Why The Mets Should Pursue Seiya Suzuki
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The Mets spent a boat load of cash, approximately $254.5 million, on free agents: Max Scherzer, Starling Marte, Eduardo Escobar and Mark Canha prior to the lockout.
And as SNY's Andy Martino reported earlier in the week, the team is focused on upgrading their pitching staff and is not expected to make any additional significant splashes on the position player side after the work stoppage is over.
However, another source told Martino not to rule out the Mets' pursuit of Japanese superstar Seiya Suzuki.
The Mets' offense is currently missing one more impact bat in their lineup, and while Kris Bryant and Carlos Correa appear to be unlikely options at this point, Suzuki could be the final piece of the puzzle in Queens.
Suzuki has power, which the Mets' lineup is lacking beyond Pete Alonso, Francisco Lindor and Escobar. He is also an excellent defensive outfielder, winning three Gold Glove Awards in the Nippon Professional Baseball League.
Although Suzuki is projected to play right field in the majors, he holds experience in center and left as well. If the Mets add Suzuki, he will likely be their everyday right fielder, which would shift Canha to a versatile, bench role where he only starts based off specific matchups.
By signing Suzuki, the Mets' lineup would essentially be a lot deeper, especially if they opt to hang onto Jeff McNeil, who is primed for a bounce back season at the plate. And let's say Robinson Cano struggles offensively as a DH, this would pave the way for Dom Smith and Canha to platoon in this spot.
Suzuki, 27, has been a monster in the NPB since his breakout campaign in 2016. Last season, the right-handed slugger slashed .317/.433/.639/1.073 with 38 home runs and 88 RBIs across 132 games for the Hiroshima Carp. Suzuki also has an impressive career slash line of .309/.402/.943 with 189 home runs and 621 RBIs in nine seasons as a pro.
Suzuki was posted by NPB on Nov. 22, but did not sign with a major league team before the lockout kicked in on Dec. 2. The Red Sox, Yankees and Blue Jays have been rumored to be Suzuki's top three suitors, with Boston being looked at as a favorite to land him, per Yahoo Japan. And The Boston Globe also reported that the Mariners and Giants are two front runners to sign Suzuki as well.
But that doesn't mean that Steve Cohen and Billy Eppler can't swoop in with their deep pockets and get a deal done if they truly want Suzuki. MLB Trade Rumors predicted Suzuki to receive a five-year, $55 million contract, which would come along with a $10.125 million posting fee that the team that signs him will be forced to pay. This total figure would equate to $65.125 million.
While that is certainly a lot of dough for a player that is making the transition from NPB to MLB, which makes him a question mark, Suzuki's upside is worth the risk. That's why a number of clubs have already shown serious interest in him thus far.
And keep in mind, when Eppler was the GM of the Angels, he took a chance on another Japanese phenom back in 2017, Shohei Ohtani, which is a move that paid off significantly as Ohtani has become a superstar, capturing last season's AL MVP Award.
The Mets would likely have to offer more money to acquire Suzuki's services in order to edge out the competition. But they'd still be wise to aggressively pursue Suzuki, who wouldn't necessarily break the bank and is the type of player that the club is in desperate need of, given his unique skillset. Not only would he complete their offense as an impact bat, but he'd be a major upgrade defensively as well.
