Fans should embrace the latest NY Mets rumors for the mistake they’d be avoiding

The Athletic’s Will Sammon released the newest New York Mets rumors which failed to surprise anyone. As most fans could’ve expected, the team isn’t all that eager to meet the contract demands of the top free agent starters this offseason. The length of contracts is a “sticking point.” In the two offseasons with David Stearns taking the lead, the Mets have been incredibly conscious about long-term commitments to everyone not named Juan Soto.

Taking themselves out of the market for Framber Valdez and Ranger Suarez isn’t the worst thing. Each has some red flags and projected contracts that’ll exceed what the Mets have done in recent seasons, even dating back to before Stearns got here. Short, sweet, and sometimes high paying, the Mets don’t sound ready to plan out their rotation for the 2029 season with a $25+ million pitcher on the roster.

Where does this leave them? If we’re not getting a quick trade, the Mets’ plans of fulfilling the desire to improve the starting rotation with a frontline starter may need to wait.

The Mets sound ready to wait for contract demands to drop, more trade possibilities to open up, and agents to view them as a good spot to rebuild stock

Far too many of this offseason’s top starting pitchers have a qualifying offer penalty attached to them. Beyond Valdez and Suarez, we have Zac Gallen and Michael King, too. Dylan Cease is someone who already rejected his and signed, but he would have fit into the same category as Valdez and Suarez; too expensive for too long.

Teams may have reportedly taken their top starters off the trade block, but that doesn’t mean they won’t reconsider. Things can change abruptly. A different sort of trade offer, either out of desperation or as a way to continue to help them compete, could be the difference between saying “yes” to the notion of subtracting a starter.

Free agency offers the Mets some mid-tier arms with upside. Lucas Giolito, Chris Bassitt, and Zack Littell are three fine starters coming off of good years. They just don’t pack the kind of punch the Mets were missing last season. They don’t necessarily make the Mets starting staff all that better when replacing one of the current projected five.

The Mets aren’t in the same position they were in the last two years. Calculated risks like Luis Severino, Sean Manaea, Griffin Canning, etc. fit the team’s plans. They have those players already. It’s that surer thing they’re missing.

The Mets aren’t being cheap here. Instead, it’s calculation. Someone like Gallen could be a candidate to sign for a shorter deal to rebuild his value. Zach Eflin is another although he’d fall more into the category of being a risk. He’d only be a match in addition to a trade, not an alternative.

It’s still the trade market the Mets should focus on more than anything else. Their deep farm system gives them more of a reason to strike a deal. The trouble is it will require Stearns to get uncomfortable. So far, he has done very few things out of his comfort zone.