MLB’s Winter Meetings kick off on Monday, and business is already booming.
Devin Williams decided New York wasn’t to blame for his bad season in the Bronx, signing a three-year deal to join the Mets down the FDR Drive and across the Triboro Bridge. Similarly, right-hander Dylan Cease kept the AL East competitive when he signed his seven-year deal with the Blue Jays.
The Yankees, meanwhile, have been quiet save for re-signing bullpen lefty Tim Hill and re-signing center fielder Trent Grisham on the qualifying offer. The Mets, of course, still have plenty of work ahead of them to address their desperate pitching needs. Kyle Tucker and Cody Bellinger, the two biggest bats on the market, remain unsigned.
But don’t let Hal Steinbrenner’s salary cap comments fool you. The Yankees, even with goals of getting their payroll under $300 million, have big holes to fill. Do they fill their hole in left field with Bellinger, who hit .272 with 29 homers and 98 RBI as a Yankee last year, or spend more on the younger Tucker? The Bronx Bombers’ pitching staff is also pretty banged up and could use some extra support.
Where does each team stand with Orlando on the horizon? Let’s take a look.
What is the Mets’ pitching plan?
For the first time this offseason, we might have an idea of how the Mets plan to add pitching this winter. Jon Heyman at the Post reports the team has reportedly shown interest in Minnesota Twins righty Joe Ryan. In turn, Minnesota likes Mets prospect Jonah Tong. Ryan turned 30 last summer and is entering his first arbitration year.
If the Mets manage a trade for Ryan, he’s undoubtedly the Opening Day starter. He was 13-10 with a 3.42 ERA in 31 games (30 starts) last season and earned his first All-Star nod. His “stuff” grades as above average, having posted a 103 Stuff+. Ryan is a fastball dominant pitcher despite not having a ton of velocity, and pairs it with a three-way rotation of a sweeper, sinker, and splitter.
Tong may seem like a steep price, but he’s 22 and struggled in five starts with the big league club in 2025. Better to add some pitching stability in Ryan than fully rely on youth and upside. Someone like Michael King, who SNY reported as a potential target, could prove too expensive.
Yankees seek outfield and pitching help
The Yankees’ outfield conundrum comes down to answering a single question: re-sign Cody Bellinger, sign Kyle Tucker, or finally give former top prospect Jasson Dominguez a real shot? It’s not as easy a solve as it seems. Bellinger is familiar with the team from both playing in New York last season and his father, Clay, being a former Yankees utility infielder. He opted out of his contract, but there’s rumored mutual interest in a new deal.
Tucker, on the other hand, is a five-tool player and two years younger than Bellinger. He’ll be 29 in the new year and hit .266 with 22 home runs and 73 RBI and 25 steals with the Cubs last season. Not bad considering an injury limited him to 136 games. He will, however, cost significantly more than Bellinger. We’re talking maybe a deal worth over $300 million compared to the sub-$200 million Bellinger will likely receive.
Pitching, meanwhile, might be a greater need in New York. Gerrit Cole, Carlos Rodon, and Clarke Schmidt will all start the season on the injured list. That leaves Max Fried, Cam Schlittler, Will Warren and…maybe Luis Gil? Not exactly ideal, even with Cole inching towards his return from Tommy John surgery. To say nothing of how it’s time for Gil to be a full-time reliever.
This means that in Orlando, don’t be shocked if Brian Cashman pulls a trade out of thin air. A move that nobody really anticipates, like when he acquired James Paxton from the Mariners before the 2019 season. Word is the Yankees also like Japanese free agent Tatsuya Imai, so watch for the Yankees to at least add an arm in Orlando.
Could Mets Drama = Trade?
Last week, Mets beat writer Mike Puma published an interesting piece in the Post which outlined some fireworks in the Citi Field clubhouse. In a nutshell, Francisco Lindor and Jeff McNeil are still not getting along and, additionally, Lindor and Juan Soto are not particularly close. No dramatic reason, they’re just two different people/personalities.
Now, none of this means the Mets are going to trade Lindor for causing clubhouse drama. McNeil is 34 in April, playing on an expiring contract, and on the decline. Lindor’s halfway through his 10-year, $341 million contract and still posted a 6.3 fWAR.
But consider this. Say the Detroit Tigers approach Mets owner Steve Cohen and president David Stearns about trading for AL Cy Young winner Tarik Skubal. The price is Francisco Lindor, Jonah Tong, and prospects. Who says no to that trade?
Again, that is all HIGHLY unlikely. Yet, with Pete Alonso back on the market and the Mets needing a plan in case the slugging first baseman walks? Maybe trading Francisco Lindor for pitching isn’t as crazy an idea as it sounds.
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