To say the Mets have improved because of their record setting contract with Juan Soto is true to a certain extent. Soto is a difference maker in their lineup and the Mets won the sweepstakes, but there is more to come.
The Dodgers, Phillies, Braves, and Padres are still teams to overcome in the National League. The Brewers, even with a different look, will still have a healthy and rich pitching rotation.
The Yankees fell short against the Dodgers for the first World Series championship since 2009, with that disastrous Game 5 of error filled baseball remaining as a painful memory. Despite everything, the Yankees even without Soto, will be favorites to repeat as American League champions.
To say the Yankees are better without Soto, also true to a certain extent with more to come. Regardless the Yankees have used their leverage, and the pivot was a trade for Cody Bellinger, the All-Star Gold Glove winner. Trading also for Devin Williams, an established closer who has a resume and nasty changeup. And signing Max Fried to a record contract for a left hander starter, certainly the Yankees made that pivot after losing Soto to the Mets.
Certainly, though both teams are not done before spring training begins in mid-February. The Mets are reportedly nearing re-signing Pete Alonso, a home grown All-Star who won’t get Soto money but good enough to secure the first baseman a five-year or longer stay at Citi Field.
The Yankees were reportedly showing interest in Alonso but they filled their void at first by coming to an agreement with former NL MVP Paul Goldschmidt.
This will be a week or two of hot stove baseball buzz and rumors also taking a holiday break, though over the years teams have done the unexpected before January 1st. Though sources inform me the Mets and Yankees hierarchy are heading home for the holidays, their phones won’t be on a break.
Basically, more work to be done and Alonso for the moment is a major priority for the Mets. The Yankees are looking for a better presence at the bottom of their lineup, also more reinforcements for the bullpen. Like him or not, Clay Holmes because of his inconsistency ratio leaves a void in the Yankees pen, the Mets via free agency got another Yankee to move across town and they intend to put him in a starting role.
Last night, the Yankees completed a deal to send catcher Jose Trevino to the Reds for hard throwing reliever Fernando Cruz and catcher Alex Jackson. Cruz, a late bloomer who will be 35-years old in 2025, had 109 strikeouts in 66.2 IP. Command has been his issue, and the Yankees are hoping pitching coach Matt Blake can perform his magic to make the right hander a useful arm out of the pen. Trevino lost his starting job to Austin Wells and will be a free agent after the 2025 season.
Regardless, the addition of Williams with Luke Weaver creates a deep late inning backend for the Yankees, their intent at run prevention has been vastly improved, but more has to be done.
Also in the equation is a competitive balance tax, the Yankees and Mets two of nine teams with payrolls this season higher than $237 million. The Yankees and owner Hal Steinbrenner have been more conscious of penalties compared to owner Steve Cohen of the Mets. Need I say the record 15-year $765 million long term contract to Soto.
Though the pivot from Soto has shown the Yankees will spend. The Fried acquisition of 8 years, $218 million, provides the Yankees a good one-two in the rotation with their ace Gerrit Cole.
The Yankees, though, would not pivot to Christian Walker for three years at $60 million. Instead, Walker vaulted to Houston and would have been an ideal hitter at Yankee Stadium, an All-Star first baseman. Still an option is Paul Goldschmidt, but at what cost? Makes one shake your head about a luxury tax, also more specifically it’s the business of baseball economics.
But GM Brian Cashman does not listen to outside noise. He said “we’re not going to be drunken sailors. We’ve done some heavy lifting with Max (Fried) with Devin Williams. But there’s more lifting to do.”
He said Steinbrenner is all in and they will continue to be aggressive in their quest to sign free agents. Again, more to be done and the Yankees appear to have done just fine after losing Soto.
And more to be done with the Mets. International amateur free agent Roki Sasaki, the touted 23-year-old right-handed pitcher from Japan, met with Mets officials on Thursday. According to NY Post baseball columnist, Jon Heyman, the Yankees also met with Sasaki on Thursday. The Dodgers are among some of the other teams who are also planning to meet with Sasaki, who has to be signed by the time the 45-day posting period concludes on January 23rd. If Sasaki is not signed, he will not be eligible to pitch in MLB this season.
Sasaki, who features a live fastball, and array of off speed pitches, was 10-5, 2.35 ERA for the Chiba Lotte Marines with 129 strikeouts in 110 IP in 2024.
Sasaki would meet a rotation need for the Mets. They continue their efforts to re-sign 32-year old Sean Manaea, the left hander who became instrumental to their starting rotation and unexpected run to the NLCS.
Director of Baseball Operations David Stearns has said the Mets will continue to build the starting rotation. They signed non-tendered Griffin Canning to a 1-year $4.25 million deal, a right-hander who can fit in with Kodai Senga, free agent acquisition Frankie Montas, Holmes and David Peterson.
Perhaps not a splash like Soto, but Stearns has a formula of signing low risk pitching who succeed beyond expectations. His formula worked last season with Manaea, and with Luis Severino who broke the bank with the low budget Athletics.
So there is more to be done, and don’t expect Cashman or Stearns to put on the brakes. The Yankees and Mets will continue their quest for improvement. And the quest to play baseball in late October.
Rich Mancuso: X (Twitter) @Ring786 Facebook.com/Rich Mancuso
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