The New York Mets had the second-highest payroll entering the 2025 MLB season and exited with nothing to show for it except a late season collapse that kept them out of the postseason. With pieces still in place though, the Mets have thrown their hats in the ring for a big trade and a big name free agent in starting pitcher Joe Ryan and outfielder Cody Bellinger.
Ryan and Bellinger both fill respective needs that the Mets will have heading into the 2026 season. Starting pitching depth became a huge concern midway through the 2025 season, a role that Ryan would add more depth to, while Bellinger would fill the hole that Pete Alonso is likely to leave unless the Mets are able to re-sign him.
The Case For Pursuing Joe Ryan
With Sean Manaea, Kodai Senga, and Clay Holmes all entering their penultimate years on their contracts and a half-dozen others set to enter arbitration, Ryan would be a massive get for New York.
Ryan has emerged as one of the better pitchers in the league in the last few seasons, and with the Minnesota Twins entering a rebuild, Ryan has been heavily involved in trade rumors since the trade deadline last season.
Ryan has a nasty arsenal and has proven to be a very durable starter through his career so far. He’s still under contract with Minnesota, but acquiring him could lead to a long-term extension if the Mets want to keep him around.
The price will be high to acquire Ryan; it will likely need to feature a slew of prospects as the Twins look to revamp their system for the future. Jonah Tong would probably have to be the centerpiece of the trade, with his value sky-high as a 22-year-old with massive upside.
Ryan would go a long way towards solidifying the Mets rotation heading into this season.
New York “Courting” Cody Bellinger As Free Agency Heats Up
With Pete Alonso potentially on his way out the door, the Mets will need a power bat to stabilize the lineup if Alonso does indeed intend to sign elsewhere. New York may still pursue Bellinger even if they retain Alonso, as he would fill a need in the outfield following the departure of Brandon Nimmo.
I could get into the luxury tax penalties and repercussions of signing both Alonso and Bellinger, but Mets owner Steve Cohen has thrown caution to the wind before and likely will again, so two big contracts are well within the realm of possibility for New York.
Bellinger is currently being pursued by four teams: the Mets, his current team and cross-town rival New York Yankees, the Philadelphia Phillies, and the Los Angeles Dodgers. It’s four big market teams that could very well get into a bidding war for one of the better outfielders in the league. Hopefully for the Mets, Cohen is willing to step right up to the table and out-bid his counterparts if he truly feels Bellinger could be a good fit for New York.
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