How the NY Mets can score an A at the MLB Winter Meetings sans Yoshinobu Yamamoto

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The MLB Winter Meetings are underway with teams like the New York Mets hoping to make some big moves this offseason after a disappointing 2022 season. While the Mets did get some much-needed help with their pitching by signing starter Luis Severino on a one-year deal and adding a solid utility bat, Joey Wendle for a one-year deal as well, the Mets still have a lot more work to do if they wish to compete against their NL East rival, especially the Atlanta Braves.

Without question, the top prizes during these Winter Meetings will be a couple of Japanese superstars with Shohei Ohtani a free agent for the first time in his career after spending seven seasons with the Los Angeles Angels and another potential Japanese star pitcher, Yoshinobu Yamamoto who the Mets reportedly have their radar on. Ohtani may be a hard get for the Mets with many teams having their eyes set on him. But Yamamoto is certainly someone the Mets could desperately need in their pitching rotation. If Yamamoto does indeed fall somewhere else this offseason, the Mets can still have a successful 2023 Winter Meetings.

1. The Mets sign Jordan Montgomery or a pitcher on his level

Even though Yamamoto is the best starting pitcher out there, the Mets still have some more options to work with this Winter Meetings, especially at the starting pitching position. Starting pitching by far is one of the Mets biggest needs and if they want to add someone to their rotation with Kodai Senga, Severino and Tylor Megill. Lefty Jordan Montgomery is a good fit.

Montgomery has been very good over the last couple of seasons when he pitched for the New York Yankees, the St. Louis Cardinals and the Texas Rangers. And 2023, was a great season for the lefty in particular and was one of the main reasons why the Rangers were able to win their first World Series in team history. During the 2023 season, Montgomery went 6-9 with the Cardinals with a 3.42 ERA in 21 games pitched and when he was traded to the Rangers in late July, he was even pitching to an ERA of 2.79 with a 4-2 record in 11 games pitched.

Montgomery is a realistic option for the Mets as a starting pitcher if they can't land Yamamoto. He's proven over the last few seasons that he can be a reliable starting pitcher and should be someone anyway that the Mets should try to sign if they want to improve their starting pitching which was ranked 19th overall in the MLB.

2. The Mets filling the DH role with a big time power hitter

It was no secret for the Mets in 2023 that their designated hitter hole in their lineup was never consistent. Their primary hitter in that position, Daniel Vogelbach did not produce like the Mets could have hoped for as he only slashed .233 in 275 at-bats and only drove in 64 runs. And with the Mets deciding not to bring him back, there are definitely options for the Mets to fill this spot.

Even though they did decide to bring DJ Stewart back who played well in that spot hitting 11 home runs in 160 at-bats, the Mets still need to upgrade. From free agents like Jorge Soler and J. D. Martinez, these players could suit the position well as the designated hitter. Soler when he played for the rival Marlins hit 36 home runs in his 504 at-bats and when Martinez played in his only season for the Los Angeles Dodgers also had a great year with the bat driving in 103 runs and slugging his way to 33 home runs.

The Mets are in dire need of fixing this hole in their lineup. Ever since the MLB implemented the DH role for both the AL and the NL, the Mets never had someone who could fit this spot well. Dom Smith never panned out well, Darin Ruf was a move that never should have been made and Vogelbach was just never consistent. So, if New York wants to leave the Winter Meetings happy, improving this position is a must.

3. The Mets signing a high-leverage reliever

This is also a dire need the Mets need to make. After the Mets saw their star reliever, Edwin Diaz go down with a freak injury during the World Baseball Classic in March of 2023, the Mets bullpen was just not as good as we hoped it would be. And with fellow reliever, Adam Ottavino now a free agent after having a good season for the Mets in 2023, New York needs to go after somebody.

The Mets bullpen in 2023 ranked 22nd in the MLB in bullpen ERA at 4.45 and even though they added some depth at that position by signing relievers Austin Adams, Joseph Yabbour, Cole Sulser and Carlos Guzman to one-year and minor league deals, there's still work to be done. From relievers like Dylan Floro, Josh Hader, Anthony Bass and more, you would have to think that the Mets would try to go after any of these relievers who had been so consistent throughout their careers.

The Mets bullpen needs help and just Diaz is obviously not enough. After an 87-loss season a year and with a bullpen that lacked consistency, this team needs much needed help. Yes, they did start adding some depth to fix their 'pen, but it's not good enough. The Braves and Phillies who the Mets are trying to chase have good bullpens of their own and the Mets need to start rebuilding their bullpen too.

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