4 upcoming Mets free agents who have been good but don't need to be re-signed

The New York Mets will have a heavy crop of free agents after the 2024 season. Adding several rentals at the trade deadline along with the players they already had in-house will give a whole lot of players on expiring contracts. This doesn’t include players they’ll non-tender or possible options for the 2025 season like the one Sean Manaea has.

Some of the upcoming free agents they Mets have are easy to part with. Goodbye Adam Ottavino. Farewell, Jose Quintana. What about the ones doing well that are a bit more debatable?

As important as these four have been for the Mets in 2024, there isn’t as great of a need to bring any of them back at the price, the number of years, or role they’d be asking for.

1) The Mets don’t need to re-sign Harrison Bader

Harrison Bader is playing to the back of his baseball card. Superb defense, some timely hitting, and a great attitude have helped make him a successful Mets free agent signing. As well as he has done at times, Bader doesn’t need to get an invite back for 2025.

When Bader gets cold, he seems to get really cold. Following an impressive first half that saw him hitting .273/.312/.421, he has come down to earth in the second half. Finding at-bats has become increasingly difficult as the Mets have instead chosen to use him more as a late-game defensive replacement.

Bader’s inability to draw walks is one of his more frustrating qualities. It’s a big part of his game. He has only 17 all season and 8 of them came in May.

As a fourth outfielder, Bader is perfectly fine. The defense alone will keep him on a major league roster. The Mets, with plenty of alternative options in the minor leagues and even on the MLB roster with Tyrone Taylor as that fourth outfielder, don’t need to bring back Bader. He has been fine as the last hitter in the lineup. Giving some of that playing time to young players next year makes more sense especially with the kind of contract Bader will seek.