Threat to NY Mets’ starting pitcher pursuit sound ready to put up their feet

“I’m finished!” only they aren’t shouting it after beating anyone up with a bowling pin. In a world where the New York Mets starting rotation has remained stagnant, many other clubs have at least made one move to try to improve their chances.

A team vying for some of the same targets as the Mets may already be complete. The San Francisco Giants, after signing Adrian Houser and Tyler Mahle, are sending out a message (with a smoke screen or not) that they’re content with the way the rotation looks right now.

Thought to be a pursuer of players like Framber Valdez, the Buster Posey-led team does indeed look like they’re at full capacity.

If the Mets are waiting out the market, they’ve sat patiently as the Giants have gone other directions

Along with Houser and Mahle who received reasonable contracts, the Giants have Logan Webb, Robbie Ray, and Landen Roupp. Their depth chart is full of starting pitcher candidates, not far different from the Mets and including some ex-Amazins prospects like Carson Seymour and Blade Tidwell. The additions may not be significant, but they’re only trying to replace Justin Verlander and a spot in their rotation that was never stable at all in 2025.

The Giants always figure to be a threat for many of the top free agents in MLB. They were the team Aaron Judge was meant to sign with. Before the Mets ran their medical tests on Carlos Correa, he was headed there.

Landing pitchers isn’t such a major issue for them. Their pitcher’s ballpark is actually the perfect destination for anyone looking to pad stats or pitch half a season in to rebuild their free agent stock.

It can’t be satisfying for Giants fans to, after an 81-81 season, see them land Houser and Mahle as the rotation depth pieces. While they already have a strong rotation even without those two, the ball club remains in a chase within the NL West.

The Giants taking themselves out of the running for a player like Valdez only increases the odds for the Mets. Despite being regarded as the best starting pitcher out there in free agency based on most measurables, he has yet to sign and the market doesn’t feel robust. Like him or not, the Mets got another step closer to landing him, but also hopefully someone else.