3 NY Mets backup plans if they fail to sign Yoshinobu Yamamoto

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Failure to sign Yoshinobu Yamamoto will put the New York Mets in a spot where anything else they do will be less satisfying. They need backup plans. Even the largest offer is no guarantee he’ll come to Queens.

So, what happens if the Mets see Yamamoto end up with someone else? These three backup plans are a reasonable direction they can go without completely changing the organization's plans of patience and looking long term as they recalibrate (get used to this word, Mets fans) for what’s next.

Backup Plan One: Sign the best two arms available without a qualifying offer attached

Let's remove the idea of signing any player with a qualifying offer punishment attached to them from our vocabulary. This leaves the Mets with fewer options. There isn't a truly elite pitcher out there this winter who'd be worth losing two draft picks over. NL Cy Young winner Blake Snell has been too unreliable in the past.

This conversation about the qualifying offer excludes Shohei Ohtani. He's worth losing a finger to get.

Missing out on Yamamoto can be resolved by getting the two best remaining starting pitchers out there outside of those QO guys. Pairing Jordan Montgomery and Eduardo Rodriguez as the newest additions to the Mets roster would fit this plan.

With them, it does seem like an either/or situation. Neither Montgomery nor Rodriguez is going to match the excitement of Yamamoto. Fine pitchers, the problem with signing both of them is that each will be locked in for next season. This limits what the Mets can do prior to 2025 with a player like Corbin Burnes hitting the open market.

This is a win now type of plan. The Mets aren't quite in that mode where two good but not great pitchers will make the difference. What else could they do?

Backup Plan Two: Sign one big arm, trade for another, load up the bullpen

The Mets do need to add one starting pitcher of great significance. Luis Severino isn’t him. He is a wild card in this rotation. If the Mets even want to compete for a Wild Card spot, they'll need that big boost in the rotation. We can settle on one of those upper echelon guys. As a Yamamoto backup plan, they can add more around this addition.

If being competitive without spending too much money is the goal, pulling off a trade for a controllable starting pitcher is a way to ease any pain the misfire on Yamamoto could cause. Likely, the Mets will be in the market for a controllable starter rather than someone nearing free agency even if he is an immediate extension candidate.

Along with this, the Mets can load up the bullpen. The current status is about as dire as it gets. Starting pitching is the priority, but without a better relief corps, this team is doomed.

Adding two or three significant relievers to the bullpen will indirectly make up for not signing Yamamoto. An awesome bullpen won’t help them in the early innings. However, the abundance of lockdown options in the latter innings will help them in a different way.

Backup Plan Three: Kick the can down the field another year for the big splash

Call this the wave the white flag plan. Because none of the other pitchers are anywhere close to Yamamoto, kicking the can down the field another year could be something to consider. Far worse teams have overachieved. A patchworked Mets roster could be good enough to sneak into the playoffs. Last year’s full throttle situation didn't work. The baseball gods are due to show some mercy to the Mets.

As unappealing as this would be, it at least clarifies the team's mission. A rotation of Kodai Senga, Jose Quintana, and Luis Severino isn't a bad start whatsoever. Add in another decent guy and perhaps the Mets win enough without having to sign a $200 million dollar arm.

Throughout the reign of Steve Cohen, the Mets have yet to sign a starting pitcher long term. The shorter deals with higher AAV plan only failed because the team didn't perform. Others can laugh at how much they're continuing to pay Max Scherzer and Justin Verlander. All of the pain occurred last year with only Cohen’s wallet continuing to suffer.

The Mets aren't going to punt the season. But failure to sign Yamamoto could mean they decide to skip out on adding another ace. If they find themselves in need at the trade deadline, that could be the time to get more aggressive.

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