4 Mets third base options if they don’t have answers after the 2024 season

The pressure is on for the New York Mets to figure out their third base situation. It’s a competition between Brett Baty and not really anyone else. Mark Vientos will get opportunities to play the hot corner at times, too, especially with J.D. Martinez getting the bulk of at-bats as the DH.

Time can run out quickly for both players. Baty failed to prove he belongs in the big leagues last year. Vientos, with only one more minor league option this season, might be in “do or DFA” mode.

What happens if the Mets don’t figure it out? They have these four options to turn to.

1) The Mets can go big and sign Alex Bregman

The big free agent “get” for third base next year will be Alex Bregman. We’ll see rumblings of the Mets checking in on his price tag. That’s just what we’ll need to expect throughout the ownership of Steve Cohen. Any big time free agent fit will at least be a consideration.

Bregman hasn’t been quite as elite in recent seasons. More importantly, the fear of buying an aging third baseman showing some signs of decline over remaining patient with Baty for even another year is enough to have the Mets turning in another direction. Signing Bregman would make headlines. Does it actually make the most sense for the Mets?

With the Mets needing to rebuild almost the entire pitching staff yet again next winter plus the likely pursuits of Pete Alonso and/or Juan Soto in free agency, Bregman seems to fall a little further down on the totem pole of needs. Anyone who signs him could be getting themselves into a situation where they’re paying a guy whose best is already behind him.

Prediction: The Mets check in but don’t seriously pursue Alex Bregman.

2) The Mets can bridge the gap with Gio Urshela

We know the Mets were interested in Gio Urshela for this year off the bench. What about as a starter next year? Bridging the gap with Urshela actually makes a lot of sense. It could even allow them to give Baty a little more leash if they’re still a little undecided. Urshela shouldn’t cost a whole lot in terms of dollars or years regardless of how well he does with the Detroit Tigers this season.

A lighter hitting third baseman than maybe we’d like to see, his defensive versatility and ability helps make him a solid match for the Mets. On a one or two-year deal with a reasonable expectation that he will share some playing time in 2025 and possibly revert to a bench role in 2026 makes this a solid enough plan as long as the other pieces around him are big ones.

The Mets can bridge any gap at third base with several others. Urshela, however, seems to be one of the better options. They aren’t going to bring back J.D. Davis for third base duties. If Eugenio Suarez ends up as a free agent, which is a possibility, maybe he then becomes the short-term guy.

There’s also Yoan Moncada whose $25 million club options will undoubtedly be denied by the Chicago White Sox. He could be a fun project to try to get the most out of although we can all probably agree it won’t have a huge pay off.

Prediction: The Mets end up with at least one veteran third base option even if it’s more as a bench player.

3) The Mets can try trading for Ryan McMahon

How’s this for a way-too-early trade candidate: Ryan McMahon. By the time the 2024 season is over, the Colorado Rockies will owe him another $44 million. His very average offensive career doesn’t do much to improve the lineup. However, Gold Glove-caliber defense might be enough for the Mets to at least consider him as a possibility.

McMahon will come into the 2024 season batting .243/.323/.428 with an average of 22 home runs and 75 RBI per 162 games. A strikeout machine without the home run power to make up for it, his career low in any full season is a strikeout in 24.7% of his plate appearances which is still above the league average.

McMahon does hit the ball hard but the results just don’t seem to be there. He has never finished with an OPS+ of 100 or better which is certainly a warning sign if pulled out of having the opportunity to hit at Coors Field for 81 games a year.

The Rockies wouldn’t get much in exchange for McMahon aside from some salary relief. If the Mets were willing to accept an even worse offensive output, he’s someone they could probably get without having to give up too much in terms of prospects—that’s if the Rockies were even interested in trading him away in the first place.

Prediction: The Rockies hold onto him and we don’t hear a thing about Ryan McMahon to the Mets.