The New York Mets missed the postseason by just one game — but they had every opportunity to make it. Instead, they suffered one of the worst collapses in recent MLB history. What began as a promising season quickly turned into what some have called a complete disintegration.
“The New York Mets, losers of six straight, are down 6-0 and facing Jacob deGrom. Since starting 45-24 and owning the best record in MLB, the Mets are 31-47, better than only the Rockies, Twins and Nationals. This isn’t a collapse. It’s a disintegration,” Jeff Passan posted.
The Mets’ biggest issue throughout the season was the inconsistency of their starting rotation. A shaky rotation is often disastrous for a clubhouse — and it was clearly the case for New York. Now, with the offseason underway, the top priority is to revamp that unit.
“As the Mets embark on an offseason that could include some needed shakeups, it can be argued that the most important thing they have to do is reshape the starting rotation. It was the rotation more than anything else that resulted in the Mets going from 45-24 in June to out of the playoffs on the final day of the regular season,” SNY’s Danny Abriano wrote.
According to predictions, the Mets could go all-in on acquiring Framber Valdez and Joe Ryan.
“In the final two months of the regular season, New York Mets starting pitchers had a 5.65 ERA (27th in MLB). Steve Cohen and David Stearns will address that, just in different ways. For Cohen, it will be allowing Pete Alonso to depart in MLB free agency and then winning the bidding war for Framber Valdez. The Mets’ president of baseball operations won’t stop there. Stearns will also pursue multiple starters on the trade market. In January, though, a deal will ultimately come together with the Minnesota Twins to add Joe Ryan,” Sportsnaut’s Matt Johnson wrote.
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If the Mets manage to land both Valdez and Ryan, it would be a massive upgrade for one of the league’s most underperforming rotations. Valdez brings playoff experience, while Ryan is a young flamethrower with high upside.
Even securing just one of the two would be a major win. If forced to choose, Valdez would likely be the preferred target, especially given his track record in October. But with owner Steve Cohen’s aggressive approach, Mets fans can expect fireworks this winter.
