Late last week MLB Trade Rumors published their highly anticipated, yearly article where they try to predict the contracts and teams for the top 50 Free Agents. Lets take a look at how they think the Mets will deal with the 2018-2019 Free Agent class, one of the most star studded classes of all time:
Craig Kimbrel (Cardinals 4/70)
MLBTR has the Mets listed as outside possibility to land Kimbrel, who in the past has shut down the Mets (when he was with the Braves).
Yasmani Grandal (Nationals 4/64)
Interestingly, this is the only catcher MLBTR attaches the Mets to, despite not ultimately signing him. The Qualifying Offer makes him a more difficult sign. I’m not sure why the Mets are not associated with Ramos. This deserves its own article later as the Mets look to navigate tendering d’Arnaud a contract, Plawecki, Nido and minor league playing time for Ali Sanchez.
Zach Britton (Astros 3/33)
MLBTR lists Britton right under Familia, and does not have the Mets associated with their old closer at all (given the Mets history of signing their old players again for reunions, this feels like an oversight). Britton only feels like an upgrade over Familia because he’s not Familia and outside of Frazier, the Mets have not signed players who never wore the orange or blue in the off-season. (Well, there was Swarzak but that didn’t work out well).
David Robertson (Mets 3/33)
This is the first of two players MLBTR feels the Mets will sign in the top 50. He’s similar-ish to the relievers listed above except he’s slightly older already at 34. He’s representing himself. Ultimately, his best quality to the Wilpons might be having success with the Yankees. He already played in NY and the Mets would be “taking him” from across town (but of course, if the Yankees really wanted him, they would have him).
Joakim Soria (Mets 2/18)
Soria is not the same as he used to be so this signing makes sense for the Mets who sign players at the end of the career who used to have name recognition. That being said, the Mets need as many arms as they can get in their bullpen and as long as they can cut ties with free agent signings if they don’t work (ie. the opposite of what they did with Reyes last year) than a Soria signing is great.
Not surprisingly, MLBTR has the Mets linked almost exclusively to relievers. The Mets need a ton of arms coming into the next season. The Mets would also benefit though from one more starter and third basemen. A certain third basemen who plays short stop and is the #2 free agent on their list.
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