2) DH the Mets could sign: Anthony Santander
Statistically, Anthony Santander had a better defensive season than all of the guys on this list. He had a -2 Outs Above Average. Nevertheless, he deserves a mention on this list. Would he actually be the DH instead of someone like Marte? Eh, maybe not. He is still someone for the Mets to look into as some sort of lineup upgrade.
A power explosion at the plate by Santander is difficult to ignore. He had been a quality power hitter for several seasons now. However, in 2024, he decided to hit 44 home runs. Mostly a right fielder with some experience in left field and first base, he’d add some versatility to the Mets roster they didn’t have with Martinez even if a large number of his plate appearances comes as a DH.
One quality to appreciate about Santander are the splits versus lefties and righties. Santander swings from both sides and has very similar numbers. A .243/.302/.470 slash line against righties and .253/.320/.467 trio against lefties clearly states how playable he is against pitchers throwing with either arm.
Santander would be a good pivot for the Mets if they lost Alonso in free agency regardless of where he ends up spending the majority of his time. An average of 34 doubles and 34 home runs per 162 games in his career, this is a guy who has somewhat quietly been at the center of the Baltimore Orioles’ success for several years. The big downside is he did receive a qualifying offer which means the Mets will be penalized if they were to add him. This probably eliminates him from coming to Queens despite being such a nice match.