Official offers to be made this week to Juan Soto

Also - why David Peterson is one of the most critical Mets going into 2025

What’s Up with the Mets? 🍎

• The Mets signed catcher Jakson Reetz to a minor league deal with an invitation to Major League spring training over the weekend

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The Juan Soto Sweepstakes ♨️

NY Post

• Teams are expected to submit initial offers for Juan Soto this week (ESPN) -Nov. 24

• There could be 5-6 teams in the running for Juan Soto, with the Mets and Yankees likely remaining the favorites (New York Post) - Nov. 21

• The Royals and Rays are among other teams to have, “checked in” on Soto (New York Post) - Nov. 21

• Red Sox CEO Sam Kennedy confirmed that his team are firmly in the Juan Soto sweepstakes, making clear that the Sox have “a sense of extreme urgency internally” to be competitive in 2025 (SNY) - Nov. 20

• Yankees owner Hal Steinbrenner revealed that he had a “very honest” meeting with Juan Soto, but has “no idea” if the superstar will return to the Bronx (NY Post) - Nov. 20

• Juan Soto ending up with the Mets this winter is seen as the “most likely scenario” according to one prominent insider (Athletic) - Nov. 19

• The Dodgers reportedly met with Juan Soto on Tuesday (MLB.com) – Nov. 19

• The Phillies haven’t met with Juan Soto yet, but they plan to (New York Post) – Nov. 19

• The Mets are willing to bid $50 million over whoever is the highest bidder for Juan Soto (YES Network) – Nov. 18

• The Yankees met with Scott Boras and Juan Soto on Monday, and now the Dodgers are expected to meet with him (New York Post) – Nov. 18

• Mets owner Steve Cohen, president of baseball operations David Stearns, and manager Carlos Mendoza met with Scott Boras and Juan Soto on Saturday in Newport Beach, CA (New York Post) – Nov. 16

  • The Mets came away “hopeful” and perhaps “optimistic” of their chances of being able to sign Soto

  • They remain viewed as one of the favorites to sign Soto, as the meeting went very well

• Someone would have to blow Juan Soto away with an offer to pry him from the Yankees, who could sign before the Winter Meetings (SNY) – Nov. 12

• Francisco Lindor has taken a role in the club’s pursuit of free agent superstar Juan Soto (ESPN) – Nov. 12

• Soto is eying a $700 million contract in free agency (New York Post) – Oct. 31

• After the Yankees lost Game 5 of the World Series, Soto told reporters all 30 clubs will be in play for his free agency this winter (watch) – Oct. 30

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Rumor Mill 💨

• The Orioles are in search of catching help (MLB Network Radio)

• Boston is considering moving all-star third baseman Rafael Devers across the diamond to first (MassLive)

• The Yankees and RHP Walker Buehler have mutual interest (MLB Network)

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The importance of David Peterson in what is currently a thin rotation… ✍️

Matt Kartozian-Imagn Images

At this point in the winter, we know the Mets front office obviously has a lot of balls in the air, and the Mets team currently listed on Fangraphs Roster Resource will not be the one taking the field on Opening Day in Houston.

New York is clearly hellbent on adding superstar slugger Juan Soto to its outfield and lineup, and determining whether or not Pete Alonso is coming back to play first base is also right up at the top of the team’s agenda.

But the area of the roster I’d say is in need of the most attention is the starting rotation.

After a tumultuous start to the 2024 season, the unit rebounded to become the team’s greatest strength for the Mets during the second half of the season, down the stretch, and into October. But with three critical pitchers from last season’s team—Sean Manaea, Luis Severino, and Jose Quintana—all currently free agents, turnover could be coming.

The Mets have been linked to nearly every available impact starting pitcher this winter, with names like Garrett Crochet, Corbin Burnes, Blake Snell, Max Fried—as well as the team’s own three free agents—thought of as possibilities.

But for now, at least, let’s talk about someone we know is going to be here.

The turnaround of both the Mets’ starting rotation and the team as a whole last season can also be directly tied to the return of lefty David Peterson.

New York used the 20th overall pick in the 2017 draft to take Peterson, who at the time was viewed as a polished college pitcher coming out of the University of Oregon.

Unfortunately, the early part of his professional career did not exactly go to plan.

Between 2020-2023, Peterson took the mound for the Mets 80 times and pitched to a 4.51 ERA across 333 innings. He then needed offseason hip surgery, and when the 2024 season kicked off, he was almost an afterthought. The idea of Peterson developing into a long-term rotation stalwart in Queens seemed like a pipe dream.

But that all changed as soon as he returned in May. You could tell immediately this was a different pitcher, and for more than four months he was a consistent force for this staff every fifth day and one of the best pitchers in the sport during that time as well.

In 21 regular season starts, he worked to a 2.90 ERA in 121 innings, while winning 10 games and delivering easily the best BB/9 ratio of his career. Peterson became one of the Mets’ most reliable pitchers in the middle of a heated pennant race, and once the club reached October, he was used as a multi-inning weapon coming out of the bullpen.

The entire year was a welcome development for both Peterson’s career and the Mets roster as a whole, and has dramatically raised expectations for what he can accomplish in 2025 and beyond.

Heading into next season, he has a secure hold on a rotation slot, and his objective from day one in spring training will be proving he is the pitcher he showed in 2024, not the one he was in the four years prior.

Depending on what moves the Mets make over the next few weeks and months, Peterson could be slotted anywhere from the top to the bottom of the starting five. Regardless of where he falls, Peterson will be striving to build on his success and make 30 starts for the first time in his career.

How well he’s able to prove last season wasn’t a fluke will likely go a long way towards determining how successful the Mets rotation as a whole can be.

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Around the League 🚩

• The Twins signed RHP Alex Speas to a minor league contract (Star Tribune)

• Seattle signed former Mets reliever Adonis Medina to a minor league deal (Baseball America)

• The Reds have hired Mike Napoli for a currently unspecified role (WEEI)