Once ideal NY Mets free agent target couldn't have been more perfect after all

Common thinking this past offseason, at least early on, connected the New York Mets to Corbin Burnes for the simple fact that David Stearns employed him in the past. Anytime an ex-Milwaukee Brewers player is available via free agent, we’re going to see this as the simple explanation as to why the athlete could be a match for the Mets.

Of course, the Mets never did sign Burnes. He went to the Arizona Diamondbacks on a mega-contract and is now sidelined as he recovers from Tommy John surgery.

Flashback one offseason prior and there’s another pitcher fans and pundits believed could end up in Queens. Brandon Woodruff, out for all of 2024 due to injury, was free to sign after the 2023 season. The Brewers ended up bringing him back. Conveniently, he is set to make his season debut on Sunday for Milwaukee just as the Mets could use some starting pitching depth.

Of course, Brandon Woodruff is coming off the IL as soon as the Mets could use a starter like him

The Mets injured list is jam-packed with starting pitchers. Stearns prepared well for this. However, as we’re witnessing, there never is such a thing as having too many arms.

Woodruff never quite reached the same level of popularity as Burnes during his 7 seasons with the Brewers and yet his numbers are as consistent as it gets. In 115 starts and 15 relief appearances (all coming in 2018), Woodruff was 46-26 with a 3.10 ERA. He was as good as ever in 2023 when he made 11 starts and went 5-1 with a 2.28 ERA.

The hemorrhaging Mets rotation recently lost Griffin Canning for the season and had a nose bleed absence with the Paul Blackburn injury. Sean Manaea and Kodai Senga are closing in on a return, powering the Mets where they have suddenly appeared weak. The team is potentially looking at a situation with those two plus Clay Holmes, David Peterson, and Frankie Montas to fill out the bulk of starts. As per usual, they’ll turn to a spot starter as needed.

Woodruff, considering his full year off from pitching in live games, might theoretically fit in perfectly with a six-man rotation. Alongside Senga who needs the extra rest and Holmes whose durability is in question, the team would have a rotation with some of the best upside one through six you could assemble.

The Mets haven’t been shy about paying players to rehab, but not to the extent Woodruff received from the Brewers. He was paid $2.5 million last year, will receive $5 million this season, and has a mutual option for next year at $20 million with a $10 million buyout. This was probably less about money and more about Woodruff's comfort with the Brewers organization or Milwaukee itself. With how well Woodruff has pitched in the past, $7.5 million spread out over two years for half a season at the tail end has potential to be a bargain. For the Mets, it would have been the ultimate payoff for patience.