NY Mets refreshingly pass on two free agent risks who would’ve made sense in the past

It’s going to be a different kind of offseason for the New York Mets. Year one under David Stearns was all about taking some low risk chances. Year two was about reeling in Juan Soto while building around him. This offseason is a full makeover. The Ricki Lake audience would be hooting and hollering at what the Mets look like by the time we get to Opening Day based on how they finished the year.

We’ve already seen the Mets trade away Brandon Nimmo. They may have also let Edwin Diaz walk away. Pete Alonso remains TBD with Jeff McNeil probably out the door, too.

The most complicated situation is with the starting rotation. In the previous two years, Stearns was willing to take chances. Refreshingly, they weren’t in the mix for two players who signed earlier today.

No doubt, Alek Manoah and Cody Ponce would’ve been desirable targets for the Mets in past years

Alek Manoah’s fall from Cy Young contender to whatever it is he has become would’ve been the exact kind of signing Stearns made in previous years. For just under $2 million, he’s going to the Los Angeles Angels.

Manoah hasn’t been sharp for a few seasons. He didn’t log a single inning in the majors last year, appearing in just 10 minor league games for the Toronto Blue Jays. He finished with the Atlanta Braves without appearing in a game.

Bigger but trending in the opposite direction, we find Cody Ponce. Coming over from Korea where he was 17-1 with a 1.89 ERA and 12.6 K/9, the same Blue Jays who eliminated Manoah from their ball club this past season are the ones who’ll pay him $30 million over the next three years.

Manoah, as a flier, would’ve fit right in as rotation depth/long man option in each of the last two seasons. Ponce, meanwhile, would’ve been the kind of guy to buy into for his success overseas. Traded by Stearns back when he was a Milwaukee Brewers minor leaguer several years ago, it would have been one of the more unique reunions he could have possibly made as a follow-up to Devin Williams.

The Mets have more than enough MLB starting pitching depth to negate any use for Manoah. Ponce, while coming off of an excellent year, wouldn’t improve the Mets rotation enough. They already took a chance on Clay Holmes last year. There comes a point where you have to do surer things and as delightful as the numbers were for Ponce, he’s not a Mets match. The Blue Jays, to tack onto an already strong rotation, make far more sense.