"While it's no secret that addressing the top of the rotation is a priority for the Mets this winter, Will Sammon of The Athletic reports that the Mets are hesitant to make long-term offers to the top starters available in free agency this winter. Sammon adds that each of Framber Valdez, Tatsuya Imai, and Ranger Suarez would "hold some appeal" to the Mets on shorter-term deals."
"At this point, it seems unlikely any of those pitchers will need to settle for something short-term. MLBTR predicted both Valdez and Imai to land six-year deals worth $150MM in free agency this winter as the offseason's #6 and #7 free agents. Meanwhile, Suarez clocked in at #10 on MLBTR's Top 50 MLB Free Agents list and was predicted for a five-year deal worth $115MM."
"Of course, free agency can be unpredictable. While the trend of short-term deals with opt outs have been more common for position players (Carlos Correa, Cody Bellinger, Matt Chapman, Pete Alonso) than pitchers in recent years, a few hurlers have found an unexpectedly soft market as well. Jack Flaherty was widely expected to land a long-term deal in free agency last offseason but ended up signing for just two years with the Tigers."
The Mets are hesitant to commit to long-term contracts for top available starting pitchers and are considering shorter-term deals for Framber Valdez, Tatsuya Imai, and Ranger Suarez. Market projections foresee sizable multiyear contracts for those pitchers, with MLBTR projecting six-year, $150MM deals for Valdez and Imai and a five-year, $115MM projection for Suarez. Dylan Cease received a seven-year, $210MM guarantee from the Blue Jays, exceeding projections though including deferred money that reduces present value. Tatsuya Imai's youth could increase his long-term appeal. Recent free-agent unpredictability has led some expected long-term pitching targets to sign shorter deals.
Read at MLB Trade Rumors
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