The New York Mets will need to head back to the drawing board this offseason after a disappointing 2026 MLB season, as several moves didn’t work out for the team’s president of baseball operations, David Stearns.
Last offseason, the Mets traded for Freddy Peralta from the Milwaukee Brewers to anchor their starting rotation. However, that move fell off a cliff once the season began, with Peralta having a record of 5-9 with an ERA of 4.99 and 113 strikeouts in 22 appearances, per StatMuse.
After a disappointing stint, the Mets traded Peralta to the Tampa Bay Rays in exchange for three minor league prospects before the trade deadline. Stearns will need to go back to the drawing board to find a No. 1 starter, and there will be one out on the market this offseason.
Los Angeles Dodgers starting pitcher Tarik Skubal will be a free agent after this season, but the question is whether New York wants to spend the money. While big-time free-agent signings come with risk, SNY’s Emmanuel Berbari believes Skubal is worth $50 million per year.
“He’s absolutely worth it,” Berbari said on Sept. 11 on SNY’s YouTube channel. “We’ve seen pitcher contracts now veer into the low 40s. This guy, you’re up in the market for one of the best pitchers of a generation. Of course he’s worth $50 million.
“The only question I would have: Does a [salary] cap factor in? Are you dealing with financial restrictions? But if you can pay him $50 million, are you paying Tarik Skubal $50 million? A big-game pitcher, wipeout stuff. My own question on top of it is years. Ten years, $500 million; the years worry me, but the $50 million number absolutely deserves it. I’d give him $60 million.”
Mets Urged to Steer Clear of Dodgers’ Tarik Skubal
Meanwhile, David Lennon of Newsday Sports revealed his concerns about paying Skubal $50 million over 10 years, citing the pitcher’s elbow injury this season. For Lennon, it would be wise to steer clear of Skubal because the risk isn’t worth the reward of signing him in free agency.
“Skubal is a good guy to go there for, but I can’t do that,” Lennon said in the same segment. “I’m not in that. The elbow thing kind of freaks me out from earlier in the year, too. I know he’s come back and pitched well after that, but when you see those little elbow things keep popping up, they could be bigger, bigger problems in the future.
“So that type of commitment, I know when you’re making it for a pitcher of that age, you’re building in the Tommy John surgery, all the other major surgeries, hoping you get a championship or two in the meantime. That’s just a huge commitment to lay out right there.”
Tarik Skubal Wouldn’t Be a David Stearns Move
Since joining the Dodgers after a midseason trade, Skubal has a record of 2-2 with an ERA of 2.93 and 48 strikeouts in seven appearances, per StatMuse. Furthermore, SNY’s Chelsea Janes was recently 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 Get $50 Million Free Agent Verdict on Dodgers’ Tarik Skubal