Mets Million-Dollar Question: Is Trevor Bauer or J.T. Realmuto the bigger priority?

The New York Mets may have a decision to make this winter when it comes down to prioritizing which top free agent between J.T. Realmuto or Trevor Bauer makes more financial sense.

With new owner Steve Cohen waiting in the wings, the New York Mets have the cash to spend this offseason to upgrade the ballclub at multiple positions. Two of the glaring holes for the Mets this winter are at the catching position and in the starting rotation. Fortunately for the Mets the top two most coveted free agents hitting the market are catcher J.T. Realmuto and starting pitcher Trevor Bauer.

Each player provides a significant upgrade for the Mets at their respective position but each player is not going to come cheap. Ultimately it may come down to the Mets prioritizing which player better fits the mold of the team for 2021 as well as the future to allow the front office to spend their new influx of money on other blemishes that need attention on the current roster.

We also must not forget that next winter has the potential to be one of the most significant free-agent signing periods in baseball history with the amount of star power that may be reaching the open market. It would be a smart play for the Mets to not put all of their eggs in one basket this offseason, as next offseason will require some serious cash if the Mets are going to enter the bidding for one of the many star players that will potentially be hitting the market.

Now with that out of the way, let’s get into the discussion of which of the two players between J.T. Realmuto and Trevor Bauer should be the top priority for the Mets this offseason if it comes down to the team only signing one of the two.

2) The case for Trevor Bauer

The biggest weakness that plagued the Mets during the abbreviated 2020 season was their starting pitching. Between losing Noah Syndergaard and Marcus Stroman for the season, and the ineffectiveness of Michael Wacha as well as Rick Porcello the starting rotation was for the most part in shambles. Luckily the Mets still have the best pitcher in baseball in Jacob deGrom as well as promising rookie David Peterson to build from this offseason.

With three potential open rotation spots available, considering there is no firm timeline when Noah Syndergaard may be ready to pitch in games again, the Mets are going to need a solid number, two starting pitcher, to follow deGrom next season. Insert Trevor Bauer.

The right-handed pitcher had a Cy Young caliber season in 2020 and is going to be looking for a contract that most likely makes him the highest-paid pitcher in baseball in annual average value. The Mets will have the money to make that possibility a reality and it would instantly give the Mets the best one-two punch in baseball with the acquisition of Bauer.

Bauer seems to be entering his prime after finding his niche in 2020 with the Cinncinatti Reds and pitching to a 1.73 ERA in 11 starts, as well as whiffing 100 batters in 73 innings pitched. The Mets former General Manager and new president, Sandy Alderson, loved building his previous Mets teams on dominant starting pitching which makes this move make more logistical sense this offseason than signing Realmuto.

The Mets already possess a high octane offense as they were at the top of the league’s leaderboards in offensive statistics in 2020, and by adding the 29-year old Bauer to the rotation in 2021 it would give the Mets two aces at the top of their starting rotation to complement their league-leading offense which was something they sorely missed having this past season.

3) The Verdict: The Mets should prioritize signing Trevor Bauer over J.T. Realmuto

You can never have too much starting pitching in baseball and that is a lesson the Mets learned the hard way this season. Signing Trevor Bauer would give the Mets a legitimate ace to pair with Jacob deGrom next season and with Bauer reportedly not looking for longer-term commitments this could be the best move for the Mets to make in the short term.

We have all seen longer-term contracts not pan out the way teams have thought they would in the past. With J.T. Realmuto reportedly wanting a six or seven-year contract close to $200 million this offseason, it wouldn’t make sense for the Mets to make a move that sizeable with other potential options on the free-agent market such as James McCann or trading for a starting catcher this offseason.

With as physically demanding as the catcher position is, New York might find value for the first half of the contract, but normally catchers do not age well behind the plate and sometimes will require a position change. It also doesn’t go without saying the Mets have a top catching prospect that many in the organization are very high on in 18-year old Francisco Alvarez who could be ready for the Majors in three seasons or so.

Bauer fills a much bigger hole for the team currently and with his addition, it would easily make the organization a legitimate playoff contender next season. Spending substantial money on one of the best pitchers in baseball to add to the bare starting rotation seems to make more sense, rather than adding an offensive driven catcher to the Mets already potent lineup which would seem to be more of a luxury move.

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I’ve always lived by the old adage that pitching wins championships. If the Mets are going to make a deep run next October, the entire front office would be smart to prioritize Trevor Bauer over J.T. Realmuto this winter.