5 best free agent DH options for the Mets to improve their lineup even more

Do the New York Mets really need to go out and sign a free agent to become their designated hitter? The answer is the same as “do the Mets really need another ace?”

You can never have too much of a good thing. And while the Mets look pretty secure with the offense, another boost can’t hurt.

The Mets have a few directions they can go with the incoming DH spot. A few unknowns with the roster make a lot of what they should or shouldn’t do worth debating. A single trade could completely alter the way we think about this ball club. Considering all of what they may or may not do, these three MLB free agents would fit most snug on the team with an everyday role as the designated hitter.

5) NY Mets free agent DH option Nelson Cruz

Nelson Cruz might be better than the fifth best hitter on this list. Despite being officially over-the-hill, the man can still swat baseballs with the best of them.

Cruz has been one of the game’s best sluggers over the last decade. In particular, he really started loading up on dingers beginning with his league-leading 40 back in 2014.

Now the owner of 449 lifetime home runs, he’s coming off of a year where he combined to hit 32 more with the Minnesota Twins and Tampa Bay Rays.

Cruz is the most natural DH of all available in free agency. He has barely played the field at all in recent seasons. For the Mets, this isn’t a good plan.

My ideal DH is a guy that can at least be a passable defender. It’s impossible to make a list of the best DH options out there without at least inviting him in.

Originally signed as an amateur free agent by the Mets back in February 1998, his career could come full circle with a return to the organization. I don’t see it happening, though. If Cruz continues to play baseball, he’ll make another team’s DH spot very happy.

4) NY Mets free agent DH option Jorge Soler

Jorge Soler might be one of those late-to-develop power hitters that sticks around into his 40s. In fact, he could be the next Nelson Cruz!

Soler reached a new ascension in 2019 when he popped a league-leading 48 home runs. Although it also came with a league-leading 178 strikeouts, it’s hard to get too upset when he’s able to completely turn a game around with one swing of the bat.

Soler’s 2021 season was split between the Kansas City Royals and Atlanta Braves. He was powerful with both teams but kicked it into high gear once he joined Atlanta. He hit just .192 with the Royals but matched to bat .269 with Atlanta. His three home runs in the World Series helped him earn MVP honors.

On the Mets, Soler would be a regular DH with the occasional start in the outfield. Right field has been his primary position and would likely be the place he’d play whenever Buck Showalter did give him a chance to reunite with his glove.

Odds on the Mets signing him to a deal should be only a little less faint than them agreeing to a deal with Cruz. Soler is the kind of guy that will probably land with a team on a shorter contract with some “prove yourself” incentives. As strong as a finish as he had in 2021, he started off slowly in Kansas City. He only makes this list ahead of Cruz because of his age and ability to play some defense even if it’s not so great.

3) NY Mets free agent DH option Eddie Rosario

Eddie Rosario had a very similar season as Soler did in 2021. Also acquired by the Braves at the trade deadline, he was the star of the NLCS and MVP of the series. Rosario smacked three home runs to help lead the Braves to the World Series.

Another below-average defender, Rosario might be bound for a lot of starts as a DH in 2022. He has a lot of experience as a left fielder, most of those innings coming as a member of the Minnesota Twins. He’d play a similar role as Soler could with the benefit of being able to put up some more consistent numbers.

Rosario is a lifetime .275/.309/.473 hitter with three seasons of hitting 24+ home runs and an outlier campaign in 2019 which featured 32 dingers and 109 RBI. He’s not a player that will draw a lot of walks or strike out nearly as much as some other guys with his level of pop. A left-handed hitter, his duty on a team like the Mets could help to balance the lineup a little more.

Rosario has youth on his side and much less to prove than Soler. He has been good many more seasons in the past and could turn into a sneaky-good and more flexible DH option for the Mets than some of the other available names.

1) NY Mets free agent DH option Kyle Schwarber

I’m not sure who first began the “Kyle Schwarber to the Mets” talk. Whoever it is, you built a bandwagon with some nice wheels.

With Mark Canha and Starling Marte at two of the outfield positions and Eduardo Escobar playing third base (or possibly second if Jeff McNeil is traded), there isn’t much room for another bat on the Mets aside from the DH spot. Fresh from a 32 home run campaign in only 471 plate appearances, Schwarber is one of the hottest names out there.

A catcher turned left fielder, Schwarber is a power-hitting lefty the Mets saw kill them plenty in 2021 when he was with the Washington Nationals. His tirade continued in his final 41 games of the season, now with the Boston Red Sox. He’s like everyone else on this list except for Castellanos. In mid-2021, he was traded.

Schwarber does have a few questions. Only a lifetime .237 hitter, his .266 average in 2021 might be unattainable again. Add in how poorly he has played his position, his free agent asking price is predicated largely on what people believe he can do at the plate.

On a short deal, Schwarber could be a great asset for the Mets. They could use another power bat for sure. Having hurt them plenty already, it would be nice to have him do the damage in their favor.