Key Takeaways
- • According to The Athletic's Jim Bowden, Tarik Skubal is the No. 1 offseason priority for Mets owner Steve Cohen.
- • Bowden cited Cohen's earlier $325 million offer to Yoshinobu Yamamoto, which the Los Angeles Dodgers matched.
- • The Mets' starting pitchers posted a 4.47 ERA last season, a major reason the team fell short of expectations.
- • Freddy Peralta, acquired from the Milwaukee Brewers, struggled and was traded at the deadline, leaving the rotation need unresolved.
- • Michael King is the other marquee starter on the market, but the gap between him and Skubal is described as large.
Summary
The New York Mets have several offseason needs, and starting pitching ranks near the top. Jim Bowden of The Athletic said on CBS Sports on Wednesday that Skubal is the top priority for owner Steve Cohen. Bowden noted that Cohen offered Yoshinobu Yamamoto $325 million before the Dodgers matched that offer. The article describes Skubal as the best free agent available this offseason, expected to sign a record-breaking contract, possibly before the lockout. It says the Mets are among the few clubs able to afford him and that the franchise has a long record of spending heavily.
The need is pressing. The Mets' starters posted a 4.47 ERA last season, and the front office had hoped Freddy Peralta would become the ace after the club acquired him from Milwaukee. Peralta struggled and was traded at the trade deadline, leaving a gap in the rotation.
The remaining market is thinner. Michael King is the other marquee pitcher available, but the article says he is well behind Skubal. The article adds that Skubal alone would not fix the rotation, though pairing him with Nolan McLean would create an elite one-two combination.
The need is pressing. The Mets' starters posted a 4.47 ERA last season, and the front office had hoped Freddy Peralta would become the ace after the club acquired him from Milwaukee. Peralta struggled and was traded at the trade deadline, leaving a gap in the rotation.
The remaining market is thinner. Michael King is the other marquee pitcher available, but the article says he is well behind Skubal. The article adds that Skubal alone would not fix the rotation, though pairing him with Nolan McLean would create an elite one-two combination.
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