The New York Mets, under David Stearns as their president of baseball operations, have steered away from long-term contracts, with the Juan Soto deal being an exception. Nonetheless, will Stearns need to make another exception to land a No. 1 starter?
This upcoming offseason, Los Angeles Dodgers starting pitcher Tarik Skubal will hit the free-agent market. However, the question will be whether the Mets are serious players for the veteran pitcher.
Since the midseason trade that sent Skubal from the Detroit Tigers to the Dodgers, Skubal has posted a 1-2 record with an ERA of 3.03 and 43 strikeouts in six appearances, per StatMuse.
While free agency is still a couple of months away, SNY’s Chelsea Janes was asked whether the Mets are a serious landing spot for Skubal.
“My brain says no way,” Janes said in a Sept. 3 video from SNY. “I think that David Stearns hates giving out long contracts for pitchers. He doesn’t want to pay a ton upfront to bring in a guy like Tarik Skubal, who you might lose a year to Tommy John. That’s just how these things go and who might get worse on the back end. So, that’s not his style.”
Mets Owner Could Be Factor in Potential Tarik Skubal Pursuit
Nonetheless, despite not seeing Skubal heading to the Mets, she does leave a small chance: Owner Steve Cohen. If the Mets owner decides he wants to pay the big bucks to land Skubal, that might be the only way this scenario happens.
“Steve Cohen has said this a few times that, look, we have to play in reality,” Janes added. “If reality suggests to us that the only way we can get really good starting pitching is to play in those long-term deals, then we might have to adjust our strategy.
“So those two things put together mean there’s going to be conversations. There’s no doubt about it. It’s just a question of how hard they push and what kind of deal they’re willing to give him.”
Stearns did go the trade route last offseason with Freddy Peralta, and that didn’t work out for New York. As a result, Cohen might want to pay what it will take to land Skubal and have a bona fide No. 1 starter.
Dodgers Might Have Final Say in Tarik Skubal Sweepstakes
While Cohen might not shy away from offering Skubal a contract to land him, Janes believes the big factor will be how the former Tigers ace likes LA. If Skubal enjoys his time with the Dodgers and the team wants to sign him long-term, it’s likely he stays there.
“I don’t know if he ends up loving LA,” Janes said. “I think if the Dodgers want him, the Dodgers get him at this point. He’s been there, et cetera. But it’s an interesting question because the Dodgers also tend to run starting pitchers into the ground in October. Who knows where that’s going to leave Skubal? So it’s really tough for me to say.
“I think the Mets will play for him. I think they’ll make an attempt, but whether it’s sort of a, we got to try attempt or, like, we want this guy, we’re going to do what it takes attempt, I’m not sure. I do think there’s a chance that the money ends up winning out. If that’s the case, Steve Cohen can compete with anybody for him.”
Mets Handed Blunt Free Agency Take on Dodgers’ Tarik Skubal