3 remaining free agents the Mets should sign, 2 to avoid

1. Mets should stay away from Cody Bellinger

Cody Bellinger is coming off a great season with the Chicago Cubs, where he hit .307 and knocked 27 home runs out of the park. The former MVP is a highly regarded free agent this offseason now. Jon Heyman of the New York Post suggested the 28-year-old could pull in a deal worth $240 million. 

It wouldn’t make sense for Stearns and Cohen to offer Bellinger that type of contract to come to play for them. They’ve yet to pay their star first basemen, on top of already having money tied into outfielders, such as Nimmo and Starling Marte. 

Drew Gilbert and Jett Williams are two intriguing prospects in the Mets farm system right now. The organization is hoping they can eventually take over in the outfield. Signing Bellinger could prevent them from getting an opportunity sooner rather than later. 

A lot of teams should be careful in the Bellinger sweepstakes. The free agency market is very slim this offseason, which is helping Bellinger’s cause. Outside of Ohtani, he was the best offensive player to hit the open market. 

In 2021, Bellinger finished his season with a .165 BA and just 10 HRs. His 2022 season wasn’t anything special either, as he hit .210 across 144 games.

There’s no denying that Bellinger could be one of the most dangerous hitters in the game when’s he at his best, but his best days might be behind him.