Mets get the 19th pick in the 2024 draft, plus smaller moves round out day 2 in Nashville

The Mets made moves for depth and the back of the roster on day 2 of the winter meetings as the top of the free agent market remains frozen

What’s Up with the Mets? 🍎

• The Mets did not win a top pick in the 2024 amateur draft, instead being pushed to the 19th selection thanks to being penalized for exceeding the top CBT threshold

• The Mets agreed to sign RHP Michael Tonkin to a one-year, split contract (MLB.com)

• The Mets signed INF José Iglesias to a minor league contract with an invite to big league spring training

• New York was never viewed as a realistic possibility for Shohei Ohtani (New York Post)

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What did David Stearns say on Tuesday? 🎤

• As the Mets continue to seriously pursue Yoshinobu Yamamoto, David Stearns downplayed the club’s need for a top of the rotation presence, telling reporters on Tuesday, “I don’t think we’re setting any definitive number of pitchers we need or anything like that and I don’t necessarily think that has to be the frontline guy.”

• Stearns also downplayed the need for swing-and-miss arms for the bullpen, saying, ““Velocity is not the entire package there…there are plenty of guys throwing in the 80s doing a good job out of bullpens these days.”

• Stearns recognizes an immediate need to add starting pitching, but doesn’t necessarily believe that always starts with having “horses” at the top of the rotation

• Right now, Stearns continues to view Tylor Megill as a starting pitcher, and not an option for the bullpen

• Stearns continues to value run prevention and defense in their philosophical approach and acquisitions he is trying trying to make

• The Mets want to continue to learn about their internal options, specifically at third base and not necessarily block a path and opportunity for them to be successful at the major league level

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Rumor Mill 💨

• The Mets - and other clubs - are showing interest in signing RHP Lucas Giolito (MLB Network)

• David Stearns like’s Matt Chapman, but seems unwilling to block in-house players from an opportunity at third base (New York Post)

• Yoshinobu Yamamoto’s price tag might reach $300 million (Athletic)

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Sifting through David Stearns’ words… ✍️

David Stearns said a lot of different things on Tuesday between his appearance on SNY as well as his scrum with reporters. He spoke a lot about the pitching in particular, doing a fairly good job of downplaying the needs in the rotation although we all know they have a lot of short and long-term needs there.

He also downplayed the need for swing-and-miss relievers behind Edwin Díaz, but it’s fair to conclude that not only do the Mets need actual people to pitch in the bullpen, but in order to shorten the game effectively, specifically in the eighth inning, they’ll need pitchers who can miss bats routinely.

He also said definitively the Mets would like to add a bat. This was probably the clearest message Stearns gave in his appearances on Tuesday. He isn’t sure yet if that is going to come in the form of an outfielder, a straight-up designated hitter, or in the form of both as in procuring two bats. It doesn’t sound as though that part of the market has developed to a point he feels a need to strike, which is fine considering they easily need five major league pitchers between the rotation and bullpen and that’s where the market is at least percolating.

I did find it interesting that Stearns reiterated the club’s commitment to going with internal options at third base in 2024. He seems committed to affording the likes of Brett Baty, Ronny Mauricio and Mark Vientos and opportunity to take third base and run with it, which on the surface is a great idea since part of the strategy the club is trying to employ is that of controllable youth and athleticism.

Of course, the best of the three right now might be Mauricio and he hasn’t spent much time at the position, but it wouldn’t be the Mets if there wasn’t a hole at third base, am I right?

That’s not meant to be a knock on these players. Baty has struggled on both sides of the ball and I think there is a legit concern about where this is all going with him given his performance and reported concerns about his approach and mentality at the big league level. I do like Vientos’ bat and I thought he showed some strong signs in the final weeks of the season. But he is also very much an offense-first player and has shown a general ineffectiveness at each corner infield position.

And with Stearns clearly valuing defense and run prevention, it’s hard to see Vientos fitting into the equation for them.

So, the Mets at the very least need some kind of major league insurance at third. That player probably isn’t and shouldn’t be Matt Chapman. Joey Wendle is more like a middle infield utility player, and it doesn’t seem as though Jeff McNeil would be a viable everyday option there considering he will be needed at second base and the outfield.

Anyway, it’s very easy to get discouraged by what Stearns said on Tuesday. After all, it’s always easy to be negative first and want people to prove us wrong. But part of his job through the media to level set expectations and not commit to one thing or another. But the Mets are still very much in on Yoshinobu Yamamoto, Blake Snell could be a fall back (although it’s very hard for me to see the Mets having an appetite to give up a pick here, but we will see), and those are two indisputably good pitchers to have as a Plan A and B.

The issue for the Mets with Yamamoto is the competition is steep among big market clubs, and seemingly all of their primary competition wants him as bad as they do. That stands to reason - he’s young, he’s been dominant in his league, and every club has a point of attraction to try and entice Yamamoto to join them (including the Mets).

But even as the Mets pursue these top shelf starters, Stearns had to basically remind the audience that free agency is never a slam dunk, especially with so much competition in what is a very narrow marketplace given the number of top-of-rotation options.

The question of course is, what would they do if Yamamoto and Snell go elsewhere?

Well, this is where Stearns’ warning, or rather, messaging comes into play. He said yesterday there are different ways to build a good rotation. That way could then include someone like Jordan Montgomery who isn’t a swing-and-miss pitcher and probably isn’t the ace either Yamamoto or Snell project to be, but he’s a solid and underrated veteran who would certainly make the Mets rotation better in that ‘different way’ Stearns was describing.

Would they be as good with Montgomery over Yamamoto or Snell? I’d be lying if I thought that was the case. That’s just being fair to the talent.

But, they would be better than they are today if they signed Montgomery. Of course, they’d be even better if they signed Montgomery AND Yamamoto or Snell.

I suppose the point is, I don’t know where all of this is going. I don’t know if the Mets know where all of this is going, either. I’m sure that whiteboard though has 15 different roadmaps on it, and won’t get narrowed down until this marketplace begins to take shape.

There have been a lot of small-to-medium-size moves, but until the kill shot is ready to be made, that being Shohei Ohtani, I think we might have to continue to volley these ideas and rumors back and forth.

By the way, this maybe one of the quietest winter meetings in recent memory, hasn’t it? There’s almost no action, no market movement. But once Ohtani decides, things will probably get more exciting.

Stay tuned…

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Hot Stove 🔥

• The Yankees acquired OF Alex Verdugo from the Red Sox for a package of prospects (release)

• The Yankees are still interested in acquiring Juan Soto (SNY)

• The Reds have discussed a trade with the White Sox for RHP Dylan Cease (Cincinnati Enquirer)

• The Orioles are seriously pursuing RHP Craig Kimbrel (New York Post)

• The Pirates acquired LHP Marco Gonzales from the Braves in exchange for cash and a player to be named later (ESPN)

• The Marlins are looking for a shortstop this winter (MLB.com)

• The Cubs are among the many teams interested in a trade for RHP Tyler Glasnow (USA Today)

• RHP Erick Fedde and the White Sox are in agreement on a two-year, $15 million contract (ESPN)