New York Mets: Ranking the top four extension candidates

The New York Mets have shown baseball that they’re serious about contending and contending for a long time, which is why they should prioritize extending these players very soon

The New York Mets have certainly made their intentions about winning a World Series known this offseason. It’s often been said that winning championships is better than winning the back pages of the local papers, but based on how this winter has gone so far, it looks as though Steve Cohen and company are looking to do both. The Mets broke the internet when they made the biggest blockbuster of the offseason and traded for superstar Francisco Lindor. It satisfied both the fanbase’s itch and the team’s pressing needs since all-star Carlos “Cookie” Carrasco was also included in the deal.

The Mets are now set up to be serious World Series contenders and they’re still not finished. New general manager Jared Porter made it clear the front office is “always hungry” to improve the roster and while Mets fans are salivating at the prospect of even further improving the team by adding more talent, it would behoove the Mets to make haste in retaining the talent they already possess.

When the hedge fund billionaire, who is also a lifelong fan, bought the team back in October, the possibilities of talent that could be brought to Queens was limitless in the minds of fans. However, something that can’t be overstated is the importance of Cohen’s big pockets in ensuring the Mets have a talented roster for a long, long time.

While speculation remains on whether or not the Mets will go past the Competitive Balance Tax (CBT), the reality is that they should be doing everything in their power to secure the talent that is on the cusp of free agency. As it stands right now, the Mets will have about $68M committed in payroll in 2022. This doesn’t take into account arbitration, which will certainly raise that number, but it is an incredibly flexible payroll that should allow the team to lock up some of their premier talent and keep them in the running for bringing a World Series title to Flushing.

Given next year’s financial flexibility and the team’s current roster, here are the players the Mets should extend in order of top priority to least.