5 Free Agents Mets Should Pursue to Help Build a 2027 Contender (Including Tarik Skubal)

The Mets have just nine games left in the season, and all of the attention is already shifting to the 2027 campaign. There are a lot of questions that the Mets have to answer this winter, and seeing the fans' over-the-top reaction to Pete Alonso's return this week shows how much work the front office needs to do to win back the trust of its fan base.

The free agent market is a bit thin this year, but it does have a few players who could help the Mets bolster their roster, particularly in the pitching department. That tally doesn't include Bo Bichette, whose opt-out decision will also play a significant role in how much money President of Baseball Operations David Stearns has to work with in free agency.

That said, let's dive into five potential free agents that the Mets should pursue this winter.

1. LHP Tarik Skubal

We took a deeper dive into the Tarik Skubal fit for the Mets last week, but it is fair to wonder if the fans' vitriolic display at Citi Field this week may inspire Steve Cohen to go for the top pitcher on the board as a make-good to them.

There are certainly injury risks with Skubal, but there isn't a better pitcher on the board, and his arrival would push the rest of the current rotation into more appropriate roles, starting with Nolan McLean as one of the best No. 2's in baseball.

2. LHP Robbie Ray

Skubal alone would bolster the Mets' rotation but Stearns should also look to add a veteran for the middle of the rotation who can give them quality innings. Enter Robbie Ray, a former Cy Young winner who is 13-8 with a 3.60 ERA in 30 appearances (including 29 starts) between the Giants and Padres.

The Mets would get a veteran lefty who has thrown at least 162.2 innings in four of the past six seasons, with the only exceptions being the 2022 and 2023 campaigns when he missed significant time rehabbing from Tommy John surgery. Putting Ray as the Mets' third starter would allow Stearns to bump Christian Scott down to the No. 4 spot and have healthy competition for the fifth between Sean Manaea, Jonah Tong, Zac Thornton and a slew of other depth options.

3. 1B/3B Alec Bohm

First base is one of the bigger questions on the Mets' roster, and they can't go into next season hoping that the combination of Jared Young, Mark Vientos, Brett Baty and Jorge Polanco can solve it. One good fit here could be Alec Bohm, who is hitting .251 with 15 home runs, 84 RBIs and a .707 OPS in 534 at-bats for the Phillies.

If the Mets feel like Young can be part of a first base platoon, then Bohm would make sense as a partner since he is very strong against lefties, batting .293 with seven homers, 36 RBIs and an .828 OPS against them in 179 at-bats. Veteran Paul Goldschmidt could also fill a platoon role with Young, but the Mets would be better served going with someone in his prime as opposed to a Goldschmidt-type towards the end of his career.

Bohm's ability to play both infield corners could also be helpful in the event Bichette opts out.

4. OF Ramon Laureano

The Mets' decision to move on from Tyrone Taylor (via trade) and Luis Robert Jr. (via waivers) has left them with an all-left-handed-hitting outfield of Juan Soto, A.J. Ewing and Carson Benge. While all three are capable starters, it would make sense to add a veteran option who can hit right-handed since Nick Morabito appears to need more minor league seasoning to be ready for that fourth outfielder role.

A good buy-low fit here could be Ramón Laureano, who has missed most of the season after undergoing surgery to repair a torn labrum in his right hip in May. Laureano can play both outfield corners and is just a year removed from a solid 2025 campaign where he hit .281 with 24 homers, 76 RBIs and an .855 OPS, so adding him on a one-year prove-it deal could give the Mets more flexibility to protect Juan Soto's health with DH days or sit one of Ewing or Benge against tough lefties.

5. RHP Evan Phillips

The Mets bullpen's strong performance post-deadline has lessened their need to go big-game hunting at the back end of the unit, but they still need to add a proven setup reliever to their mix. One name who could offer good value is Evan Phillips, who has pitched to a 3.68 ERA and 1.23 WHIP in 27 appearances for the Dodgers this season.

Phillips missed time with injuries this year but does have closing experience with Los Angeles, which could be valuable if Devin Williams struggles in his second year with the Mets. The injury issues Phillips had may drive his price down to a one- or two-year contract, which would be right up Stearns' wheelhouse and make him a good complement to the likes of Williams, Kodai Senga, Reed Garrett and Daniel Duarte in the relief mix.

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