5 Mets free agent targets they passed on last year that they should sign this winter

Division Series - Arizona Diamondbacks v Los Angeles Dodgers - Game Two
Division Series - Arizona Diamondbacks v Los Angeles Dodgers - Game Two / Ronald Martinez/GettyImages
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3) Kevin Kiermaier

Had the Mets not re-signed Brandon Nimmo last offseason, there's a good chance Kevin Kiermaier would've spent the 2023 season in a Mets uniform. This wasn't because Kiermaier was a particularly appealing option, it was really because of how poor the free agency class was in center field.

Kiermaier's stock has shifted dramatically from last offseason to this one. He entered last offseason coming off a brutal year where he struggled offensively and appeared in just 63 games for Tampa Bay. This past season with the Blue Jays was a completely different story. He was terrific and mostly healthy.

In 129 games played, Kiermaier slashed .265/.322/.419 with eight home runs and 36 RBI. He added 14 stolen bases in 15 tries as well as six triples. He capped off the year by winning the fourth Gold Glove of his career as he remained one of the best defensive outfielders in the game.

A Kiermaier addition might not be as simple this time around with Nimmo patrolling center field, but he could prove to be a valuable fourth outfielder, or even slide Nimmo over to left field on occasion. Signing Kiermaier and platooning him with a heavy-hitting right-handed outfielder could be on the horizon too.