3 offseason Mets free agent targets we'll be grateful they didn't sign, 2 we will wish they did

2) The NY Mets passed on Andrew Chafin again this offseason

What did Andrew Chafin ever do to the Mets? Billy Eppler gave him the cold shoulder in two consecutive offseasons. Does he have a thing against bushy mustaches?

Chafin signed last winter with the Detroit Tigers and was a great fit for the Mets at the trade deadline. Yet again, no dice. This winter, Chafin signed a deal with the Arizona Diamondbacks that will pay him $5.5 million in 2023 with an incentive bonus that can help it reach $6.5 million. There is a team option for the 2024 season at $7.25 million.

In English: it’s not a bad contract and something the Mets should have gone out and done.

There is one spot in the Mets bullpen that feels like it could be utilized on a left-handed veteran reliever. Even if the team prefers to have optional arms, there are two spots left where they could swap out players with minor leaguers. With relievers prone to get injured as well, it could never hurt to have an extra experienced arm waiting to help finish off a game.

The Mets will, instead, rely heavily on Brooks Raley for those big outs against left-handed hitters. Joey Lucchesi could always fit in nicely in a similar traditional lefty reliever role. Beyond them, the Mets employ players who may never touch the 40-man roster.

3) The NY Mets were right to not sign Andrew Heaney despite interest

The Mets’ interest in Andrew Heaney this offseason was scary. Until last year, where he still only pitched 72.2 innings, Heaney has been roughed up regularly and often hurt. He’s even older than Taillon by a candle. His 36-42 record and 4.56 ERA seems hardly worth the risk. Add in how poorly he pitched for the New York Yankees in 2021, maybe Heaney is one of those guys who comes up short in the Big Apple.

Heaney was led to the Texas Rangers to pitch behind Jacob deGrom and a bunch of other newcomers to their organization. His contract is heavy on incentives. It bottoms out at $12 million this year with up to $5 million more. There is a player option for 2024 set at a modest $13 million.

The injury risk is far too great. It doesn’t matter if he was pitching for free. Heaney has never gone 100+ innings in two consecutive seasons. Entering his 10th season in MLB, it feels like a requirement to do that at least once.

Heaney falls more in line with the amount of money the Mets ended up giving Jose Quintana. While he does have some recent struggles and injuries in the latter part of his career, he was a workhorse early on. Quintana stayed healthy all of last season and played well with both teams. Mets fans will be much happier with him than they would ever be with Heaney.

4) The NY Mets should have offered a little more for Andrew McCutchen

I’m beginning to think Billy Eppler just doesn’t like Andrews. Andrew McCutchen is one of those Andrews the Mets didn’t end up signing. There is a reasonable explanation for it, but something could have probably been done about it.

Prior to signing Tommy Pham, the Mets were in on McCutchen. The 2013 NL MVP returned to the Pittsburgh Pirates on a one-year deal worth $5 million. Likely the last contract he’ll get, missing out on him is mostly about two things he’d bring with him to Queens.

McCutchen’s numbers are way down in recent years but the power is present. He hit 27 home runs back in 2021 with the Philadelphia Phillies. Even last season with the Milwaukee Brewers he managed to work on his home run trot regularly. He added 17 more to his now 200+ in his career.

The problem with signing McCutchen is the amount of playing time he would have gotten. As a fourth outfielder, McCutchen would have started on rare occasions. He could have been a strong platoon partner of Daniel Vogelbach and strong supplement for Mark Canha in left field.

Instead, McCutchen will ride out this season with the Pirates. In July, the team will ask if it’s okay if they trade him to a contender. McCutchen would be wise to accept a deal to the Mets or anyone else in the playoff race. One thing he hasn’t done is win a World Series. In fact, McCutchen’s teams haven’t made it beyond the Divisional Series. Would a few million more bucks have made the difference?

5) The NY Mets have moved on from Zack Britton and for good reason

It’s not because the Mets had another former reliever of Buck Showalter, Mychal Givens, that has me and many others questioning the interest in Zack Britton. He has barely pitched over the last two years. Add in the shortened 2020 campaign and this is a once great reliever whose arm may have gone cold during these recent injured seasons.

Signing Britton would have come with the same disadvantage as inking Chafin in the way that neither would have minor league options. Britton would cost less so DFA’ing him could make sense if things didn’t work out. What if the Mets just needed a fresh arm? Chafin would have been the guy to get instead.

Britton may be holding out to receive a major league contract before signing anywhere. He definitely could be a fit for the Mets or someone else on a minor league deal. At least then you could go into the regular season with him proving himself on the farm. A major league deal feels too risky for a team like the Mets who cannot afford to make such a big roster mistake.

Even if it means having just one lefty consistently in the bullpen this year, Britton was not the guy to go out and guy. We’re grateful the team seems to have moved on.