Mets changing course on 2024 season?

The Mets may not experience a setback in 2024 as anticipated by many. Following a disappointing 75-87 season and a trade-deadline fire sale, speculations arose that the team would embark on a rebuilding phase this offseason. Former Mets ace Max Scherzer disclosed in August that the team, under then-GM Billy Eppler, had communicated a strategy of not signing top-tier free agents, considering 2024 as a "transitory year."

Rather than assembling a win-now team for the upcoming season, owner Steve Cohen and his team purportedly aimed to field a competitive squad with a focus on making a stronger push in 2025 and beyond.

Early moves in free agency suggest the Mets are adhering to this plan. They recently signed former Yankee Luis Severino and versatile infielder Joey Wendle, both lower-tier free agents coming off career-worst seasons. However, reports indicate more significant acquisitions are on the horizon.

The Mets are reportedly intensifying efforts to secure Japanese star pitchers Yoshinobu Yamamoto and Shota Imanaga, among other high-profile free agents.

According to a baseball executive, "They're not messing around. I don't think they have the stomach for a year or two to get the ship turned around."

With co-aces Justin Verlander and Scherzer departing midseason, the team's rotation faces challenges, relying heavily on rookie sensation Kodai Senga. Adding Yamamoto and Imanaga, two standout starters from Nippon Professional Baseball, would substantially strengthen the rotation, albeit at a considerable cost.

Despite appearing poised to spend significantly in free agency, the Mets seem to have learned from past experiences under Cohen's leadership. With David Stearns now in the role of president of baseball operations, the team aims to make judicious acquisitions that contribute to sustained success, avoiding reckless signings for short-term gains.

An agent who spoke with Stearns revealed, "The priority explained to us was they are going to try to win as many games as possible [in 2024] without impacting the long-term goal of being a sustained championship contender."

While the era of unlimited spending may be over, the Mets are expected to actively participate in the free-agent market in the coming weeks, signaling a strategic and measured approach to building a competitive team.