Now We're Talking
Mets push offseason price tag to $460M-plus with addition of Kodai Senga
The New York Mets. Let’s start there. This has been quite the journey, friends. Micro, macro, whatever—story arcs abound.
We’re all well-versed in the previous ownership group’s non-committal approach to winning over a decades-long stretch of futility. Do just enough to keep the team semi-competitive and fans half-interested and hope for the best.
No more of that. Clearly.
Since things really began in earnest for the Steve Cohen and Billy Eppler-led Mets last winter, beginning with the Black Friday haul of Starling Marte, Mark Canha, and Eduardo Escobar and continuing with Max Scherzer’s pre-lockout deadline deal, the vibe in Queens has shifted considerably.
Sure, last season’s edition of the Flushing Chronicles ended on a sour note. One hundred one regular-season wins don’t mean a thing if you ain’t got that ring. So naturally, hopes of rolling roster Yahtzee this winter would be priority number one on Eppler’s docket.
The shuffling of names and faces was always going to happen. Anyone with a blue-and-orange pulse was prepared for change. Though, no one could have expected where things would actually go once that process commenced.
Jacob deGrom. Gone. Taijuan Walker. Gone. Joely Rodriguez and Trevor Williams. Gone. Brandon Nimmo was drawing interest from all over the league. Did the Mets lose their bearings? Not in the least.
Edwin Díaz’s five-year, $102 million record-breaking deal for a reliever got things started, and then in the wake of that aforementioned hot stove heat-up and subsequent roster shake-up, the Mets sharpened their teeth even finer.
Between Díaz, Justin Verlander (two years, $86.667 million), José Quintana (two years, $26 million), Nimmo (eight years, $162 million), David Robertson (one year, $10 million), and as of late Saturday night, Japanese star right-hander Kodai Senga for five years, $75 million, the Metropolitans have committed a grand total of $461.7 million to their ultimate goal this winter.
Whether the end game is a World Series title in 2023 or Cohen’s proclaimed goal of sustainable success for this ballclub, the Mets have officially been kicked into another gear.
It’s everything we as fans have been waiting for, and then some, for most of our lifetimes. Well, so far.
With $349.6 million (per FanGraphs) earmarked for the Mets’ 2023 payroll with an estimated additional $80 million in competitive balance tax penalties set to be tacked on, there’s no questioning New York’s dedication to fielding a winner.
Though, there’s still some work to do in order to keep up with not only what the National League East has done but to continue adjusting to the ever-changing landscape of the NL and the league, as a whole.
On the starting pitching front, the Mets are in very good shape. A penciled-in stable of Verlander, Scherzer, Senga, Carlos Carrasco, and Quintana works, even with an average rotational age of 35.5 years.
Solid depth in Tylor Megill, David Peterson, Elieser Hernández, and Joey Lucchesi should afford these guys all the freshness necessary to keep things moving smoothly.
Whether it be via spot starts, employing a true six-man rotation, or going with multi-inning openers (doubtful for Verlander or Scherzer but always a possibility with this decision-making staff), the Mets have given themselves options. And good ones, at that.
To be honest, that’s all we can ask for at this point. Onward.
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