MLB Rumors: Mets are ‘fallback option’ for coveted free agent

The New York Mets were big buyers last offseason to make a push for their third World Series title. Instead, they missed the postseason altogether with a 75-87 record after trading some top players, including Justin Verlander, Max Scherzer, and David Robertson. This offseason, the Mets may not go on a similar $500 million spending spree like last year, but they are linked to Japanese starting pitcher Yoshinobu Yamamoto. But they are now linked to another starting pitcher.

New York Post columnist and MLB Network insider Jon Heyman did a live stream on Bleacher Report to discuss some Hot Stove topics. When discussing San Diego Padres starter and 2023 NL Cy Young Award winner Blake Snell, Heyman mentioned the Mets could be a "potential fallback" for him.

Mets viewed as 'potential fallback' for Blake Snell

As mentioned by Heyman, Snell is coming off a tremendous season in which he recorded a 2.25 ERA through 22 starts. Additionally, Snell recorded a 1.189 WHIP and 234 strikeouts in 180.0 innings. That helped him win the Cy Young for the second time of his career, with his first being in 2018 when he was part of the Tampa Bay Rays.

Heyman mentions at the end of the above clip that Snell could command a contract over $200 million.

The Mets have a need for starting pitching, considering they traded away Verlander and Scherzer to the Houston Astros and Texas Rangers, respectively, at the trade deadline. They did address it thus far, signing former Yankees starter Luis Severino on a one-year, $13 million contract. But they still need more help behind Kodai Senga in the rotation.

Mets president of baseball operations David Stearns told reporters at the Winter Meetings on Monday that he would like to add at least one more starting pitcher.

While the NL East team is heavily linked to Yamamoto, so are the New York Yankees and San Francisco Giants. So that could be a real bidding war. But, Yamamoto won't be signing at the Winter Meetings this week. But, Yamamoto will be meeting with teams within the next week.

Snell is going to command a lot of money, understandably so. Could he end up in Queens to play for the Mets for the foreseeable future?