New York Mets Checked In On All-Star Starting Pitcher

The New York Mets are in the running to land Japanese free agent superstar starting pitcher Yoshinobu Yamamoto, but there must be a plan B if they are unable to sign him.

According to Jon Heyman of The New York Post, the Mets have checked in on All-Star starting pitcher Brandon Woodruff.

Woodruff was an All-Star in 2019 and 2021, serving as the Milwaukee Brewers' co-ace to Corbin Burnes. Mets president of baseball operations David Stearns is very familiar with Woodruff given the time they spent together in Milwaukee.

But if the Mets were to sign Woodruff it would have to be on a multi-year deal, as he is expected to miss most of, if not all of the 2024 season after undergoing surgery to repair his anterior capsule in his throwing shoulder. The Brewers non-tendered Woodruff after the season, as a result.

The Mets tried this method with reliever John Curtiss when they signed him to a two-year deal prior to the 2022 season after he had undergone Tommy John surgery. Curtiss missed all of 2022 before returning in 2023 to post a 4.58 ERA in 19.2 innings for the Mets.

By signing Woodruff, the Mets would be making a low-risk, high-reward addition with the hope that he can bounce-back to ace-like form once he is healthy again. The Mets don't intend on going all-out again until 2025, so Woodruff's recovery timeline matches up with the organization's plan.

Adding Woodruff could improve the Mets' 2025 starting rotation, but it will likely have no effect on next season's unit.

In addition to Woodruff, the Mets have also checked in on starting pitchers Blake Snell, Jordan Montgomery and Lucas Giolitto.