Mets Predicted To Land Free Agency's Most Coveted Star

Five days have now passed since the conclusion of this year’s World Series, meaning the free agent frenzy can begin at any moment. For the New York Mets, they hope to be big players in said frenzy.

The Mets suffered a tragic season in 2026, in which they finished in last place in the National League East thanks to a disastrous 74-88 record. It was a far cry from where they seemed destined to finish at the start of the 2026 campaign. Still, it was the reality for the Mets – leaving them without postseason baseball for the second straight year.

To turn things around in 2027, New York must be a big winner this offseason. En route to that goal, the Mets have their eyes on the biggest free agent in this class by quite a margin – left-hander Tarik Skubal.

Skubal enjoyed his fourth consecutive season with an ERA of 2.80 or below, this time splitting time with the Detroit Tigers and the Los Angeles Dodgers after a blockbuster deal at the trade deadline. Despite dealing with trade buzz all year and even an injury that forced him to miss a handful of starts, Skubal posted the third-lowest FIP among pitchers with at least 100 innings thrown at 2.51.

2026 was technically a step back when looking at Skubal’s numbers from 2024 and 2025, but his numbers, despite his rollercoaster of a year, still prove he is one of the very few pitchers whose presence instantly impacts a team. On top of that, Skubal’s track record in the postseason speaks for itself – a 2.13 ERA and 70 strikeouts across 50 ⅔ innings in eight career postseason starts.

The Mets rotation is unnervingly thin as it stands, and there is no doubt that pitching will be their top priority this offseason. For that reason, along with their ability to attract baseball’s biggest starts in free agency with a seemingly endless budget, it’s no surprise that the Bleacher Report predicts Skubal will land in Queens for 2027.

“David Stearns might not be inclined to give long-term deals to starting pitchers, but his job is on the line and this is arguably the best arm in the sport,” BR writer Tim Kelly wrote in a recent article. “The Mets have realized they can't throw money at every problem, but that doesn't mean they shouldn't flex Steve Cohen's financial muscle when they can.”

After back-to-back immensely disappointing seasons, Stearns and the Mets are on thin ice with the fanbase in Queens. There is no more tolerance for mediocrity despite having all the resources available to them. They don't just demand a postseason berth, but a deep postseason run and a roster that is capable of winning it all. Adding Skubal to the roster would give the biggest boost to reach that goal that you could possibly get.