Mets: Three one-year contracts the Mets should explore this offseason

Charlie Morton

Considering he will be 37 on Opening Day next year, a multi-year deal wouldn’t be advised for Charlie Morton to begin with, but considering that there were grumblings that he wasn’t going to play beyond this season, the Mets would be smart to offer him a contract this winter. While in the industry have suggested that a team may be willing to go two years to sign him, if the Mets presented more money, it might entice Morton to come to Queens.

During the regular season, Morton’s 2020 numbers regressed, but his playoff performance suggests that he’s still effective enough to be productive. In 20 playoff innings, Morton only allowed six earned runs and his peripherals which were much closer to his numbers in 2018 and 2019. If you combined the 2020 regular and postseason numbers, Morton struck out just above 10 batters per nine innings and had a walk rate that was lower than his 2019 season.

Additionally, Morton’s BABIP suggests 2020 was an unluckier year than previous years. From 2017-2019, he didn’t produce a BABIP over .300, but in 2020 it jumped to .355, which suggests he could be poised to have a better 2021 season.

The Mets, looking to repair their rotation, could use the swing and miss stuff that Morton still possesses, even in his late 30s. Given that the Rays didn’t extend him, Morton will be a hot commodity on the market. Many teams looking for a low-risk deal will take a shot at signing him, but with Cohen expected to be aggressive in his spending, the Mets may be in a prime position to offer him the most money for a one year contract.