Mets Free Agents: Predicting who goes and who comes back for 2021

Marcus Stroman

Maybe the free agent fans want to return most, Marcus Stroman is a different kind of starting pitcher than we’re used to seeing on this club acquired via trade. Many of the recent stars in the rotation have been homegrown. Not Stroman.

After the loss of Zack Wheeler in free agency and uncertainty with Noah Syndergaard’s future, it makes a lot more sense for the Mets to extend or re-sign Stroman. He’s about as ideal of a number two starter as the club could use.

In his best seasons, Stroman may even look more like a number one.

Unfortunately, all of these good things I have to say about Stroman will lead him out of town. Well, maybe not out of town. Just away from Flushing.

As one of the best free agent pitchers available next winter, there will be plenty of phone calls his agents’ way. Bidding for Stroman will go high. Unless the Mets are willing to go to a level they rarely do, he’ll play baseball in 2021 wearing another team’s uniform.

Sadly, I don’t see him wearing orange and blue beyond 2020.

Justin Wilson

Older than Betances by a year, Justin Wilson would have to settle on a team-friendly deal for any shot at staying with the Mets in 2021. I really appreciated what he did for the club in 2019. The southpaw gave them a 2.54 ERA across 45 games and plenty of promise for a successful year two.

Despite age not being on his side, I have a hard time believing Wilson can parlay any performance in 2020 into more than the $5 million per year he signed up for when he first joined the Mets. In fact, because of his age, we could see him on a bigger discount.

Every team needs a lefty reliever. The Mets don’t have any answers in that spot of the bullpen once Wilson is removed.

An important consideration I take with any prediction involving the future of the Mets is how Van Wagenen behaves. He likes “his guys” to do well. Wilson, while not a former client of BVW’s, is someone the general manager signed.

A longer relationship between Wilson and the blue and orange squad feels like a real possibility even if it lasts just another year with the option for 2022. I do expect Wilson to test free agency. It’s up to the Mets to make him the highest offer they can.