Updated buzz on the Mets and Cody Bellinger, Michael King

Plus, the Mets can't forget to shore up a piece of the roster that helped lead to their demise in 2025

New York Post

What’s up with the Mets? 🍎

• The Mets officially announced the Jorge Polanco signing (Official Release)

• The Mets are reportedly “very in” on Cody Bellinger (MLB Network)

• The Mets are back in the Michael King sweepstakes (SNY)

---

Rumor Mill 💨

• The Diamondbacks have emerged as a new contender for Alex Bregman (MLB.com)

• The Red Sox have shown “significant interest” in Willson Contreras (NBC Sports Boston)

• There is “mutual interest” in Luke Weaver re-signing with the Yankees (The Athletic)

---

The Just Mets Podcast 🎙️

On the latest edition of the podcast, Andrew Claudio and Rich MacLeod react to Mets/Padres trade rumors heating up…

SUBSCRIBE TO THE JUST METS PODCAST: YouTube | Apple Podcasts | Spotify

---

---

Could the Mets find extra bullpen stability in a former NL East rival?✍️

Nick Turchiaro—Imagn Images

It’s been a big few days for reliever signings, and the Mets’ front office has surely noticed...right?

Yesterday, six more bullpen arms were taken off the free agent board, including familiar names like Drew Pomeranz (Angels), Jordan Romano (Angels), and Chris Martin (Rangers). Just a few days ago, we saw Kenley Jansen (Tigers), Tyler Alexander (Rangers), and Alexis Díaz (Rangers) all sign deals as well. Safe to say that particular market is moving.

Last week, I waxed poetic on former Ray Pete Fairbanks and now-Brave Robert Suárez, while also mentioning a few other names who remain available: Brad Keller and Shawn Armstrong. Per the FanGraphs 2026 Free Agent Tracker, Keller and Armstrong are two of the three best relievers remaining, with Sean Newcomb being the third.

Though the Mets’ current bullpen picture looks different depending on which site’s depth chart you’re reading, it’s clear they would benefit from at least one more rock-solid, high leverage Major League arm, if not more considering it’s Brooks Raley, Devin Williams, and AJ Minter (who won’t be ready for Opening Day, by the way), and that’s it.

The problem is that I wouldn’t necessarily characterize any of the top remaining free agent relievers as ‘rock-solid.’

Yes, Keller, Armstrong, and Newcomb all had excellent years last year, but they were also all admittedly fairly anomalous seasons in the context of their respective careers. Despite some personal-best performances, that doesn’t really scream “sure thing” out of the pen.

So, what about someone like Seranthony Domínguez?

For a free agent market full of rollercoaster relievers, the Mets could make a (relatively) low-cost, (fairly) low-risk, (potentially) high-reward move by bringing in a setup arm of his caliber.

Since entering the league in 2018, Domínguez has established himself as one of MLB’s most stable relievers. Despite a rocky 2024, he’s delivered a 3.50 ERA over 306 innings in his seven seasons of Major League work (Domínguez skipped the COVID season), with a near 28% career strikeout rate, a 3.78 FIP, and 1.21 WHIP. Primarily a fastball pitcher, he’s averaged just shy of 98 mph on his heater since 2022, which blows any current Mets reliever out of the water.

The biggest knock against Domínguez is his occasional issue with location, as indicated by a ghastly 13.8% walk rate last season. However, I attribute more of that to his tendency to play super low in the zone with his breaking pitches than I do a general lack of control: his two best pitches last season were his sweeper and his new splitter, both of which he buries in the lower corners of the box. Each pitch elicited a 49% whiff rate, mimicking one another’s vertical shape with polar opposite horizontal breaks; when deployed at roughly 87 mph apiece alongside his 98 mph fastball(s), they’re almost nightmarish.

A longtime Phillie, Domínguez is no stranger to the Mets — in fact, he’s owned them. Over 23.1 innings against New York, he’s pitched to a 1.54 ERA and 0.98 WHIP with 26 strikeouts against just 11 walks. (Would be great to remove that threat from the field, wouldn’t it?) Following five overall successful seasons in Philly, Domínguez was traded to the Orioles in 2024. After posting a 4.45 ERA (4.68 FIP) across 58.2 innings for the Phils and O’s, Domínguez got off to a much better start in 2025, turning in a 3.24 ERA (3.52 FIP) over 41.2 innings and getting flipped once again, this time to the eventual AL Champion Blue Jays.

In addition to a steady career line and an appealing pitch mix, Domínguez has pitched in the postseason every year since 2022, which is invaluable experience to have in a clubhouse where young talent is expected to be plentiful. Granted, his 2025 postseason run didn’t end in the best fashion, but he still pitched well overall, delivering a 3.18 ERA in 11.1 innings of work with a 91.5% strand rate and 50% ground ball rate.

All told, Domínguez owns a 1.86 ERA (3.15 FIP) and 1.13 WHIP over 29.0 postseason innings — experience this bullpen would certainly benefit from having.

There’s a perfectly solid chance the Mets choose to lean on homegrown talent in both the starting rotation and the bullpen, opting to prioritize finding innings for the likes of Dylan Ross and eventually Ryan Lambert — heck, we may even see Zach Thornton sometime this year.

Getty Images

However, while I’m as bullish on the Mets’ wealth of pitching talent on the farm as anyone, I’m not sure I necessarily agree with that strategy.

I’m a huge advocate for holding on to promising prospects and giving them a runway to make an impact on the big league club as soon as they’re ready. Even still, I’m not sure that leaning on rookies in the field and the rotation and the bullpen is an airtight recipe for regular-season success, let alone playoff contention. If the plan is to roll with the young starters, it’s of paramount importance that the team adequately protect them with a stable of seasoned relievers who can capably mop up a mess. And honestly, even if the plan is to rely on the rookies primarily…I can’t see how adding a solid veteran with both NL East and World Series experience would be a bad thing for their development.

Whether it involves a Domínguez signing, a Padres trade, or yet another move none of us see coming, I trust that there’s a plan in place. It’s a trepidatious trust, but through it all, I gotta believe.

---

Around the League 🚩

• The Angels signed RP Jordan Romano to a one-year, $2 million contract; they also signed RP Drew Romeranz to a one-year, $4 million contract (MLB)

• The Rangers signed RP Chris Martin to a one-year contract (MLB)

• The Reds signed RP Caleb Ferguson to a one-year contract, pending a physical (MLB)

• The Nationals signed RP Foster Griffin to a one-year, $5.5 million contract (MLB)

• The Giants signed RHP Adrian Houser to a two-year, $22 million contract (MLB)

• The Giants also signed RP Jason Foley to a one-year contract (MLB)