3 NY Mets predictions for the month of December

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Welcome to December! This is the month when the MLB offseason hot stove begins to give off some heat. Eager New York Mets fans hoping to see something happen will be happy to know they can flip their calendars to this month.

A new month means a time to make some new predictions. Will they Mets miss out on some big name players? Will they add others?

Let’s make three predictions for the orange and blue. What’s in store between now and the time we look for someone to kiss on midnight on New Year’s Eve?

1) NY Mets prediction: Brandon Nimmo makes his decision

The market for Brandon Nimmo is red hot. Where will he sign? Has my opinion changed through these first few weeks of the MLB offseason?

I’m going to stick with what I thought from the start. Nimmo will re-sign with the Mets. I’m not quite as sure of it as I used to be. However, with the team not looking to get too aggressive with other free agent bats, bringing back their center fielder on a long-term deal makes too much sense.

The Mets will have trouble finding an outfielder better than Nimmo this offseason. Through free agency and trades, Nimmo is the most realistic and best option for them. The plan to possibly move Starling Marte into center field just doesn’t work. As far as doing something like signing Trea Turner to play second base and moving Jeff McNeil to the outfield goes, that seems to be more pipe dream than reality. Far too many teams need a shortstop badly enough to pay more than the Mets.

Nimmo returning to the Mets in December will help give the fans some faith that the ball gets rolling. He’s not the only one they’ll sign either.

2) NY Mets prediction: Adam Ottavino signs somewhere else, Billy Eppler finds an alternative

Mets free agent Adam Ottavino is going to end up somewhere else. Someone will be willing to guarantee him two years. The Mets won’t bite. He’ll find a cozy home in some contender’s bullpen while Billy Eppler looks elsewhere for a setup man.

Instead of Ottavino, the Mets will sign someone else to a one-year deal. It’s going to be a guy we’re probably not even thinking of yet.

Chris Martin is one reliever similar to Ottavino. He’s the same age and might be more willing to accept a one-year deal given his performance last season. Like Ottavino when he was signed to the Mets, it doesn’t sound like such a satisfying addition. I think he could end up impressing us.

This doesn’t eliminate the Mets from adding at least one of Taylor Rogers or Andrew Chafin. I believe they will. The Mets cannot possibly for a second straight offseason head into Opening Day without at least one trustworthy southpaw in the bullpen.

There’s plenty of work left to do in the relief corps. There are long-term and short-term options for the Mets to consider. A trade could always catch us off guard, too. The Mets will find at least one solution in December. Otherwise, the well is going to dry up very quickly and they may need to summon you from the stands to eat a few innings.

3) NY Mets prediction: Jacob deGrom rumors continue, the top starting pitcher market remains quiet

When will we finally know what team Jacob deGrom plays for in 2023? It won’t happen in December. This is going to drag on.

The starting pitcher market is going to be a tough one to predict. The threesome of deGrom, Justin Verlander, and Carlos Rodon are in their own class. Behind them, there are players like Chris Bassitt, Jose Quintana, and Jameson Taillon.

December could be a month when the Mets do add one pitcher to their rotation. They need to sign at least two. Three would be preferred.

deGrom doesn’t seem like he’s in any rush to get a deal done. This is his first trip into free agency. He’s hopeful the Mets, Texas Rangers, or someone else wakes up and decides he’s worth the moon.

Eventually some player or team will cave in and sign a deal. With the Mets and deGrom, we might need a little more to happen before they match up again. December is a good month for deGrom rumors to begin to point directly at a return to the Mets. We know Steve Cohen is going to get him, Verlander, or Rodon. Fans who would prefer to not trade in their favorite Mets jersey are eager for it to be deGrom.

Only a small number of teams are realistic candidates to sign deGrom. The longer he remains in free agency, the more nervous fans will get. It means nothing, though. deGrom just wants to be paid a certain amount. As soon as the Mets go there, he’ll sign.

Let’s predict a New Year’s gift from Cohen with deGrom signing a day or two into 2023.

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