2 Tarik Skubal teammates in 2026 the NY Mets should target, 2 they should stay away from

There’s no debate who the prize of the offseason is for the New York Mets. Tarik Skubal is the top target for a team in need of an ace with an owner whose wallet is wide open. If the Mets do nothing but sign Skubal and fill in gaps with some minor caulking, you’ll see their projected win total go up.

The Mets do need to plan for life without Skubal like they did last offseason when Edwin Diaz fled to the Los Angeles Dodgers and Kyle Tucker ended up signing with them, too. Their pivots, Luke Weaver and Bo Bichette, ended up having more productive years.

Pivots for the Mets won’t just include other starting pitchers. Stacking the bullpen, finding a bat, etc. are other ways to fix any Skubal diss. As a representative of two ball clubs in 2026, Skubal got to call himself teammates with a bunch of different dudes. There are two players he teamed up with for the Mets to prioritize this offseason and another pair to stay far away from.

A pair of Tarik Skubal teammates in 2026 the Mets should go after and another duo to avoid entirely

The Mets should target Evan Phillips

Evan Phillips might quietly be one of the best matches for the Mets in free agency. The 32-year-old righty has already excelled in the big Los Angeles market. Experienced as a closer and setup man, his 10.3 K/9 rate along with 2.4 BB/9 as a member of the Dodgers makes him an appealing option to take on the role vacated when the Mets traded Luke Weaver. Some additional Devin Williams insurance is a must. Phillips, as a right-handed line of defense, feels worth a heavy pursuit. What’s more, he has tossed 18.1 scoreless postseason innings. The Mets have to get there first for that to matter. Phillips can certainly help.

The Mets should stay away from Kris Bubic

Kris Bubic might be one of those pitchers about to blossom in his late 20s. Let him do it somewhere else. Health has been a major issue for him. He combined to pitch 55 innings for the Kansas City Royals and Dodgers this past year. Bubic was a rumored trade target for the Mets last offseason prior to landing Freddy Peralta. As skilled as he is, the ability to have availability should have the Mets refusing to even consider him.

The Mets should target Alex Vesia

If the Mets feel they need to spend on a lefty reliever, they could do far worse than Alex Vesia. In fact, they might not be able to do much better. A lot of those same pros mentioned for Phillips apply here. As laid back as California is, you don’t get a free pass playing sports in Hollywood. Vesia has pitched 50 or more games every year since 2022 and in his career owns a 12 K/9 rate. He owns a 1.59 ERA in the playoffs. He’d be a perfect alternative to Adrian Morejon who could be getting a qualifying offer.

The Mets should stay away from Casey Mize

Sorry, but not. Don’t even think about Casey Mize. A lifetime 4.22 ERA and a disappointing finish with the San Diego Padres after a career-year started off with the Tigers erases any thought of making Mize one of two starters the Mets could target. He definitely wouldn’t be the singular addition. Mize doesn’t strike out enough batters nor is he a heavy ground ball pitcher. This offseason isn’t the time to add guys who might need adjustments. The Mets need a surer thing and Mize ain’t it.

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