The New York Mets have a new owner who wants to build a winner fast. That could happen with an active offseason.
This season has been more of the same for the New York Mets — filled with hope and ends in utter disappointment. However, things got better in the winter months for the snake-bitten franchise, as the Mets have a new owner in billionaire Steve Cohen, with the Wilpon family leaving and general manager Brodie Van Wagenen being shown the door.
Considering the Mets now have the richest owner in all of MLB, the expectation is that the team will spend tons of money this Hot Stove season to help build a World Series contender within a three-to-five-year timeframe. Luckily for them, there are tons of top-tier players on the open market that the Mets can easily sign. Here are three that the Mets should definitely consider handing a blank check to, but also one player yhat they should avoid altogether.
Which MLB free agents should be at the top of the Mets’ wishlist?
3
J.T. Realmuto
C Philadelphia Phillies
The Mets needing a starting catcher is probably the worst kept secret in the entire league, as they continue to find their next Mike Piazza. Signings like Wilson Ramos have blown up in their faces and they watched Travis d’Arnaud turn into a star immediately after leaving the Mets. Now, they have the opportunity to get arguably the best catcher in MLB in J.T. Realmuto.
The veteran catcher has spent his entire career in the NL East, as he was drafted by the Miami Marlins and traded to the Philadelphia Phillies in 2019. This past season with the Phillies, Realmuto slashed .266/.349/.491 with 11 home runs, 46 hits, 33 runs scored and 32 RBI. As good as Realmuto is in the batter’s box, he was just as good behind the plate. In 36 games, Realmuto accumulated a fielding percentage of .993 and committed a grand total of two errors in 36 games.
It’s known that the Phillies would like to keep Realmuto, specifically star outfielder Bryce Harper, but the Mets can convince him to move to Queens in the form of a Brinks truck backing up his driveway. There’s your catcher, Mets, now sign him while you have the chance!