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The Mets need to sign the best starting pitcher they can get their hands on
The starting pitcher market is a little lighter than what’s available among the position players. After Marcus Stroman, I’m not so sure there is anyone enticing enough to warrant a lengthy deal exceeding $20 million.
Asking the Mets to sign a star starting pitcher isn’t reasonable. However, demanding they get the best is more in the wheelhouse of realism and pushy—my aim with finding a maximum capacity blockbuster winter.
The team’s starting pitching situation scares me. Despite having some guys with good track records returning, we saw too many problems erupt with each of them this past year. Jacob deGrom and Noah Syndergaard (if he remains with the Mets) are coming off of injuries and uncertain to perform at their best. Carlos Carrasco and Taijuan Walker finished poorly with the former never finding his groove.
As for the rest of the bunch, we have a potpourri of young arms. You never can tell with some of those guys. They can fall off a cliff suddenly.
One reliable starting pitching addition from free agency is all I’m asking for from this club. Pitching is such a premium. You can’t ignore the need for it and hope your team can outhit your problems. It didn’t work in 2021. It won’t work in 2022.