3 best starting pitcher free agents for the NY Mets who won’t cost them draft picks

Tatsuya Imai will pitch for the Houston Astros next year on a short-term, opt-out full contract. He would have been a superb match for the New York Mets if they saw value in him. Apparently not. Whether it was concern over how he’ll transition to MLB or simply the ceiling which has him profiling as another Kodai Senga at best, he won’t be wearing blue and orange next year outside of maybe some sort of specialty uniform the Astros might reveal.

Where do the Mets go next? They can certainly trade for a starting pitcher, if they’re willing to meet the asking price. They can also sign one of the several qualifying offer rejectors, a group now consisting of only Framber Valdez, Ranger Suarez, or Zac Gallen.

What about the pitchers who won’t come at the loss of two draft picks and $1 million in international bonus slot money? These are the three best choices for the Mets.

1) Chris Bassitt

This would probably be more viable if he hadn’t pitched for the Mets in the past. Something about him coming back to the Mets, even with a different front office regime in place, feels unlikely. Chris Bassitt is a proven innings eater who pitched to a 3.89 ERA in his three seasons with the Toronto Blue Jays. Coming off of a good but not great year with a 3.96 ERA, Bassitt feels like a secondary addition for the Mets that would match them best if they made an additional trade.

Surely not bound to return to the Blue Jays because of how many other starting pitchers they have added this winter, the soon-to-be 37-year-old righty is probably someone the Mets could nab for a two-year contract. The risk with players at his age is always when to know the right time to stay away. A season is fast approaching where Bassitt is going to be completely cooked and retirement will be his only option.

Working in Bassitt’s favor is a stronger second half than first in 2025. His 3.69 ERA in his final 12 starts showcased an ability many of the 2025 Mets pitchers didn’t have. While they faded down the stretch, Bassitt remained stable. September’s 2.66 ERA in 4 starts was only bested by the 2.62 ERA he posted in March/April.