1 NY Mets free agent “fit” we’re sick of seeing on everyone’s list

It's World Series week, and despite missing the playoffs entirely, the New York Mets have been making headlines as of late, appearing on many lists as a potential destination for free agents and trade candidates. This is something Mets fans are beginning to grow accustomed to in the Cohen/Stearns era, as the franchise is being transformed into one always in play to acquire big names and stay competitive.

As exhilarating as it is for Mets fans to go from supporting a mediocre team with cheap ownership to a multi-billionaire lifelong fan willing to spend what's necessary to make the team better, it's hard not to feel a bit frustrated with some of the shortcomings early in this era of the front office, and some of the names that have been linked to the team heading into the offseason would further the mistakes they've already made.

The Mets would show they haven't learned any lessons by signing Trent Grisham this offseason, no matter how many lists see him as a "fit."

If there's anything the New York Mets learned from the 2025 season, it's that they can't rely on players who have been inconsistent their entire career to be at their best. They saw it work in 2024 with an overperforming rotation and several unlikely heroes who came together to make an impact, but that form of success did not carry over into this season.

With that in mind, Grisham is the perfect example of a player to avoid. 2025 was the only season in which he experienced sustained offensive success. Other than a 60-game 2020 season, Grisham has rarely had an OPS over .700 in a full season until this year, in which he had an .811 OPS in 143 games. Call it a breakout if you want, but nobody should be willing to take a multi-million dollar risk on him keeping that up, especially with a strikeout rate of 23.6% and his glove not being what it used to be.

That's another issue with Grisham -- his glove. One thing the Mets have made clear about the centerfield position is that defense is their priority. We saw that with Harrison Bader in 2024, and Tyrone Taylor and Jose Siri this past season. Grisham was one of MLB's better defenders early in his career, but over the past two years, it's taken a toll for the worse. His fielding run value sat at -3 this season, a full 10 measures down from his last full season in 2023.

At this point, he'd be a downgrade in the outfield. The only benefit he'd bring to the Mets is the potential to have another strong season at the plate, but again, it shouldn't be worth the risk for what he's going to want. One of the past mistakes the Mets absolutely cannot repeat is paying inconsistent players more than their worth, and being linked to Grisham has that written all over it.