The New York Mets are running out of options to bolster their starting rotation in free agency.
They let another get away late Thursday night when Michael King reportedly agreed to a three-year deal to return to the San Diego Padres. For a team that had a lack of starting pitching essentially eliminate them from the playoffs last season, they sure aren’t acting like it this winter.
With their backs against the wall and quality options running thin, the Mets and David Stearns need to swallow their pride and aggressively pursue Zac Gallen.
Gallen didn’t have the greatest of years last season with the Arizona Diamondbacks as he recorded a 4.83 ERA in 33 starts for the Arizona Diamondbacks. Much of those struggles were because he conceded 31 home runs, so the Mets would have to fix that if they pursued him.
When looking at the remaining free agent options, Gallen is one of the best still on the market. With King and Dylan Cease gone plus the Mets are reportedly not looking at Framber Valdez, Tatsuya Imai and Ranger Suarez due to the three of them wanting at least a five-year deal, Gallen is the next man up.
There are other teams being urged to sign Gallen, one of them being the Boston Red Sox, which means Stearns can’t sit on his hands too much longer if he hopes of getting a deal done. The veteran starter fits in their wheelhouse as Kiley McDaniel predicted on Nov. 6 that he would sign a four-year deal worth $76 million — an average annual value of $19 million.
A pitcher of Gallen’s caliber won’t come much cheaper than $19 million per season. The Mets, if they think four years is still too long, could also try to sign him to a shorter deal with a higher AAV in hopes of landing him.
One thing for certain is the Mets need to do something, and they need to do it quickly.
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