3 best free agent pitchers not named Shohei Ohtani the Mets should target next winter

3) NY Mets free agent target next winter: Julio Urias

Not too many pitchers have been as good as Julio Urias over the last two seasons. The Los Angeles Dodgers lefty led the league with 20 wins in 2021 and followed it up with a 2.16 ERA to lead the league in 2022. Although he hasn’t shown the ability to reach 200 innings in a season, there is one very important statistic to keep in mind for him. It’s on his birth certificate.

Urias will reach free agency at age 27, barring some kind of a deal from the Dodgers first. It’s a dream age to sign any free agent star. The best Urias has to offer has yet to come. There is little doubt this once wild young starter has figured things out on the mound. If Steve Cohen’s Mets want to go long-term with an arm, Urias is the one who will be asking for it.

Urias might be one of the sneakiest yet best free agents next offseason. It took him a while to establish himself. He’ll hit the market in a competitive offseason with Ohtani leading the way plus third basemen such as Rafael Devers and Manny Machado available.

Ohtani should be the priority for the Mets next offseason. However, signing two of these pitchers might be the next best thing.