The New York Mets still haven't made an addition to the starting rotation. Dylan Cease, Merrill Kelly and Cody Ponce are among the free agents already signed, while trade candidates like Shane Baz and Sonny Gray are also off the table. New to the list of what-ifs: Michael King, who inked a three-year, $75 million deal to stay in San Diego after weeks of Mets rumors.
It's too early in the offseason for Mets fans to panic, but David Stearns appears to be taking an extremely patient and prudent approach. This is not the time for prudence if you're a Mets fan. Pete Alonso, Edwin Díaz and Brandon Nimmo are gone. Marcus Semien, Jorge Polanco and Devin Williams are the so-called replacements. The anxiety in Queens is palpable, so here are the best options still available to address the Mets' pitching woes.
7. Zac Gallen
Zac Gallen finished third in NL Cy Young voting back in 2023, but he's been on a steady downward slide since then. He made 33 starts for the Arizona Diamondbacks last season, but posted a 4.83 ERA and 1.26 WHIP. The numbers under the hood, so to speak, are better, but only slightly. He finished the campaign much better than he started it (3.32 ERA in 11 starts across August and September), but trust in Gallen — and his perception as a frontline ace — has faded greatly.
That's not to say he isn't a worthy reclamation project for the Mets, or a smart buy-low candidate. But it's probably smart to view Gallen as a mid-rotation option, not an ace. And the Mets, no matter your confidence level in Nolan McLean, Jonah Tong and Brandon Sproat, could really use an ace.
6. Ranger Suárez
Ranger Suárez put together an excellent 2025 season after returning from injury. He finished with a 3.20 ERA and 1.22 WHIP across 26 starts, logging 151 K's in 157.1 innings. Suárez enters his age-31 season more or less at his peak. He figures to command a healthy five- or six-year contract in this inflated marketplace. Whether the Mets should foot the bill is up for debate.
Suárez has a sterling postseason track record. He's extremely poised, even under extreme pressure, and his pitch command is laser-focused. He doesn't miss spots very often, and the sinkballer coaxes a lot of soft, groundball contact to set up his defense. That said, his velo is on the decline, and it's already worryingly low (his average sinker sat 90.1 MPH last season). It hasn't bitten him yet, again due to elite command, but history is not kind to veteran pitchers throwing as soft as Suárez. A long-term deal could age poorly. On the other hand, poaching him from a division rival in Philly could be helpful on two fronts.
5. Framber Valdez
Perhaps this is too low for Framber Valdez, who does offer a high baseline of production and durability. But he's 32 years old and coming off of a less-than-stellar season. There was also clear friction between Valdez and some of his teammates. The lefty generates a ton of groundballs and he has kept his velocity up in the low-to-mid 90s, which is a plus. But Valdez also gets hit extremely hard sometimes, and his command can waver.
He is viewed by many as the "best" starter on the market and he can expect to be paid accordingly. The Mets have the money — and the need — but still, there's reason to be concerned about the life of Valdez's contract. His consistency is a winning trait for now, but if the velocity and command slips even a little bit, the narrative can change quickly. Plus, if the Mets are looking to fix a fractured locker room, it's unclear if Valdez is the man for the job.
4. MacKenzie Gore
The Washington Nationals could look to get out of the MacKenzie Gore business with two years left on his deal. Trading him within the division is a whole different hurdle to clear, but the Mets should at least chime in with a serious offer. Gore, 27, K'd 185 in 159.2 innings last season. His impact fluctuated throughout the season — 4.17 ERA and 1.35 WHIP — but the stuff is tantalizing and he's still at the beginning of his prime window.
One can't help but wonder if Gore might perform better in a new situation, ideally on a more competitive roster. The lefty gets enough mileage out of his mid-90s fastball, but it's the curveball that really makes Gore sizzle. If he can command his pitches a bit better and catch a few less barrels in 2026, there's genuine ace upside for the Mets to tap into. Plus, if any team has the money to extend Gore once his contract expires, it's New York.
3. Tatsuya Imai
Tatsuya Imai comes to MLB at 27 years old with a highly decorated résumé in Japan's NPB. So little is guaranteed with players coming from overseas. The mound is different, the ball is different, the competiton is different. But Imai feels like a safe bet. He's at the peak of his powers and exhibits an incredible array of pitches. Imai leads heavily on his mid-90s fastball and a backward slider that fades out of the zone Trey Yesavage-style. He also keeps a few different changeup options in his back pocket, including a "Vulcan," sinking changeup that he added in 2025.
If the Mets want length and durability for a not-absurd price, Imai is the best bet. He's probably not a frontline ace in the mold of Yoshinobu Yamamoto or (potentially) Rōki Sasaki, but Imai commands his pitches and keeps hitters off-balance. His slider produced a healthy 46 percent whiff rate last season, in which he posted a 1.92 ERA. Imai shouldn't cost as much as Valdez or Suárez in theory, but even if his contract creeps into a higher tier, his age and profile should give the Mets ample confidence in their investment.
2. Freddy Peralta
The Milwaukee Brewers have ample incentive to keep Freddy Peralta and run back last season's first-place team, but the Brewers typically convert their expiring contracts into prospects. The emergence of Jacob Misiorowski means that Milwaukee probably has its next ace in-house already, which dampens the anxiety around a Peralta trade. Almost without fail, the Brewers find a way to overcome and compete, at least in the regular season.
All that said, Peralta was one of the best pitchers in the NL last season, posting a 2.70 ERA and 1.08 WHIP across 33 starts. The fastball pops despite middling velocity and his changeup is a proper putaway pitch. The Mets would need to worry about free agency in a year, but Steve Cohen ain't cheap and Peralta is the kind of player David Stearns can justify spending on. He is Milwaukee's former GM, after all. Stearns knows exactly what he's paying for.
1. Tarik Skubal
For the anxious Mets fans out there, hope remains. New York ranks among the most likely Tarik Skubal destinations if the Detroit Tigers opt to part ways. That remains a huge if, to be clear, but the Mets can compete on the open market next winter, giving them the freedom to offer a more competitive package to Detroit.
There's not much to say that hasn't already been said when it comes to Skubal. He's pound-for-pound the most reliable workhorse in MLB, coming off of back-to-back Cy Young wins for the Tigers. He posted a 2.21 ERA and 0.89 WHIP in 31 starts last season with a cool 241 K's. The southpaw is an absolute machine. His changeup is borderline unhittable; his fastball dances through the zone in the upper-90s. Every release is the same, from a deceptive arm slot, and mistake pitches are rare. If the Mets can pull this off, it just might salvage an otherwise middling offseason.