3 Mets free agents that can drastically raise their stock with a strong finish
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It’s not how you start, it’s how you finish. This is true for many things in life. Each trip to the buffet, it doesn’t matter what the first food I taste is. The real key is not feeling like a complete blob afterward. For these three New York Mets free agents, they’re in a similar situation.
Certain Mets free agents have built up enough of a reputation for themselves this year where it will be hard to see their stock tank or go up all that much more. Jacob deGrom is going to get paid a ton. So will Edwin Diaz.
It’s these other Mets free agents who can earn themselves a few million fistfuls more by ending the regular season strong and carrying over the performance with them into the postseason.
1) NY Mets free agent Taijuan Walker can get a huge raise with a strong finish
Taijuan Walker had trouble finishing his 2021 season with the Mets with any compliments from the fans. He completely tanked in the second half and has seen a few struggles down the stretch this year, too. He hasn’t been nearly as bad, though. Walker, a pitcher with talent but a limited number of innings logged each year on his resume, is fighting for possibly the widest range of any contract on the roster.
Walker is young enough to get a strong multi-year contract but also someone who could settle for a short-term deal with a high AAV. Anything seems possible with him at the moment.
A good final few starts and some nice showings in the postseason will go a long way toward Walker becoming one of the most coveted starting pitchers in free agency this offseason. He won’t have a $100 million contract coming his way but a four-year deal with an AAV over $15 million is completely reasonable.
2) NY Mets free agent Chris Bassitt will only get one shot at free agency
Chris Bassitt will only get one shot in free agency to give his great-great-grandchildren a free pass in life. It’s coming up this winter and how well he finishes can determine whether or not Chris Bassitt VII has to work as a teenager or gets a free ride through college.
There is a mutual option with Bassitt and the Mets for next season but it doesn’t real fit well for him to accept. Bassitt has been good enough to earn himself more than a one-year deal. What he’s pitching for right now is an extra year and a few million more.
Due to his age, 34 next February, we can’t expect too many teams to want to give him anything more than a three-year deal with an option for a fourth. Bassitt has been a reliable pitcher throughout his major league career. The problem is that it began much later than most.
Where Bassitt can earn a lot of his money is in the postseason. If he can become one of those guys general managers view as a postseason mercenary, someone is going to overpay for his services. There isn’t enough of a track record like there is with deGrom for teams to know when the end may be near for Bassitt. An incredibly gifted starting pitcher the Mets are relying on this year to help get them a championship, other clubs could view him the same when and if he gets into the free agent pool.
3) NY Mets free agent Brandon Nimmo can earn more cash by getting back to basics
Brandon Nimmo hasn’t had a great year yet he also hasn’t seen his free agent stock tank. He could use better OBP numbers to show off what he has done so well in the past. However, with continued excellence as a fielder and some nice offensive numbers as well, he should get paid well during his first tip into the free agent experience.
Nimmo’s greatest benefit is being an available player in a market short on talented center fielders. It also helps that this year was a healthy one for him. It’s unbelievable that this is only his second season of reaching 400 plate appearances. He has blown past that number with already over 600 of them.
For Nimmo to increase his free agent value, he needs to do the stuff that made him so popular with Mets fans in the first place. Drawing walks and boosting those OBP numbers are essential. Any kind of chaos he can create on the bases will help, too. What Nimmo needs to prove most is that he is one of the game’s best leadoff hitters even if the stolen base numbers don’t show it.
The Mets are already a contender to re-sign Nimmo in the offseason. He can increase the price tag by helping them win a championship and being at the center of the success.
Next. 3 things we want to see from the Mets before the season ends. dark