3 NY Mets predictions for the 2023 MLB Winter Meetings

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When people refer to “the holidays” in December, they’re including the MLB Winter Meetings. This year they begin on December 4 with players, executives, agents, etc. all headed to Nashville. It’s a chance for the New York Mets to make a major stand and assure the fans this won’t be a completely lost season of hoping they compete.

Last year’s Winter Meetings were incredibly active for the Mets. Justin Verlander started it and Brandon Nimmo returned to the team before the last MLB executive could get through his hangover from a night at a honky-tonk on Lower Broadway.

What will the Mets deliver this year? Having already secured a few pieces, let’s see what else they may have in store.

1) The Mets sign their best relief pitcher of the offseason

A car on fire down a ditch on the side of the road needs less help than the Mets pitching staff. At the Winter Meetings, David Stearns needs to make some massive improvements. Coming away without something of significance is going to leave them in the dust.

What the Mets will successfully accomplish at this year’s Winter Meetings is adding a major relief pitcher to the fold. Originally I was thinking this would be the time they’d strike a deal with Luis Severino. They got ahead of the game and made sure he was a member of the Mets before setting out for Tennessee.

Opinions will vary as to what a major reliever is. This winter’s class doesn’t feature a whole lot of saviors. Nevertheless, there are far more significant bullpen arms available than someone like Austin Adams.

To get it out of the way now, I don’t think Yoshinobu Yamamoto signs at the Winter Meetings. Kodai Senga signed a little over a week after they ended last year. Yamamoto, an even bigger free agent with a wide net, will let things linger.

2) The Mets improve the DH spot with an outfield free agent

We can refer to this as the DH vacancy when really what the Mets will end up doing is giving themselves a little more outfield depth. At the Winter Meetings, the Mets sign a poor fielding left fielder who becomes their starting DH on Opening Day and for most of the season.

The options here are plentiful. Teoscar Hernandez may make the most sense. Joc Pederson wouldn’t be a bad guy to have around either.

The Mets will see the light and realize a player like Justin Turner, as valuable as he could become, doesn’t make quite as much sense. Now more of a first baseman than third baseman who can play some second base, he becomes virtually useless on defense because of Pete Alonso’s lingering presence.

Stearns is too intelligent to get the Mets caught in the DH net of carrying a player on the roster with no value whatsoever with the glove. Even negative value is some value. Forget what your math teachers taught you.

There isn’t any immediate rush to go out there and add a bat, especially when it’s a guy you’ll have primarily in an offensive role. Because this is could be the one outside hitter the Mets do sign, Stearns would be wise to get it done sooner than later.

3) The Mets select at least one reliever through the Rule 5 Draft

In most seasons, a Rule 5 Draft selection can feel a bit unnecessary. This year is a little different. While the Mets could do more than sign a reliever and add a bat, the one thing I feel most sure of is their selection of at least one reliever in the Rule 5 Draft.

The casting director of Naked and Afraid has been in contact with the Mets about putting their bullpen on next season. Can we blame them for the misunderstanding? The relief corps is practically naked already. The fans should have fear of what could happen if they fail to add the right pieces. It doesn’t matter if the Mets hit the mark on improving the starting pitching staff and offense if the bullpen remains the same.

Rule 5 Draft picks are shots in the dark that often fail to work out. What about the ones who do?

Sean Gilmartin turned out to be a success on the 2015 Mets. Selected in the Rule 5 Draft away from the Minnesota Twins, he gave the team 57.1 innings and a 2.67 ERA performance. It was his lone year in the majors of significance, but it came at an important time.

The worst thing that can happen if the Mets select someone in the Rule 5 Draft is they have to give him back. It’s a worthwhile risk to add a bit more youth into the mix.

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