Three free agents who can add power for the Mets

Its unclear if the Mets will add another big piece, but they could use help in one lineup spot

What’s up with the Mets? 🍎

• The Mets haven’t expressed any recent interest in free agent OF Austin Hays (MLB.com)

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Rumor Mill 💨

• The Orioles, Tigers, D-backs, Padres, Braves, Cubs, and Yankees are among a slew of teams still interested in adding starting pitching (NY Post)

• The Braves are showing an interest in RHP Lucas Giolito and Chris Bassitt (NY Post)

• Free agent RHP Zac Gallen is drawing interest from the likes of the Cubs, the Orioles, and the Diamondbacks (NY Post)

• The Yankees have expressed a desire for a reunion with free agent 1B Paul Goldschmidt (YES Network)

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What I’m Reading 📰

• Can the new-look Mets defy decades of Hot Stove history? (The Ringer)

• Are the Mets done making big moves this offseason? (MLB.com)

• Following an offseason makeover, Mets manager Carlos Mendoza faces his biggest challenge yet (NY Post)

• Some Mets prospects not in ESPN’s Top 100 Prospects list could still make an impact in 2026 (ESPN)

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What I’m Watching 📺

• RHP Freddy Peralta recently discussed his pitch evolution and why he always felt like he would end up with the Mets (YouTube)

• Former Mets front office executive Elizabeth Benn says fans shouldn’t sleep on RHP Christian Scott heading into the 2026 season (SNY)

• Former GM Jim Duquette believes a four-year extension with a $28-30 million AVV could be a comfortable range for the Mets and Peralta (SNY)

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Are the Mets in need of some more power? ✍️

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The Mets have retooled their roster in a major way this offseason, but is there still more work to be done when it comes to adding power?

Not only did the Mets lose a franchise icon and fan favorite in Pete Alonso, but they also lost one of the best sluggers in the game. Alonso was good for at least 35 homers every year, while he also excelled at putting the ball in play and driving in runs at a high clip.

Now, granted, Jorge Polanco will be expected to replace some of that power, although he has only hit more than 20 home runs in a season once in the last four seasons, blasting 26 homers last year for the Mariners. Bo Bichette will add a different dimension to the lineup with elite contact skills and an ability to not strike out a whole lot, but he’s not exactly known for putting up huge power numbers. And, as has been discussed widely already, Marcus Semien has shown a lot of regression at the plate, so it is probably unwise to expect major production from the veteran in terms of home runs. Luis Robert Jr. could be the wildcard in the power department if he can get back to being the offensive player he was in 2023.

In other words, the Mets are looking to replace and augment the power lost by Alonso from multiple new players.

When you also consider that the Mets struggled to get much production from the designated hitter position in 2025 (they ranked 14th in SLG (.428) and 17th in home runs (23) from the DH spot), then there is a compelling argument to be made that adding a slugger to the heart of the lineup would be hugely beneficial.

So, what are the options out there?

While President of Baseball Operations David Stearns has made it clear that he would upgrade the roster if an opportunity presented itself, I’m not convinced the front office would be willing to trade for a power hitter given the prospect capital they had to part with in the Freddy Peralta trade.

Options look limited in the free agency pool too.

Eugenio Suárez is the standout name given his credentials when it comes to hitting the ball out of the park. He would certainly help to replace a lot of Alonso’s power. However, after hitting 49 home runs in 2025, Suárez is no doubt looking for one last big payday at 34 years old. And, given that Bichette is pencilled in at third base already, would there be an appetite to pay Suárez huge amounts of money just to DH? Maybe if his market continues to stall, the two-time All-Star would be more willing to accept a very short-term deal, and maybe the Mets would be more comfortable with paying a high AAV over just one year, especially if they could then move Mark Vientos for another arm in the bullpen.

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More cost-effective options include old enemy Rhys Hoskins, who could split time between DH and first if the Polanco experiment at first base doesn’t work out. Like Suárez, Hoskins does strike out a lot (27.7 SO% in 2025), and he’s coming off a down year in 2025, but he has shown that he can hit for power and come up with the big hit in big moments. But that doesn’t seem like a fit for the Mets right now.

Marcell Ozuna is strictly a DH at this stage in his career, and he did blast 21 home runs with 68 RBIs for the Braves in 2025. Having hit 39 and 40 homers in 2024 and 2023, respectively, is there a world in which Ozuna could hit between 25 and 35 homers for the Mets in 2026 and really add some punch to the bottom half of the lineup? There’s off-the-field baggage with Osuna and its unclear if the Mets would want to take that on.

Then of course they can reunite with Starling Marte. Pat Ragazzo of SI said earlier this winter the two sides might be interested in such a reunion. Its not clear how much he could offer them on a regular basis or how much power he has left in his bat, but he’s still out there and they know each other.

Let’s now switch to internal options.

It is more likely that the front office will be hoping that Juan Soto and Francisco Lindor can carry the power burden, while hoping that Vientos, Francisco Álvarez, and Brett Baty can both step up in that department.

That’s a fine strategy in theory, but in reality, it has a lot of flaws.

Vientos absolutely flamed out in 2025, and we have no idea if he’s going to bounce back or not in 2026. We know Álvarez has a lot of slugging potential, but he has struggled with both health and consistency throughout his career. Baty could potentially be the answer given he broke out with 18 homers last year, but he will need some help to carry the bottom of the lineup and he has to prove he can do it for more than 3-4 months. Throw in Ronny Mauricio too as a potential wild card option if he can put everything together.

Of course, it is important to point out that Stearns has remodeled this team in his image, placing an extreme amount of importance on making contact at an elite rate and not striking out. Bichette, Polanco, and Semien all do a stellar job of grinding out at-bats, making the pitcher work, not making easy outs, and not striking out a ton.

However, they also need power and home runs to win baseball games at times.

Given that the Mets now look like a team that can make some noise in 2026 (we are all rightfully worried about that a few weeks ago), it would arguably behoove them to add some more home runs and power to that lineup, even if it comes with some strikeouts. That’s a luxury this team can now afford given how many contact hitters have been added.

Again, you need a little bit of every ingredient in order to be successful in baseball, and a slugger who can hit the ball out of the park at a consistent clip could help to raise the ceiling even higher in 2026.

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Around the League 🚩

• Blue Jays 1B Vladimir Guerrero Jr. was named to the Dominican Republic team for the upcoming WBC (MLB)

• The Yankees traded for RHP Angel Chivilli from the Rockies in exchange for minor league INF T.J. Rumfield (MLB.com)

• The Twins traded INF Edouard Julien and RHP Pierson Ohl to the Rockies for RHP Jace Kaminska (MLB)

• The Brewers have signed C Reese McGuire to a minor league deal with an invite to spring training (Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel)