New York Mets fans will be expecting the front office to be very busy this offseason to correct the mistakes from a year ago. This time, the Mets really need to win one of the top free-agent pursuits of the offseason.
After seeing the Los Angeles Dodgers sign both Kyle Tucker and Edwin Diaz last winter, the Mets have a real chance to beat the Dodgers this offseason, as Tarik Skubal is set to be the premier free-agent target this winter.
But beating the Dodgers in Skubal’s sweepstakes won’t be easy. However, ESPN’s Kiley McDaniel revealed that the Mets might actually have the advantage over the Dodgers to land Skubal this upcoming offseason.
How Mets can beat out Dodgers in Tarik Skubal sweepstakes
“Most insiders project the Dodgers and Mets to be serious bidders, but there is some hesitation surrounding the Dodgers given the controversy around the team’s ownership,” McDaniel writes.
These off-field issues for the Dodgers, combined with their already egregious payroll, could open the door to the Mets landing Skubal in free agency this offseason.
A deal for Skubal is likely to be worth north of $325 million in total. He could potentially get upwards of 10 years and $400 million, which would be a lot to hand to one player, let alone a starting pitcher.
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But the Mets have shown a willingness to spend a lot on premier players when they become available, signing Juan Soto to a record-breaking deal.
With some promising young and cheap rookies thriving for the Mets, and some payroll getting freed up this offseason, a fortune on Skubal wouldn’t be the worst idea.
Of course, the issue from last winter, where the Mets weren’t willing to sign such long-term deals, could make signing Skubal a bit more of a challenge.
But if there was ever a player to break that trend, it would be Skubal. With the Dodgers’ uncertain ownership structure, there’s a pathway for the Mets to be the winners of the Skubal sweepstakes this upcoming free agency.
