New York Mets: Three predictions for the month of January

January signals a new year and three more predictions for the New York Mets to add to their roster.

New York Mets fans have made it through the anticipation in November, the thrill of December, and are now in the final “busy” month of the offseason with the arrival of January. It’s a brand new year and a chance for this front office to do some spectacular things.

Thus far, the Mets have jumped into the free agency water twice and made enough of a splash to soak the parents on the poolside chairs. Trevor May and James McCann, however, feel more like finishing touches. The club still needs more. A center fielder and at least one starting pitcher need to be on their radar.

This leaves them with a few more areas to address before Opening Day—whenever that may end up being. In January, as the club further bolsters its roster, this is what I’m predicting.

Mets sign George Springer

We didn’t get George Springer for Christmas, but we can enjoy him in January and beyond. This is the month it becomes official. Springer nods to the deal, turns his head and coughs to pass the physical, and finally puts pen to paper.

At one point during the offseason, it seemed that Springer became the biggest priority for the Mets. Despite having a capable body out there in Brandon Nimmo, the team seemed to make him their preference even over signing J.T. Realmuto or Trevor Bauer.

I think the reason for this is the number of options at the position. They already got the Realmuto backup plan with the addition of James McCann. They certainly have other directions they can go if Bauer signs elsewhere—more on him shortly.

While the Mets can certainly survive without Springer in the lineup, letting an available center fielder like him slip away to another squad might come back to haunt them pretty quickly.

Mark it down; the Mets are signing Springer this month. We can finally end the agony!

Trevor Bauer friend-zones the Mets

Sadly, for those hoping to see Trevor Bauer pitch for the Mets in 2021 and beyond, your heart will be broken a few weeks before Valentine’s Day. Bauer is not going to sign with the Mets. I curse this prediction, but it just feels like this is the way it goes.

The suitors for Bauer may not be plentiful this offseason because of the financial sufferings many teams have endured. However, there are still buyers out there and someone will pay Bauer some big bucks—even if it’s not the $200 million he wants. My prediction is he ends up with the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim.

Bauer is from Southern California and as long as the money is more than what the Mets offer, will likely take that deal. He doesn’t need the glitz and glamour of New York to make himself more popular/infamous than he already is. Bauer has somehow managed to make himself one of the most marketable players in the league by just being active on social media and with some, at times, brutal honesty.

The good news for the Mets is they have other directions to turn. They won’t leave this offseason empty-handed. Instead, they pick up a different veteran pitcher.

I honestly don’t feel confident enough to make any sort of prediction as to who the Mets do end up with. I believe it will be someone with good metrics and some “upside” left in him. Masahiro Tanaka feels like a strong possibility, even though he doesn’t quite fit this description. From a pure business standpoint, Tomoyuki Sugano could give the Mets a boost on the international market especially if he is a star.