Here is a sentence that has not been used frequently this offseason:
It was in this area that Steve Cohen saved money.
Jacob deGrom, Taijuan Walker, and Chris Bassitt left the Mets rotation for a total of $320 million, while Justin Verlander, Kodai Senga, and Jose Quintana entered for $187.7 million.
This $132,3 million disparity is not precisely in line with the Wilpon agenda, given that, among other things, Cohen allowed spending more than that to retain Brandon Nimmo ($162 million).
However, the Mets’ beginning pitching was a strength last season. Even with deGrom limited to 11 regular-season starts, the rotation led Major League Baseball with a 25.5 strikeout % and was eighth in Fangraphs Wins Above Replacement (15.9).
Obviously, the substitutes are not bargain-basement players. Verlander won the AL Cy Young and ranked third in WAR, Quintana ranked twenty-first in WAR and tossed five and one-third scoreless innings against the Phillies in the Cardinals’ playoff opener, and Senga is a five-time Japan Series champion with an ERA of 1.72 in 2022.
DeGrom (Rangers), Walker (Phillies), and Bassitt (Blue Jays) signed collectively for 12 years with an average annual worth of $26.67 million, compared to the Mets’ nine years with Verlander, Senga, and Quintana at an average annual value of $20.86 million.
DeGrom will pitch alongside Nathan Eovaldi, Jon Gray, Andrew Heaney, and Martin Perez in the revamped Texas rotation. Walker joins the elite Philly trio of Aaron Nola, Ranger Suarez, and Zack Wheeler, as well as potential phenom Andrew Painter, who won’t turn 20 until April 10, but will be given an opportunity to enter the National League champion’s rotation. Bassitt joins the outstanding tandem of Kevin Gausman and Alek Manoah in Toronto, where the Blue Jays hope for bounce-back seasons from Jose Berrios, Yusei Kikuchi, and Hyun Jin Ryu following Tommy John surgery.
The Mets should remain formidable with Verlander, Max Scherzer, Quintana, Senga, and Carlos Carrasco, as well as Tylor Megill and David Peterson as insurance.
Throughout the season, I will compare the performance of Verlander, Senga, and Quintana to that of deGrom, Walker, and Bassitt. It is part of an annual game I invent to liven up the season during which I organize tracking tournaments. This year, they consist of:
Brandon Nimmo vs. Carlos Rodon
Why use an outfielder instead of a pitcher? Follow the cash flow. New York teams promised $162 million for both players. Both clients of Scott Boras earned those monies after their healthiest and most productive seasons in injury-plagued careers.
You may persuade me that both players are just beginning amazing runs that will contribute to the Mets’ and Yankees’ respective titles. And you can persuade me that Nimmo is the free agent version of Jacoby Ellsbury and Rodon is the free agent version of Mike Hampton.
The Cubs, Giants, and Twins all wish it were 2019, when this trio combined for 102 home runs, a.276 batting average, a.956 OPS, and 15.4 wins above replacement. Conforto did not play in 2022 due to a shoulder injury, while Bellinger and Gallo combined for 38 home runs, a.190 average, a.648 OPS, and 2.3 WAR. Bellinger and Gallo finished last season as Dodgers colleagues, combining for two starts (both by Bellinger) in a four-game loss to the Padres in the Division Series.
Bellinger, meanwhile, is only 27, while Conforto and Gallo are both 29. They are all left-handed hitters. (At their best) everyone was well-rounded. That they will continue to receive opportunities is not surprising. Conforto inked a two-year, $36 million contract with the Giants, with a one-year opt-out. Bellinger inked a one-year, $17.5 million contract with the Cubs in the hopes that he will at least be the dominant center-field platoon member. Gallo inked a one-year contract with the Twins worth $11 million.
However, the Dodgers did not lose up on previous lefty-swinging outfielders with a well-rounded skill set who had fallen hard. Jason Heyward was signed to a minor league contract. After releasing Heyward in 2023, the Cubs will be responsible for all but the minimum salary of the $22 million owed to him.
Trea Turner vs. Xander Bogaerts vs. Carlos Correa vs. Dansby Swanson
Perhaps we should be comparing Correa’s RBIs to his MRIs. After far larger free-agent deals fell through, first with the Giants and then with the Mets, due to worries about his lower right leg coming from a 2014 fibula injury, Correa’s health will be the subject of considerable scrutiny.
Correa was also a member of what was considered to be the strongest free-agent shortstop class in history last winter, among Marcus Semien, Trevor Story, Javier Baez, and Corey Seager. Baez and Story have been failures for the Tigers and the Red Sox, respectively, thus far. Therefore, these items can perish rapidly.
If Correa had signed with the Giants or Mets, the combined price tag for him, Turner, Bogaerts, and Swanson would have exceeded $1 billion. Still, it will take 35 years and cost $957 million. This has the potential to result in several regrets. For instance, will the Giants and Mets receive them for not ignoring Correa’s medical concerns, or will the Twins receive them for bringing him back? What about the Phillies’ contracts with Turner (11 years, $300 million), Bogaerts (11 years, $285 million), and Swanson (seven years, $177 million)? Are these rewards bonanzas or duds?
A brief reminder that Ohtani placed second for AL MVP and fourth for the Cy Young last year. He had a comparable hitting season to Manny Machado and a comparable pitching season to Aaron Nola and Julio Urias. Next offseason, Machado (if he opts out of his Padres contract) is projected to be the best position player available in free agency, Nola and Urias are projected to be the best pitchers, and Ohtani is projected to earn approximately $500 million if hitting, pitching, and marketing are taken into account.
No player has superior abilities or narratives. Will the Angels contend with Ohtani, Mike Trout, and Anthony Rendon, or not? And if not, will Ohtani be one of the greatest prizes in the history of trade deadlines? And regardless of the circumstances, will he continue to pursue the largest contract ever? Will he remain healthy and distinctive enough to bat and pitch at the top of the sport for a third consecutive year? Last year, the same individual qualified for the ERA and hitting titles with a 2.33 ERA and.875 OPS.
How will an encore appear?
»Mets’ pitching changes are among the MLB player contests to follow in 2023«