Max Fried, Corbin Burnes, and Blake Snell may have landed lucrative contracts this winter, but can the Mets’ rotation depth compensate for their lack of offense?
The Big Contracts
This offseason saw Fried, Burnes, and Snell secure contracts totaling a whopping $610 million. These deals highlight the continued importance of having a dominant starting pitcher on a team’s roster. However, despite the hefty price tags, none of these pitchers would have been the undisputed ace had they signed with the Mets.
Rotation Decisions
David Stearns, the Mets’ president of baseball operations, opted for a more conservative approach for the team’s rotation for the second consecutive winter. This decision was aimed at avoiding any potential buyer’s remorse down the line. While Fried, Burnes, and Snell could have claimed the ace title with the Mets, Stearns chose to focus on building a solid rotation unit rather than relying on a single standout pitcher.
New Additions
With the Mets missing out on the big-name aces, attention has turned to players like Sean Manaea, Frankie Montas, Clay Holmes, and Griffin Canning. Together, these pitchers are guaranteed $161 million, a significantly lower figure than what any of the Fried-Burnes-Snell trio will earn individually. While they may not have the same star power, these pitchers offer depth and reliability to the Mets’ rotation.
