Insider: "Have A Hard Time Believing" Mets Won't Nab One Of These 3 Free Agents

If the season started tomorrow, the New York Mets would have a hard time cobbling together a starting rotation after Max Scherzer. Their Nos. 1-A, 3, and 4 starters are all free agents. But according to MLB Insider Jon Morosi, owner Steve Cohen and GM Billy Eppler will almost certainly take care of that on the free agent market. 

I think the Mets are a really interesting team to watch right now because I have a hard time believing that the Mets do not come away with one of (Carlos) Rodón, (Justin) Verlander, (Jacob) deGrom. When you look at their rotation right now, Chris Bassitt is a free agent, Taijuan Walker is a free agent and deGrom is of course as well. 

"They need help in that area," Morosi continued. "They really need to fortify their group of starting pitchers... (to)... compete in a division that includes the last two National League champs."

With three big holes to fill, the Mets are dead set on adding one of the Big Three of free agency in the starter's market. Their priority, of course, is their own man, deGrom.

Things have been looking up on that front, as the two biggest threats to steal deGrom from the Mets might not be as hot on his trail according to the latest reports: The Texas Rangers are said to be focused on Rodon, while the Braves are reportedly "highly unlikely" to sign him according to Ken Rosenthal in The Athletic. 

The Mets have spoken with Justin Verlander, per @Ken_Rosenthal pic.twitter.com/qpSvMw1qN4

— B/R Walk-Off (@BRWalkoff) November 20, 2022

Rosenthal also noted recently that the Mets have spoken with Verlander, as their backup plan if deGrom were to go elsewhere. They're both likely looking for similar contract lengths and dollar values. 

Rodon is simply a fallback plan for the Mets, and more unlikely, as they'd have to surrender their second- and fifth-highest picks in the 2023 Draft and $1M from their international bonus pool since Rodon was given a qualifying offer by the San Francisco Giants. 

Photo: Sam Navarro-USA TODAY Sports