Surprising NY Mets rumors say they’re not finished in the free agent outfield market

After the signing of free agent starting pitcher Sean Manaea, New York Mets rumors about potential starting pitcher additions are likely going to be limited to depth pieces. It would be a surprise to learn they’re in strong pursuit of anyone else, although, the possibility of trading one of the starters they already have shouldn’t have us completely writing off this scenario.

That’s more speculative. What isn’t, according to ESPN’s Jeff Passan, are the Mets rumors of the team continuing to look at the free agent outfield market.

Along with trades, David Stearns is looking to upgrade a spot on the depth chart we could have assumed was complete. Nope. Not if the right situation arises.

How these Mets rumors can come true of a pursuit of outfield upgrades via free agency

Right now, the projected outfield would be Brandon Nimmo, some combination of Tyrone Taylor and Jose Siri, an occasional appearance by Starling Marte, and this guy called Juan Soto. Most believe Marte is trending toward being a DH quickly which isn’t a satisfying plan for a team with championship aspirations. His last home run happened on the same day Grimace threw out a first pitch. It’s been a while since he trotted around the bases.

A Marte trade would have to happen in order for the Mets to actually have a legitimate spot on the roster for any free agent outfielder. There’s no real use in having more than five outfielders on the roster. Plus, with Jeff McNeil around if he isn’t traded, you have a built in sixth choice.

The level of free agent outfielders we would expect to appear in any future Mets rumors probably tops out at a player like Jesse Winker. Perhaps a candidate to be a regular DH when the team faces a righty but with the ability to play the outfield unlike J.D. Martinez last year, it doesn’t quite match up well enough for New York at the moment with how clogged the roster has with outfielders.

The vagueness of Passan’s report should curb our enthusiasm for something major. Teoscar Hernandez or Anthony Santander never seemed like anything more than a pivot if the team missed on Soto. A minor league deal may even be the market they’ve searched in.

The Mets have shown a preference for high-caliber defenders. They have it with Taylor and Siri. What’s missing at the moment is an outfield thumper off the bench. This way of thinking would eliminate a reunion with someone such as Mark Canha who failed to hit a home run in any of his 85 plate appearances after getting traded to the San Francisco Giants. He had just 7 in all of 2024 in 462 trips to the plate.

As he always seems to do, David Stearns sounds hard at work considering all possibilities.