3 Mets backup plans for David Stearns to pursue after missing out on Garrett Crochet

The New York Mets did sign Juan Soto, but that doesn't mean that their offseason is over. They still have several holes on their roster, particularly in their rotation.

Getting Kodai Senga back should be huge for New York, and the Frankie Montas and Clay Holmes additions should help, but on paper, this Mets rotation looks worse than last season's group that helped carry the team to the NLCS.

A Garrett Crochet trade was never particularly likely, given the state of the Mets' farm system, but they were reportedly in the mix to acquire the southpaw. Had they gotten a deal done, he would've solved many problems in the Mets rotation. Instead, the Boston Red Sox swooped in with an offer that would've been difficult for the Mets to match or top.

With Crochet off the board, it's on David Stearns to pivot quickly and appropriately. Here are three possibilities for him to consider.

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3) Walker Buehler could be a worthwhile, yet risky, addition for the Mets to make

Once upon a time, Walker Buehler was considered one of the best pitchers in the National League. He finished ninth in the NL Cy Young balloting in just his second full season and finished fourth just two years later, while also putting up some monster postseason numbers in the process.

Unfortunately, he made just 12 starts the year following his fourth-place finish and then didn't pitch at all in 2023. He made 16 starts this past regular season and pitched to a 5.38 ERA, raising the question of whether the right-hander even had anything left in the tank. If the postseason was any indication, the answer was a resounding yes.

He had one brutal inning in his first postseason start, but locked in after that. Buehler threw four scoreless innings in his lone NLCS appearance and five scoreless innings in his World Series start. As if that wasn't impressive enough, Buehler pitched on just one day of rest and closed out the World Series by recording a one-two-three ninth with a pair of strikeouts. He closed out the postseason with 13 consecutive scoreless innings.

Is this enough to believe he's an ace again? No, but there is reason to believe Buehler can be a valuable player to bring in on a one or two-year deal. The upside is there. The history of postseason success is there. David Stearns had success with Luis Severino and Sean Manaea - two reclamation projects - this past season. Perhaps Buehler can be in the same boat.

2) A Luis Castillo trade would help the Mets immensely

Once the Mets signed Soto, a lot of fans wondered whether New York would turn to Corbin Burnes and sign him. Given Steve Cohen's seemingly endless pit of money, the idea of Burnes in Queens didn't seem far-fetched, especially considering the David Stearns connection from their days with the Milwaukee Brewers. Unfortunately, since Burnes is likely going to get a massive deal that'll cover at least his next eight seasons, it's unlikely that the Mets seriously entertain the idea of signing him.

With that being said, though, the Mets would pass on Burnes for the years, not because of the price tag. Given that fact the Mets can and should consider a trade for Luis Castillo - an expensive frontline arm who is only guaranteed to be under club control through 2027. That lines up more with what the Mets are looking for.

Castillo might not have Crochet's upside, but he's as reliable of an arm as there is. He has made 25 or more starts and thrown at least 150 innings in each of the last six full seasons (excluding 2020) with ERAs below 4.00 in five of those six seasons. The lone exception to that was 2018 - his first full season. Given the risks that the Mets are taking with guys like Senga, Montas, and Holmes, they could use some reliability, and Castillo brings that.

With the Seattle Mariners reportedly willing to listen to offers for Castillo, the Mets should be all in. If they're willing to take on the remainder of the money on his contract, he might not even cost as much as he should in terms of a return.

1) Bringing Sean Manaea back is a no-brainer at this point

As intriguing as Buehler and Castillo are, the easiest move that the Mets can make would be to simply re-sign Sean Manaea. They took a chance on him last offseason, saw it pay off handsomely, and should try to keep him in town for a while longer.

The southpaw had a 3.47 ERA in 32 starts and 181.2 innings of work for the Mets, and only got better as the year went on. In fact, once he switched up his arm angle in late July, he took his game to another level - posting a 3.09 ERA in his last 12 starts while leading the majors with 75.2 innings of work in that span. He even proved he can be an asset in October, as he pitched quite well in three of his four postseason starts.

The only reason why the Mets wouldn't want him back is if he gets too many years in a potential free agency contract. While that's entirely possible, if the 32-year-old is willing to come back for three or four years at a fairly high AAV, the Mets should do it without thinking twice. He proved to be a perfect fit with the Mets, and it doesn't hurt that the fans loved him too.