The New York Mets have good reason to be wary of signing veteran pitchers to major contracts after adding both Max Scherzer and Justin Verlander proved to be a major misstep last season.
But, Zachary Rymer of Bleacher Report doesn’t expect that history to deter them from signing former Cy Young Award winner Corbin Burnes this winter, ranking the Mets as the top landing spot for the ace as he predicts Burnes will earn an eight-year, $288 million deal.
“It’s worth reiterating that all we’re doing here is speculating, but the thing about the Mets is that they check every box as a prospective suitor for Burnes,” Rymer wrote. “And (owner) Steve Cohen has proved to be just fine with payrolls worthy of New York. For the last three years, the Mets have ranked second, first, and first with their Opening Day payrolls. The total sum for all three is over $920 million.”
Cohen’s willingness to spend in the past and his outspoken desire to compete for the World Series in 2025 suggest the team will be in on every high-impact free agent in the offseason, including Juan Soto. And some history between Burnes and Mets President of Baseball Operations David Stearns, who ran the front office in Milwaukee while Burnes was on the Brewers, might help close a deal.
The Mets have as much as $175 million potentially coming off the books for next season, which could be enough for Stearns to retool around several marquee signings. Fans would certainly like to believe that could mean both Soto and Burnes — likely to be the most coveted slugger and hurler on the market, respectively — come to Queens. But adding either for 2025 should be enough to get excited about.
“Of course, it’s Juan Soto who figures to be the Met’s top target in free agency,” Rymer concluded. “But if they miss out on him, Burnes would be a heck of a consolation prize.”
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