NY Mets: Top 12 free agents the team should look to sign this winter
By Tim Boyle
![Sep 29, 2021; New York City, New York, USA; New York Mets right fielder Michael Conforto (30) and starting pitcher Noah Syndergaard (34) walk to the dugout before a game against the Miami Marlins at Citi Field. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports Sep 29, 2021; New York City, New York, USA; New York Mets right fielder Michael Conforto (30) and starting pitcher Noah Syndergaard (34) walk to the dugout before a game against the Miami Marlins at Citi Field. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports](https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/upload/c_fill,w_720,ar_16:9,f_auto,q_auto,g_auto/shape/cover/sport/https-3A-2F-2Frisingapple-com-2Fwp-content-2Fuploads-2Fimagn-images-2F2017-2F07-2F16853232-850x560-ac90e2b074eecafd399871a4a6d8e031.jpg)
10) NY Mets free agent target Carlos Rodon
Most assuredly about to get a qualifying offer from the Chicago White Sox, the chances of the Mets sacrificing their second-round draft pick in order to make Carlos Rodon a member of their 2022 roster is slim. I can’t blame them. He hasn’t exactly put together the greatest of resumes.
Rodon is a player you sign with the expectation that he gets even better. In 2021, he was 13-5 with a 2.37 ERA. He would have been a far more serious contender for some league-leading statistics if he was able to make more than 24 starts.
With a strikeout rate of 12.6 per nine innings, Rodon showed he can probably succeed in just about any environment. The 28-year-old lefty excelled well above anyone’s expectations. If the market passes him by, he’s a guy the Mets should definitely consider looking at.
Rodon’s biggest issue might be how limited he has been since his MLB debut in 2015. His season-high for innings pitched is only 165. The trouble with signing him might be how quickly he could run out of gas. We might see a repeat of what happened to Taijuan Walker in 2021.
I’ll remain optimistic about Rodon’s future. If the Mets sign him, I won’t complain.