Will the Mets stay under the luxury tax threshold with Steve Cohen?

The Mets are reportedly in the market for a ‘star outfielder’, which naturally points to George Springer

The options in free agency for filling the hole in centerfield for the Mets are slim. The two names the team have been connected to the most are George Springer and Jackie Bradley, Jr. While Bradley is still a very good defensive centerfielder, offensively, he’s been pretty below average for his career. Bradley also doesn’t classify as a star, which signifies that the Mets do have their sights set on Springer and rightfully so.

With an OPS of .900 and an almost 2.0 WAR, Springer was productive last year both in the regular season and in the playoffs. At 30, he still projects to be an above average defensive centerfielder for a few more years before he eventually slides to a corner outfield position.

According to predictions, Springer could sign a five year deal worth $125M, just like the one predicted to be signed by Realmuto. These two contracts alone would put the Mets over the luxury tax, which should be an indication that the Mets probably aren’t going to sign two major free agents.

With signs pointing to the Mets wanting a star outfielder, it seems most likely that Springer is a more reasonable option over Realmuto, which wouldn’t be feasible if the Mets wanted to fill other holes and stay under the luxury tax.

If the Mets didn’t land Springer, they could go for the cheaper option in Bradley. If signed for what has been projected, Bradley would cost $8M a year, leaving the Mets with much more wiggle room. Although, Bradley seems much more unlikely to man center next season.