Mets: Five big free agents Steve Cohen should consider buying next winter

George Springer

After Betts, the next best option for the Mets in center field for a major upgrade via free agency would come in the form of George Springer. The Houston Astros outfielder has had some amazing seasons and it’s not all accredited to the trash cans.

At times lost in the shuffle of an amazing offense, Springer has become a superior power hitter. He smashed 39 home runs in 556 plate appearances in 2019. Springer accomplished this despite missing 40 games!

As far as defense goes, Springer is average for his career. However, his 2019 metrics rate him above average. Whichever version the Mets could get, it’s a win with the way he can handle a bat.

It’s reasonable to believe Springer is headed out of Houston once his contract expires after 2020. He’s going to arbitration this winter and not over small coins. Springer and the Astros were several million dollars off from what they believed a fair deal would look like.

The potential for a fractured relationship could open up more possibilities for Springer to become Cohen’s first big splash.

Springer’s connection to the Mets doesn’t go much further than the previous speculation about how he could get swapped for Noah Syndergaard. Back when it looked like Syndergaard was on his way out via trade, it always seemed like a one-for-one trade involving Springer was mentioned.

Well, perhaps these two could become teammates instead.

Other than money, Springer’s native Connecticut could always lure him closer to home. It’s a long shot, but we’ll have to hope a homecoming could at least become a tie-breaker.

J.T. Realmuto

The most likely player who will sign an extension with his current team on this list is catcher J.T. Realmuto. Mets fans know him well for his work with the Miami Marlins and most recently, the Philadelphia Phillies. He’s in a similar arbitration situation as Springer. The major difference is there has been plenty of talk about him signing long term with Philadelphia.

Let’s say Realmuto does slip through. The ex-client of Brodie Van Wagenen could get swooned enough to take a trip up I-95 to Citi Field where he’ll sign as a free agent for the first time in his career.

Realmuto isn’t a phenomenal fit for the Mets for a few reasons. The team could go a cheaper route and hold onto Wilson Ramos for another year. An option for 2021 could keep him in town an extra year.

If Ramos does leave Flushing, Realmuto could become the apple of BVW’s eye. You may remember there were plenty of trade rumors about the Mets and Marlins discussing a deal last winter before he went from Miami to Philadelphia. Because any deal for Realmuto allegedly required the Mets to give up two of the following—Michael Conforto, Brandon Nimmo, and Amed Rosario—the Marlins decided to trade him elsewhere.

As with any veteran catcher, there’s always a worry you’re getting his decline. Realmuto would play 2021 as a 30-year-old, making any deal beyond three years much riskier. It would make more sense for the Phillies to overpay for him now as they already got a productive season in 2019 and will most likely get another in 2020.

The Mets also have a few minor league options they could go with behind the plate. Depending on how guys like Ali Sanchez and Francisco Alvarez develop, Realmuto may or may not become a big target in year one of Cohen’s reign of terror.

Robbie Ray

Maybe the least attractive name on this list, Robbie Ray is still an attractive pitcher we could see the Mets look to add into their rotation for the 2020 season. I debated replacing him on this list with Marcus Stroman because a big year out of the Stro Show would definitely make him a top free agent we’d like to see Cohen re-add to the future plans.

Let’s examine Ray instead and see why he’d fit in with the rest of the boys in Queens.

After 2020, the Mets will potentially lose Stroman to free agency which then opens up one spot. Rick Porcello is also signed to only a one year deal as is swingman Michael Wacha. This gives New York two rotation needs to fill. With one possibly going to prospect David Peterson, the other needs to belong to a veteran with upside.

Ray has had some ups and downs in his short career. He reached his peak in 2017 when he was a 15-game winner and All-Star for the Arizona Diamondbacks. That year, Ray had a 2.89 ERA while leading the league with 12.1 strikeouts per nine.

Injuries have been a problem for Ray at times in his career. He made only 28 starts in his All-Star 2017 season and 24 in 2018. He did manage to make 33 in 2019, but it also came with a 4.34 ERA.

The sweetest thing about Ray is he can strike out a ton of batters. As someone who will reach free agency ahead of his age 29 season, we can expect someone to pay a high sum for his services going forward. A lot of this is predicated on how well he does in 2020. If all goes well, the Mets may need to give him a contract similar to what his former Diamondbacks teammate Patrick Corbin got from the Washington Nationals.

Preferably, I would like to see the Mets pay any big dollars they are willing to spend on a major bat.

Trevor Bauer

I would personally prefer the Mets don’t go after Trevor Bauer. His track record includes some risky numbers including just one year with an ERA below 4.18. Undeniably talented, it’s his often outspoken personality that I feel could lead the franchise in the wrong direction.

Something everyone should realize about the Mets is how well they perform when the culture is right. That’s not to say everyone in the locker room is a choir boy. They’ve had and still do have their share of controversial figures.

Ignoring his off-field reputation, Bauer doesn’t quite do it for me with how he pitches. Still, he’s cracking this list because of the magnitude he could have on this franchise regardless of the outcome.

I expect when Cohen does take majority ownership we’ll see him show little regard to the personalities of his players. I mean, this is at least the assumption a lot of us have, right?

Cohen is an eccentric guy. Unless Bauer offends him personally, I can’t see him becoming disinterested. In fact, Bauer’s big words may even make Cohen more interested. It’s all speculation at this point. Cohen sometimes feels more folklore than real.

As previously stated in regards to Robbie Ray, the Mets are going to have spots available for the 2021 rotation. I could even see them trading Steven Matz to shake things up further.

In the past, Bauer has previously said he plans to sign only one-year deals moving forward. He’s going to bet on himself. And if this is the case, I might be more inclined to accept one year of madness just to see how things turn out.

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Which big free agent would you like to see become Cohen’s first big move? If it’s someone who isn’t available until 2025, get the heck out of here with your realistic pessimism.