New York Mets

If you believe Jacob deGrom is keeping teammates updated on what he wants to happen during free agency, Mark Canha has some hopeful news for New York Mets fans.

Speaking to Mike Puma of the New York Post, Canha said deGrom has told him he wants to remain with the Mets.

"Jake told me he wants to come back, too, and he really likes it here, too." Canha said. "I’m hopeful for Jake."

The Mets have a lot of big free-agent decisions to make this offseason with their own players, let alone anyone from other teams they may want to pursue.

Per Spotrac, the Mets already have the highest payroll in MLB for the 2023 season at $205.5 million before free agency. The Philadelphia Phillies are No. 2 with $172.2 million in salary commitments.

DeGrom, Edwin Díaz and Brandon Nimmo are their top three free agents. SNY.tv's Andy Martino reported earlier this week the Mets are "prioritizing" Díaz and Nimmo over all the other internal free agents.

ESPN's Jeff Passan said on The Pat McAfee Show in September that Díaz could become the first closer to sign a contract worth at least $100 million. The right-hander was dominant in 2022 with 32 saves, a 1.31 ERA and 118 strikeouts in 62 innings.

Nimmo should have no problem getting at least $100 million from a team on his next deal. The 29-year-old hit .274/.367/.433 with 53 extra-base hits in 151 games last season. He has an .827 career OPS and plays a premium position in center field.

It's more difficult to figure out what the market will be for deGrom. He is 34 years old and has only thrown 156.1 innings in 26 starts over the past two seasons combined due to injuries.

DeGrom's stuff was very good when he made his 2022 debut in August. His fastball averaged 98.9 mph and his slider averaged a career-high 92.7 mph, per FanGraphs.com. He finished the season with a 3.08 ERA, 0.75 WHIP and 102 strikeouts in 64.1 innings.

The Mets are the only organization deGrom has ever known. They selected him in the ninth round of the 2010 MLB draft and he made his big-league debut in 2014.

It would seem to be in the Mets' best interest to re-sign deGrom. Owner Steve Cohen has made big, aggressive moves with the hope of winning a World Series. They came up short in that quest this season, but their 101 victories during the regular season were tied for second-most in the NL.

New York Mets general manager Billy Eppler is reportedly "less likely" to target free agents who receive qualifying contract offers from their current teams.

Jon Heyman of the New York Post reported Thursday the Mets are wary of losing draft picks as compensation for those possible signings, which could impact their pursuit of New York Yankees outfielder Aaron Judge or San Francisco Giants starting pitcher Carlos Rodón.

The Mets have been frequently mentioned as a possible landing spot for Judge, who launched 62 home runs in 2022, but that's more related to the big-spending ways of team owner Steve Cohen than a glaring need in the outfield.

New York's projected outfield starters for 2023 are Jeff McNeil, Starling Marte and Mark Canha. That's not to say the longtime Yankees slugger wouldn't upgrade that group, but there are certainly bigger issues for the front office to address heading into the offseason.

The club must solidify its starting rotation, especially if Jacob deGrom leaves in free agency, vastly improve the bullpen and potentially find new starters at second base and catcher.

That's a lot of money to spend, either via free-agent signings or trade acquisitions, before even considering whether to offer upward of $300 million to Judge.

The Mets could still pursue the four-time All-Star, but it'll more likely happen if his free-agent process drags out a bit to give them time to fill other holes first and get some financial clarity.

Meanwhile, Rodón seems like an ideal fit on paper as a high-end lefty starter who could complement Max Scherzer and deGrom, if re-signed.

The 29-year-old Miami native recorded a 2.88 ERA and 1.03 WHIP with 237 strikeouts in 178 innings for the Giants this season. That followed up a 2021 season with the Chicago White Sox where he compiled a 2.37 ERA.

Ultimately, if the Mets aren't interested in relinquishing draft picks as part of their free-agent efforts, it's going to limit the number of impact players they'll be able to pursue.

It wouldn't be a surprise if that stance changes at some point over the winter if the club's roster-building process isn't yielding the desired results.

The New York Mets announced outfielder Starling Marte underwent surgery on Tuesday to repair a core muscle injury.

The recovery for this procedure usually takes eight weeks, providing time for him to compete at Spring Training without restrictions.

D.J. Short of NBC Sports noted Marte suffered the original injury on July 9, although he missed just four games before returning. He also missed the final few weeks of the regular season with a fractured finger before playing in the postseason.

Marte finished the season hitting .292 with 16 home runs and 18 stolen bases in 118 games, earning his second career All-Star selection.

The 34-year-old signed a four-year deal with the Mets as a free agent last offseason and finished third on the team with an .814 OPS. He was a key part of the team finishing with 101 wins, tied for third-most in the majors while earning a playoff appearance for the first time since 2016.

With three years remaining under contract, Marte should remain an important part of the lineup in 2023, especially with center fielder Brandon Nimmo hitting free agency.

Marte only played two games in center last season for the Mets, but he played it almost exclusively over the past four years with the Oakland Athletics, Miami Marlins, Arizona Diamondbacks and Pittsburgh Pirates. It gives the team added versatility and options heading into the offseason.

The next challenge will be to stay healthy after missing over 40 games in each of the past two seasons.

The New York Mets may want to find additional help to improve their roster for 2023, but the organization's top priority this offseason will be retaining its own key free agents.

Per SNY.tv's Andy Martino, the Mets are "prioritizing" re-signing Edwin Díaz and Brandon Nimmo over their other free agents.

It's interesting that Diaz and Nimmo appear to be at the top of New York's internal free-agent list.

Jacob deGrom could also hit free agency if he opts out of his deal as expected. He pitched well down the stretch with a 3.08 ERA in 11 starts, but he's also 34 and has only thrown 156.1 innings over the past two seasons combined.

Both Díaz and Nimmo figure to be two of the most sought-after free agents. Nimmo is arguably the best outfielder on the open market after Aaron Judge. The 29-year-old hit .274/.367/.433 last season. He posted on-base percentages over .400 three times in four years from 2018 to 2021.

Patrick Saunders of the Denver Post reported last week the Colorado Rockies have Nimmo on their "preliminary wish list" of players, with contract estimates in the range of $115 million-$120 million over five years.

Even though it sounds like the Mets plan to make an aggressive push to keep Nimmo, general manager Billy Eppler told Joel Sherman and Jon Heyman of The Show Podcast they would be comfortable moving Starling Marte from right to center field.

Díaz's free agency coincides with his career year in 2022. The right-hander had a 1.31 ERA, 0.84 WHIP, 118 strikeouts and 32 saves in 61 appearances.

Teams have been more diligent about not spending big money on relievers. Only six closers had a salary of at least $10 million in 2022, including Díaz ($10.2 million).

Heyman reported last month that Díaz is looking to "break new ground" with his contract. Aroldis Chapman's five-year, $86 million deal with the New York Yankees is the richest deal for a closer in MLB history, per Heyman.

The Mets already project to have a $238.9 million payroll next season, per Spotrac, and owner Steve Cohen has shown a willingness to spend big in order to give the team a chance to win a World Series.

New York finished the 2022 season with 101 wins, second-most in franchise history. It lost in the NL Wild Card Series to the San Diego Padres.

The electricity in Citi Field as the trumpets of "Narco" by Blasterjaxx and Timmy Trumpet exploded over the PA system, his 118 strikeouts, an ERA of just 1.31, and 32 saves all defined Edwin Díaz in 2022.

Arguably the most captivating closer in baseball, the 28-year-old was a major part of New York's 100-win season, all while throwing just two different pitches, his arsenal being small but effective.

TIMMY TRUMPET LIVE FOR EDWIN DIAZ'S INTRO 🎺🎺🎺

Absolute scenes at Citi Field.

📽️: @joonlee | #LGMpic.twitter.com/fqiJReKX9j

— FanDuel Sportsbook (@FDSportsbook) September 1, 2022

His ability to stunt offense, silence bats and close things out for the Mets built confidence in the team and management. The theatricality of his walk-up only served to spark excitement in the ballpark.

For all that Díaz accomplished in 2022, a season in which he transformed into the best closer in MLB, the Mets must prioritize his contract and ensure he returns to an organization still chasing its first World Series title since 1986.

---

High Risk, High Reward

There is reason to be hesitant in regards to paying Díaz a huge amount of money.

There is no guarantee that he can replicate the season he put together in 2022. We have seen closers rewarded based on expected output, only to fall into mediocrity and never quite reach the levels they had prior.

Aroldis Chapman and Craig Krimble come to mind.

Maybe Díaz falls into that discussion, and Mets fans lament the time the franchise gave a closer a ton of money that could have been better utilized elsewhere.

Or, maybe Díaz continues to ride his highly effective two-pitch arsenal to success. Perhaps he stomps to the mound, strikes six batters out in a row and fuels the Mets to the postseason success that eluded them this year.

If that is the case, New York should feel very good about its future.

Díaz had a lights-out 2022, striking out 17.13 batters per nine innings and allowing less than half of a home run in that same frame. Only two of his 10 inherited runners scored, proving he could pitch his way out of a jam and prevent the other team from capitalizing on hits.

He has great control, too, managing just two wild pitches in the 62 innings in which he appeared.

He won 75 percent of his games and had a minuscule ERA of 1.31, good for second in the Majors.

Díaz was the closest thing to a sure thing there was when it came time to close out a victory. He has earned the contract he will inevitably get; and if he can play up to it, the Mets are going to be in every game and face fewer scenarios in which a lead is blown and a win evaporates before their eyes.

Edwin Diaz is the best closer in baseball. It’s not an opinion. If you disagree you’re wrong. 🎺🎺🎺

— KFC (@KFCBarstool) July 30, 2022

Put some respect on his name. Edwin Diaz is the best closer in baseball and it’s not particularly close.

— Ben Verlander (@BenVerlander) July 27, 2022

There will be some who question whether the Mets should save that potential $100 million and throw it in the direction of underrated hitter Brandon Nimmo or ace Jacob deGrom.

Nimmo was a solid hitter and a major part of what the 100-win team looked to do offensively. He may not be a power hitter who is going to push the ball deep and out of the park, but his on-base percentage was a very good .367 and his OPS was .800, placing him among the top 50 hitters in the league.

He will be difficult to replace and the Mets should weigh the possibility of finding a way to sign Díaz and bring Nimmo back.

This brings us to the elephant in the room: Jacob deGrom and what will likely be a monster contract.

There is an argument to be made that the 34-year-old should take precedence this offseason. When healthy, he is one of the greatest pitchers of his generation and a guy who has earned a check with lots of zeros and commas.

Unfortunately for him, the key phrase in that statement is "when healthy."

When looking at the many pieces the Mets front office will have to maneuver to field a team best suited to win a title, it will have to weigh whether deGrom is worth the $40 million AAV, per Jon Heyman of the New York Post, that he could attract from potential suitors.

Without doubt, he is the best pitcher available and has more than earned the right to opt-out of his current deal and test the market. In doing so, though, he is likely to bring an end to his run in Gotham because the idea of giving that sort of money to a guy who has only pitched in 74.7 innings over the last three years is hardly appealing.

Are the Mets likely to find someone like deGrom this offseason? No, but they could find a cheaper option who will appear more consistently and can score a few quality wins. Noah Syndergaard, Nathan Eovaldi and even Mets free-agent-to-be Chris Bassitt fit that description.

At the very least, an option who can put his side in a position for the $100 million man Díaz to march to the mound and earn another win for a team whose World Series aspirations have never been higher.

Brandon Nimmo has spent his entire MLB career with the New York Mets, but the Colorado Rockies may look to change that for the 2023 campaign.

Patrick Saunders of the Denver Post reported Wednesday that the outfielder is "on the Rockies' preliminary wish list" when it comes to free agency. It won't be an easy signing, though, as Danny Abriano of SNY reported Thursday "the Mets have interest in retaining Nimmo, who has expressed a desire to return."

Saunders suggested it will take a five-year deal worth approximately $115 or $120 million, based on estimates, to land the free agent.

Nimmo is one of a number of marquee free agents for New York this offseason, as Jacob deGrom and Edwin Díaz headline the list.

It could lead to some difficult decisions for a team that will also be looking to improve after it lost its grip on the National League East down the stretch of the regular season and then lost to the San Diego Padres in the NL Wild Card Series.

Nimmo is coming off a career season that saw him slash .274/.367/.433 with 16 home runs, 64 RBI, 30 doubles and a league-best seven triples. He finished with an offensive WAR of 5.3, per Baseball Reference, which was his best mark since he started with the Mets in 2016.

The 29-year-old appears to be in the middle of his prime and will be a significant addition for whichever team ultimately signs him.

Colorado is looking to bounce back from a worse season than the Mets after finishing last in the National League West at 68-94 despite the major signing of Kris Bryant ahead of the campaign.

It continued a pattern of losing for the franchise, which finished in fourth place the previous three years and hasn't advanced past the NLDS since reaching the 2007 World Series.

The Rockies will likely need to add more than just Nimmo to compete in a National League West that includes the Los Angeles Dodgers, San Diego Padres and San Francisco Giants, but he would be an ideal starting point and add some left-handed pop to the lineup.

His numbers may also spike playing at Denver's altitude, which would be a welcome development for the Rockies.

Yet it seems they will have to compete with the Mets and perhaps other suitors to sign him.

Coming off a stellar 2022 season, New York Mets closer Edwin Diaz is reportedly hoping to land a game-changing contract when free agency opens.

Jon Heyman of the New York Post reports that Diaz is looking to reset the market for closers with a record-breaking deal.

"Word is he’s looking to 'break new ground' off his amazing season, and presumably that means higher than Liam Hendriks’ record $18 million closer salary, which seems likely," Heyman wrote. "The Mets understandably do have him as a priority among their seven outstanding free agents."

Diaz established himself as one of the best closers in the majors this season with 32 saves, a 1.31 ERA, a 0.84 WHIP and 118 strikeouts in 62.0 innings pitched. He gained popularity this season from his signature walkout song.

Heyman noted that Diaz could benefit from a thin closer market, as Dodgers closer Kenley Jansen is the only proven veteran expected to be available on the open market this year. He also listed Diaz as the top priority for the Mets in free agency, over the likes of starting pitchers Jacob deGrom, Chris Bassitt and Taijuan Walker.

Last month, ESPN's Jeff Passan said on The Pat McAfee Show that Diaz could "become the first 100-million-dollar closer." He noted that the 28-year-old is a marketable star who can increase interest from fans.

"I think part of it [is] when you factor in, if you're a baseball team, the idea that you can market your closer, that you can market the ninth inning as something that everybody wants to watch," Passan said. "I want someone to come up with an app that says, 'The closer is coming in right now, I want to watch him shove for one inning.'"

The Mets had a strong regular season but fell short of their title aspirations when the San Diego Padres bounced them in the National League Wild Card round. Retaining Diaz would go a long way to ensuring the team is back in position to aim for a better finish next season.

The New York Mets overcame a disastrous postseason start on Friday to keep their 2022 campaign alive on Saturday with a 7-3 win over the San Diego Padres to knot their best-of-three National League wild-card series at one game apiece.

Home runs from Francisco Lindor and Pete Alonso and a two-RBI double via Jeff McNeil paced the offense. On the mound, Jacob deGrom tossed six innings of two-run ball while striking out eight, and closer Edwin Diaz got five outs after relieving the starter.

The Padres got the tying run to the plate with two outs in the ninth, but Seth Lugo induced a Josh Bell groundout with the bases loaded to end the game.

New York entered Saturday under a specter of gloom after losing 7-1 the night before. Max Scherzer allowed four homers en route to giving up seven runs in 4.1 innings.

Now both the Padres and Mets' seasons are on the line with a winner-take-all Game 3 on Sunday evening from New York's Citi Field.

For the time being, Mets fans can be relieved knowing that their season isn't over after going through feelings of existential dread the night before. The job certainly isn't done, but New York can at least rest a little easy (or as much as a Mets fan possibly can after years of September and October heartbreak) for the next 24 hours.

Here's a look at how Twitter reacted to the Mets' Game 2 performance, which included clutch nights from big bats and key pitchers for an all-around solid evening.

Breathe. Books. #LFGM

— Clem (@TheClemReport) October 9, 2022

THE METS LIVE TO FIGHT ANOTHER DAY #TheseMets

— 🦈 (@LindorSZN) October 9, 2022

https://twitter.com/Buffalogal/status/1578956277169852416

sigh of relief! #mets pic.twitter.com/02JrTB4bTk

— jay cowit (@jaycowit) October 9, 2022

Major League batting champion Jeff McNeil with a huge, two-run double. He pointed to the Mets' dugout as he raced down the right-field line.

Did the Mets ever need that.

Exhale.

Mets 5, Padres 2, bottom seven.

— Anthony DiComo (@AnthonyDiComo) October 9, 2022

Everybody exhale… The Mets WILL play again tomorrow! #LGM

— Andrew Claudio (@AndrewJClaudio_) October 9, 2022

W. #Mets survive to see another day. Jake deGood enough, McNeil with the big hit to break the ice, Alonso, Nimmo and Lindor with big nights, and the bullpen hung on through questionable usage.

Rubber game of the year coming tomorrow.

— Michael Baron (@michaelgbaron) October 9, 2022

https://twitter.com/kevin_theclutch/status/1578956238683267073

Jacob deGrom rose to the occasion tonight! He didn’t have his best stuff tonight but he battled and was so gutsy. HE’S THAT GUY! #Mets #LGM pic.twitter.com/vziRjbjfd1

— Subway To Shea Podcast (@SubwayToShea) October 9, 2022

Game 3 will go down Sunday at 7:07 p.m. ET. ESPN's Jeff Passan set the scene.

FINAL: Mets 7, Padres 3

New York's bats awoke. San Diego's pitching faltered. Game 1 went to the Padres. Mets hang on in Game 2. There will be a win-or-go-home Game 3 at 7 p.m. ET on Sunday, with the winner facing LA in the NLDS. Chris Bassitt vs. Joe Musgrove. Buckle up, kids.

— Jeff Passan (@JeffPassan) October 9, 2022

ESPN will televise the game.

New York Mets second baseman Jeff McNeil didn't have an at-bat in Wednesday's 9-2 win over the Washington Nationals, but it didn't stop him from becoming the first player in franchise history to win the MLB batting title.

According to ESPN, McNeil's batting average of .326 finished one point ahead of Los Angeles Dodgers first baseman Freddie Freeman, who needed to go 4-for-4 against the Colorado Rockies to overtake him.

Freeman fell just short in his bid, going 3-for-4 at the dish.

McNeil was inserted into Wednesday's game on defense in the eighth inning, but he didn't come to the plate. Mets manager Buck Showalter said he wanted to give McNeil rest before the team's NL wild-card series against the San Diego Padres this weekend, and he wasn't concerned about the batting race.

"Wouldn't put that on him," Showalter said. "The most important thing is Friday. Everything else takes second."

Freeman gave McNeil an early scare when he doubled and homered in his first two at-bats against Colorado. His attempt to unseat McNeil ended in the fifth inning with a flyout to center field.

"I was definitely paying attention to what was going on," said McNeil, who watched Freeman's game during a rain delay. "Saw Freddie's first at-bat up the middle, didn't watch the second at-bat. ... Hits a homer, and you get a little bit nervous, he's swinging the bat well, and with Freddie Freeman, four hits is normal for him.

"In his third at-bat, a good number of us were sitting in the locker room watching it. He put a good swing on it and was lucky that one stayed in the park."

McNeil had been hitting .287 heading into the second half of the season, but he hit .378 since July 30 to move ahead of Freeman and St. Louis Cardinals slugger Paul Goldschmidt. The 30-year-old went on a 10-game hit streak to end the regular season and batted .465 (20-for-43) with eight multi-hit games since Sept. 23.

It was a strong bounce-back year for McNeil, who struggled last season with a .251 batting average after hitting over .300 in each of the three previous years.

"One of my goals in baseball is to win a batting title,'' the two-time All-Star said. "I wanted to get back to who I am."

The New York Mets are under the most pressure of the eight Wild Card Series participants.

The Mets blew a 10.5-game lead over the Atlanta Braves in the National League East and now have to play the San Diego Padres at home just to get into the NLDS, where they would then face the Los Angeles Dodgers.

New York's recent losses in Atlanta put the franchise in a precarious situation and potentially on the brink of 2022 being labeled a huge disappointment.

The Mets tried to replicate Atlanta's trade deadline strategy from 2021, as they brought in some role players to bolster their lineup. Tyler Naquin, Daniel Vogelbach and Darin Ruf have been disappointing. Meanwhile San Diego's top trade acquisition, Juan Soto, is heating up at the right time.

WFAN's Gregg Giannotti delivered an honest take on where the Mets stand going into the three-game set that begins on Friday at Citi Field.

"What did the Padres do at the trade deadline? Went all in. What did the Mets do? Got a bunch of tomato cans"

Boomer says Billy Eppler will be grilled if the Mets can't beat the Padres:https://t.co/tSc8seo088

— WFAN Sports Radio (@WFAN660) October 5, 2022

“Pressure’s on, because they have the highest payroll in baseball,” Gio said. “I know the Padres spent a lot of money and are gonna spend even more money on Juan Soto. What did the Padres do at the trade deadline? Went all in. What did the Mets do? Got a bunch of tomato cans and tried to piece the whole thing together with duct tape and string."

The Mets may be using a different strategy than other teams would. Saving Jacob deGrom's arm is under consideration, per Joel Sherman of the New York Post.

"If this plan is used, Scherzer would start Friday night’s opener and—if the Mets win and, thus, do not face elimination Saturday—Chris Bassitt would start Game 2.

"If the Mets lose the opener, the strategy would be to start deGrom in Game 2 to try to avoid elimination. If the Mets win the opener, but then lose Game 2, deGrom would start Game 3 to attempt to save their season," Sherman wrote.

The Mets can utilize this plan because they have Max Scherzer and Bassitt ready to pitch Games 1 and 2 in the best-case scenario. SNY's Danny Abriano outlined how resting deGrom could help the Mets in their potential NLDS matchup with the Dodgers.

This is what I suggested a few days ago and wrote about at length yesterday

If Mets do this and beat Padres in 2 games, they would not only have Jacob deGrom for Game 1 and Game 5 against Dodgers in NLDS, but possibly have Scherzer in relief in Game 5 https://t.co/CDSvBjsXPJ

— Danny Abriano (@DannyAbriano) October 5, 2022

The New York Post's Zach Braziller pronounced that a sweep is needed for the Mets to best contend with the Dodgers due to their potential rotation issues.

If #Mets want to make a run, they really need to sweep Padres and avoid using all three of deGrom, Scherzer and Bassitt. Otherwise, Game 1 of NLDS against the Dodgers is Walker/Carrasco. If they sweep, No. 4 starter doesn't pitch until Game 4.

— Zach Braziller (@NYPost_Brazille) October 5, 2022

New York's problem could be hitting off Yu Darvish, who was dominant in two meetings against the NL East side this season, as Kevin Acee of the San Diego Union-Tribune noted:

Padres won two of three from the Mets in both series they played this season.
Padres faced Max Scherzer once and did not face Jacob deGrom.
In the game in which they beat Scherzer, Eric Hosmer and Trent Grisham homered.
Yu Darvish allowed Mets 1 run in 14 IP in two starts.

— Kevin Acee (@sdutKevinAcee) October 5, 2022

Darvish could be followed by Joe Musgrove or Blake Snell. Padres Radio Network host Sammy Levitt outlined how terrific Musgrove was on the mound this season and how bright San Diego's future is with him in the rotation .

Joe Musgrove's final stats in the regular season during 30 starts:

10-7
2.93 ERA
1.08 WHIP
181 IP
154 H
22 HR
184 K
42 BB
.227 opp. BA

...and a 5-year, $100 million extension with his hometown team.

A very impressive year. Padres fans should be excited for what's to come.

— Sammy Levitt (@SammyLev) October 4, 2022

The Mets also have to deal with Soto, who had plenty of success against them while he was with the Washington Nationals. Ben Fletcher of 760 AM in San Diego pointed out those totals.

Juan Soto career numbers vs. the Mets…

.303 BA, 71 H, 16 HR, 42 RBI, 40 R,

In 68 career games vs. the Mets.

— Ben Fletcher (@Fletchsports) October 5, 2022

Soto actually has worse numbers after the trade deadline compared to Daniel Vogelbach, as Ian O'Connor of the New York Post showed us:

Stunning Mets-Padres stat comparison, post trade-deadline:

Daniel Vogelbach, 145 At-Bats: 6 HR, 25 RBI, .441 SLG, .838 OPS

Juan Soto, 179 At-Bats: 6 HR, 16 RBI, .397 SLG, .790 OPS

— Ian O'Connor (@Ian_OConnor) October 5, 2022

Soto was acquired specifically to bolster San Diego's postseason stock, and he could help the Padres get past the Mets in a series that will likely be decided by one or two swings given how strong the pitchers are on both sides.