BREAKING: Former Yankees Starter with Two World Series Rings Signs Elsewhere, Mets Left Empty-Handed
On Tuesday, Nathan Eovaldi, a starter the Mets were reportedly interested in, signed a three-year, $75 million deal to rejoin the Texas Rangers, as reported by Robert Murray of FanSided. Mets president of baseball operations David Stearns likely isn’t too disappointed by missing out on Eovaldi, given his approach to free-agent starters, which focuses on pitchers with potential who don’t require long-term contracts. The Rangers had prioritized re-signing Eovaldi, according to Ken Rosenthal and Will Sammon of The Athletic.
The Mets have been linked to various free agents this offseason, aiming to sign pitchers who are undervalued but have something to prove. One such pitcher is Walker Buehler, who had a 5.38 ERA with the Los Angeles Dodgers before the playoffs but pitched 10 scoreless innings in his final three postseason appearances. Buehler is expected to receive a short-term deal, similar to the two-year, $32 million contract the Mets gave Sean Manaea last offseason.
The Mets are also interested in retaining Manaea, but that could be risky as he’s projected to receive a four-year deal worth $76 million, according to The Athletic. Other pitchers the Mets are considering include Eovaldi, Nick Pivetta, and Jack Flaherty.
In addition to free agents, the Mets have made a pitch to Japanese sensation Rōki Sasaki, who was posted to MLB teams on Monday. Sasaki is an international amateur free agent, meaning he’s subject to international bonus pool money restrictions and will have six years of club control. As a result, he can choose his destination, putting big-market teams at a disadvantage.
Regardless of what happens in free agency, Stearns believes the Mets have enough talent to fill out a six-man rotation, with former Yankees reliever Clay Holmes potentially transitioning to a starter role for the team.