Chris
The New York Mets had an encouraging season in 2024, but now, the real work begins.
A surprise National League Championship Series run was a breath of fresh air for the Mets and their fans, but the 2025 season was always going to be the one with heightened expectations. Now, it’s World Series or bust at Citi Field.
The Mets are currently chasing hard after Juan Soto on the free-agent market, but regardless of whether or not they land the superstar outfielder, they can still make big waves on the open market. Including, perhaps, at the back end of their bullpen.
The Mets have their closer locked down for the next three seasons, for better or worse, in the form of Edwin Díaz. But their bullpen was still fairly shaky in 2024, Díaz included, finishing 17th in MLB with a 4.03 reliever ERA.
Cale Ahearn of FOX 43 believes the Mets will land another closer type to pair with Díaz at the end of games. He predicted that Tanner Scott of the San Diego Padres would sign in Queens on a four-year, $54 million contract.
“In the same vein of the Mets re-signing Sean Manaea, I think the team continues their offseason splurge to bring in the top reliever in the lefthander Scott,” Ahearn said.
If the Mets are looking for a lockdown reliever, the 30-year-old Scott is the best they’ll be able to find this winter. The 2024 National League All-Star has pitched to a minuscule 2.04 ERA in 150 innings since the start of 2023, racking up 188 strikeouts.
Signing Scott would be something of a surprise, if only because the Mets already have one high-priced closer, Díaz, locked up for $19 million per season. But this is a team owned by Steve Cohen (net worth: over $21 billion), so literally anything is possible.
