The New York Mets may have missed out on Carlos Correa due to a complicated physical, but there are plenty of high-profile 2023 free agents they can sign.
The Mets will be just fine without Carlos Correa, if anything because Steve Cohen proved he’s willing to open his pocketbook. The richest man in baseball won’t close his purse strings anytime soon, and will go well over the luxury tax in order to build a World Series contender.
But even Cohen has his limits. If the Mets weren’t confident in Correa’s ability to contribute to a contender nearly a decade down the line, then they were right not to sign him. New York remains one of the best teams in the National League without him.
That being said, it’s not too early to look ahead at 2023. Cohen likes to go big-game hunting. Next offseason, he can sign one of the premiere free agents to make up for losing out on Correa.
Mets rumors: Manny Machado makes a lot of sense
Eduardo Escobar will be solid at third base this season, but beyond that, the Mets should take a serious look at Manny Machado. The Yankees wanted to make a run at Machado when he was last a free agent, but he ultimately signed with the Padres. Why not bring him to Queens instead?
New York will be far from the only team vying for Machado’s services, but if they made him their top priority rather than getting distracted by other shiny toys on the free-agent market, they may have the edge. Cohen can also afford to pay him whatever he wants.
Machado’s made the All-Star team each of the past two seasons, and has finished top-3 in NL MVP voting two out of the last three years. Last season, he slashed .298/.366/.531 with 37 home runs, leading the Padres to the postseason without Fernando Tatis Jr. for the majority of the year. With the trade for Juan Soto and contract handed to Xander Bogaerts, San Diego might not be able to afford Machado next offseason.
The Mets can, and then some.
Mets rumors: Few can afford Shohei Ohtani
Shohei Ohtani is more than likely to receive the largest contract in MLB Free Agency history if he hits the open market come 2023. He and the Angels avoided arbitration this season, and Los Angeles would prefer to sign him to a long-term deal while they still have the edge.
Of course, Ohtani’s agency knows this. They also know that the market for Ohtani will be immense should he continue to put up AL MVP numbers next year, and can pitch at an elite level. Assuming he does not get hurt, he will get paid.
Ohtani may prefer the west coast, hence why he signed with the Angels in the first place. The Dodgers are said to be saving money this offseason in hopes of making a major run at Ohtani in 2023. The face of baseball could very well be on the move then, and that may mean a short trip to Los Angeles.
But, if Ohtani is open to future possibilities on the east coast, then expect the Mets to step in. Cohen can afford to richest contract in MLB history for Ohtani, and if he has a dump a few players to do it, then so be it. Ohtani fills two needs for New York.
Max Scherzer could come off the books next offseason, and the Mets will have a rotation hole to fill. Well, Ohtani had a 2.33 ERA last season and finished fourth in AL Cy Young voting. The Mets could use another big bat in their lineup. Well, Ohtani slashed .273/.356/.519 with 34 home runs last season. In his AL MVP campaign in 2021, he hit 46 homers. The man can do it all, and he’s just 27 years old.
Mets rumors: Julio Urias would be a great rotation add
If the Dodgers allow Julio Urias to hit the free-agent market, they’re making a big mistake.
Urias’ contract runs up at the end of this year, but he’ll be entering his age-27 season when he’s a free agent in 2024. FanSided’s Tim Boyle described why Urias is so coveted in a recent MLB Power Rankings column:
"“Julio Urias is on the rise. He led the league with 20 wins in 2021. In 2022, he led the league with a 2.16 ERA. What will he do in 2023? Urias may only have a pair of years with 100+ innings pitched. A fantastic season in 2023 will set him up for a mega-contract and probably the biggest of any free agent starting pitcher in terms of overall total.”"
Boyle predicted the Phillies as a potential suitor for Urias, but the Mets make sense as well given they could be losing Max Scherzer to free agency after next year. Scherzer has an opt out in his deal. That would leave the Mets rotation with Justin Verlander and little else atop it. Adding a younger player like Urias to a long-term deal would end the rapid turnover rate atop New York’s rotation, and give them an ace they can count on for years to come.
That is currently not the case, as Jacob deGrom bolted for the Texas Rangers this offseason. Zack Wheeler and Noah Syndergaard? Also long gone.
Urias makes logistical sense and from a financial perspective, what else could Cohen be looking for as an asset?