Juan Soto and 3 other Mets free agent targets playing in the 2024 World Series

3) Jack Flaherty

The Mets were able to see the two cities of Jack Flaherty. The best and worst of times were displayed in the NLCS. He dominated them in Game 1. He struggled mightily in Game 2. It does little to take away from the impressive regular season he had. After settling on a one-year deal similar to Sean Manaea and Luis Severino, Flaherty proved he is worth much more.

Staying healthy hasn’t been the best attribute of Flaherty whose 162 innings this past year is the second most of his career. We have to go back to a simpler time, 2019, when he threw 196.1 for the St. Louis Cardinals to find the only season where he threw more. 

Flaherty comes with risks but with next year being only his age 29 campaign and a hugely successful 2023 season, he’s not the kind of pitcher who is going to hit a wall; unless of course the Dodgers overuse him in the playoffs.

Flaherty is a free agent match for the Mets, but something tells me they won’t go near him. Because the Mets balked at him in the offseason and again at the trade deadline, there probably isn’t a whole lot of interest. Flaherty will require a multi-year deal and there are questions. After all, the Yankees reportedly turned down a trade at the deadline to acquire him from the Detroit Tigers because of the medicals.

Despite being one of the better free agent pitchers, Flaherty shouldn’t come at too outrageous of a cost.