Minnesota Twins at Target Field. Mandatory Credit: David Berding-USA TODAY Sports
A large piece of the Mets’ offseason plans hinges on whether they bring back Pete Alonso to man first base for the foreseeable future.
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Alonso has been a cornerstone in the Mets’ lineup since he debuted in 2019, earning five All-Star selections and turning in five seasons with at least 37 home runs and another four 100-RBI seasons. That type of offensive production — Alonso earned his first Silver Slugger with 38 home runs, 126 RBI and 41 doubles last season — would not be easily replaced.
The first baseman has also been as dependable as they come, playing all 162 games in each of the last two seasons.
However, the 30-year-old Alonso does not necessarily fall in line with Stearns’ plan for improvement defensively; he posted a career-worst -9 outs above average last season, largely due to crumbling accuracy with his arm, despite a decent glove at first base.
The problem is the Mets do not have a surefire replacement if Alonso walks. Mark Vientos has played some first base, but is unproven and coming off a middling offensive season. Jeff McNeil is not a true first baseman, and a prospect option like Ryan Clifford still needs to prove himself at Triple A before earning a call-up.
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The free agents at the position are not great, with Josh Naylor already electing to return to the Mariners on a five-year, $92.5 million deal. Beyond that, Ryan O’Hearn, Luis Arraez, Nathaniel Lowe and Paul Goldschmidt stand out as the top options.
Bolstering top of Mets starting rotation
Ranger Suarez was an All-Star in 2024.
The Mets have a plethora of arms to fill their starting rotation, but do not have the top-end potential they might need to make a run at the World Series.
The questions persist throughout the ranks, with Sean Manaea taking a step back from high regard following an injury-riddled 2025, Kodai Senga stumbling after a hamstring injury down the stretch, and David Peterson sputtering after earning his first All-Star selection.
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Clay Holmes was a pleasant surprise, with a 12-8 record, 3.53 ERA in 165⅔ innings in his transition from closer to starter. The Mets have a wealth of young talent, led by Nolan McLean and including Brandon Sproat, Jonah Tong and Christian Scott, but it is yet to see how any of that quartet can produce over a full major league season.
There are some quality options for the top of the rotation on the open market in Framber Valdez, Ranger Suarez and Michael King. Dylan Cease set the bar with a seven-year, $210 million agreement with the Blue Jays last week.
While the Mets could elect to flex their financial might to sign one of the top starters, the trade market presents another unique opportunity. Last season, the Mets explored bringing in Garrett Crochet before he was dealt to the Red Sox late in the Winter Meetings. Some intriguing trade targets exist in Tarik Skubal, Freddy Peralta and Sandy Alcantara, among others.
This article originally appeared on NorthJersey.com: NY Mets’ 3 position needs as MLB Winter Meetings approach