3 upcoming free agents in the MLB playoffs the NY Mets should be scouting

3. Michael King

King was injured throughout most of the season and had some struggles upon his return in September (most notably against the Mets), but still held his own, going 5-3 with a 3.44 ERA and a 1.20 WHIP in 15 starts. In true Mets fashion, the Padres acquired King from the Yankees, who had primarily used him as a reliever, with plans to convert him into a starter.

It was a successful first full season as a starter for King, as he finished 13-9 with a 2.95 ERA and a 1.19 WHIP in 30 starts, landing seventh place in the NL Cy Young voting race. Although he endured a difficult 2025, battling injury and struggles on the mound, he remained at the top of his game with his elite offspeed pitches; his offspeed run value was six (91st percentile) despite his struggles otherwise. If he can stay fully healthy for 2026, King may bode well in the middle of a Mets rotation among fellow former Yankees reliever Clay Holmes.

However, the Mets may not look to free agency at all to rebuild their rotation; they'll most likely have Tong and Sproat waiting in Triple-A, and the trade market for starters might be stronger than what's available in free agency, but how guys like King and Suarez perform in the postseason will definitely be telling to their free agent market.