Mets like Tarik Skubal, and there's only one untouchable

But, should the Mets even consider trading what it would take to get Skubal right now?

What’s up with the Mets? 🍎

• RHP Nolan McLean is the only untouchable in any potential Tarik Skubal trade (NY Post)

• The Mets have checked in on the availability of OF Luis Robert Jr. with the White Sox (NY Post)

• The team’s roster issues go far beyond the vacancy at first base (MLB.com)

• 1B Pete Alonso said his goodbyes to Mets fans (Instagram)

• Alonso’s wife Haley also wrote a goodbye to New York (Instagram)

• For better or worse, this is now David Stearns’s team and he is shaping the team how he wants (Newsday)

• After the mass exodus out of Queens, perhaps the Mets are no longer an attractive destination for free agents (Newsday)

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How can David Stearns fix this mess so quickly? ✍️

It’s amazing just how the Mets got to this point with beloved stars walking out the door. I never would’ve thought it this way just this past Monday. This time last year, Mets fans were riding high coming off a trip to the NLCS, and with the signing of Juan Soto, the future seemed brighter than ever.

Now, fast forward a year later, and morale is worse than ever.

The team underperformed, Pete Alonso, Brandon Nimmo, and Edwin Díaz are now all gone, and potentially more can join them depending on what Stearns decides to do the rest of the offseason. Could Francisco Lindor be next? Why wouldn’t that be on the table considering how Stearns has gutted the three other members of their core group? Jeff McNeil’s name has already floated around the rumor mill, so why stop there at this point? There’s no question this front office is listening to everything at this point, unemotionally and transactionally.

Owner Steve Cohen has told the fans the goal is to still put a playoff-caliber team on the field. Stearns has done the same as recently as Tuesday night from the Winter Meetings in Orlando. Unless they’re straight up gaslighting the fanbase, which, granted, is not out of the question, Stearns has his work cut out for him to live up to those promises. An almost impossible amount of work to accomplish in the 60 days before the doors open to the clubhouse in Port St. Lucie.

If you go by fWAR alone, the Mets are five wins above replacement worse right now than they were just 2 1/2 months ago.

At this point, why would the Mets sign Cody Bellinger? The argument against signing Alonso was that the contract was going to age badly, so it would be a slap in the face to fans to sign someone else whose contract is going to age badly, and for other reasons as well. If you are going to do that, then just bring back the fan favorite! Luis Robert Jr. is also not the answer. OF Kyle Tucker would be the ideal signing to fill out the outfield, and it would certainly go a long way in getting the fanbase back on board that this front office is serious about winning in 2026, but that’s just one of so many parts the Mets need to rebuild this thing to win in 2026.

They need high-end parts for their rotation. They need high leverage relievers for their bullpen. They need depth, they need another outfielder, and they need the players who stunk last year to be better. Going all in and trading for Tarik Skubal would be a Juan Soto-sized move that would instantly make the team better, but they would need to trade and sign like they did with Lindor, which doesn’t seem likely given Skubal is the best pitcher in baseball right now and he, like so many others before him, will probably bet on himself in 2026 and try and bank it all a year from now.

As such, if they were to get Skubal and he walks at the end of the season, all the work in building up the minors would be for nothing, so they might as well just wait until he becomes a free agent and just throw the bank at him. That at least would only cost cash and draft picks.

Maybe they can sign Michael King? They’ve been connected to him this winter and he fits the criteria as a short-term deal arm, albeit with some injury concerns. Of course, are they willing to sign him? So far, no evidence of that.

To be fair, Cohen was right when he said there is still a lot of offseason left, and perhaps Stearns still has a few tricks up his sleeve. However, if Mark Vientos is the team’s Opening Day first baseman, Stearns will have lost all credibility when, at the end of the season, he cited defense as one of the areas he wanted to improve.

For now, there is nothing left to do but wait and hope the outlook on the team improves before Opening Day.

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Around the League 🚩

• Former Padres closer Robert Suarez signed a 3-year deal worth $45 million with the Braves (ESPN)

• OF Akil Baddoo signed a minor league contract with the Brewers (Athletic)

• The Cubs signed LHP reliever Hoby Milner to a one year deal (MLB.com)

• OF Fernando Tatis Jr. is not available in trade talks according to San Diego president of baseball operations AJ Preller (San Diego Tribune)