9 Lower-Cost Free Agents Who Fit the Mets Perfectly

There is no question that the New York Mets have a lot of needs this winter, and how they fill them is an open question. Tarik Skubal and Alec Bohm stand out as obvious parts of an ideal Mets offseason, but how much of a budget David Stearns wants to play with remains to be seen.

This year's free agent class is quite mediocre outside of Skubal, and it may not make a ton of long-term sense to invest a lot of money in it. Owner Steve Cohen has also indicated a desire to rein in the club's spending, which could make sense given the uncertainty over baseball's future economic structure.

Overpaying for average players can put a team in a payroll mess for a while, which makes finding the right value free agents a critical skill for an executive. Let's break down nine lower-cost additions that could help the Mets fill their needs this winter.

1B Ty France

France has been a well-traveled player, making five big-league stops since 2019, but his return to San Diego appears to have unlocked a new element in his game. The Padres have seen France become their cleanup hitter, hitting .295 with 21 home runs, 72 RBI, and an .865 OPS in 133 games.

If the Mets want to pursue a lower-cost option to pair with Jared Young at first base, France's right-handed bat and ability to mash lefties make him an ideal fit. A two-year deal would likely get it done, as some teams may be hesitant to bet on France given his inconsistent performance in the prior two years.

RHP Tyler Mahle

Skubal figures to be a top target for the Mets, but their rotation could use another veteran to give innings. One player who has built a name for himself in the second half is Mahle, who appears to have unlocked another level in his game after joining the Atlanta Braves at the trade deadline.

Mahle went 4-1 with a 1.99 ERA in nine starts for the Braves down the stretch, earning a spot in Atlanta's postseason rotation behind Chris Sale. Mahle's recent injury history could make him take a one-year deal to further build his value, and the Mets could use someone like Mahle to reduce their reliance on young pitchers having immediate, significant rotation responsibility.

RHP Pete Fairbanks

2026 was an up-and-down season for Fairbanks, who was yo-yo-ed in and out of the Marlins' closer role. Fairbanks' overall numbers were ugly; he pitched to a 6.31 ERA in Miami, but he is only a year removed from a strong run of success with the Tampa Bay Rays.

Fairbanks will likely be looking for a one-year deal to re-establish his value, and the Mets could bet on him as a setup man for Devin Williams with closing experience. That combination, plus some help from the Mets' pitching lab, could lead to a significant bargain if Fairbanks can recapture his Rays' form.

RHP Evan Phillips

One of the more underrated parts of the Los Angeles Dodgers' bullpen in recent years has been Phillips, who has a strong track record working in the late innings. Phillips was even the Dodgers' closer for a bit before Tommy John surgery in May 2025 cost him 13 months, but he returned nicely with a 3.46 ERA in 31 appearances.

Like Fairbanks, this would be a good add for the Mets as a setup man with closing experience to support Williams. Phillips has significant postseason experience in Los Angeles, which is a value- raiser for a team that is very light on players who have pitched with the weight of expectations.

LHP Brooks Raley

The Mets could use another lefty in their bullpen, and a reunion with Raley could well be in the cards. Things didn't go well for Raley in Philadelphia after the trade deadline. He posted a 7.94 ERA and was left off the Phillies' postseason roster, but he has a track record of pitching well in New York.

New York Mets relief pitcher Brooks Raley throws a pitch against the Chicago Cubs. — Could the New York Mets bring back reliever Brooks Raley, who was traded at the deadline? | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Stearns hinted in his postseason press conference that finding players who could handle performing in the New York market is something they must emphasize more in their process. Raley has already shown he can handle pitching in Queens, so signing him to a one-year deal, letting him rebuild his value, and mentoring other young lefties like Nate Lavender feels like a no-brainer.

RHP Casey Mize

Let's take a look at one of Skubal's long-time teammates in Detroit for more rotation help, as Mize is an intriguing add for the Mets. Mize made himself a trade target by pitching well for Detroit in the first half, but his success didn't carry over to San Diego, where he went 2-4 with a 7.46 ERA in 10 starts, after pitching to a 2.70 ERA in 16 starts with the Tigers.

With Mize, he has significant prospect pedigree. He is a former No. 1 overall pick and is still in his prime at 29 years old. If the Mets can land Skubal, reuniting Mize with him could bring the best out of him as a No. 3 type in the rotation.

RHP Shane Bieber

This would be another buy-low move for the Mets' rotation, albeit more in the vein of the Luis Severino pickup Stearns made in his first year running the team. Bieber has tremendous pedigree as a former Cy Young winner but has struggled to stay healthy over the past three years, making just 20 regular-season starts and five postseason starts between Cleveland and Toronto.

This could be a spot where Bieber, who is still 31 years old, looks to grab a one-year prove-it deal to rebuild his value ahead of a final multi-year contract. The Mets could definitely afford to pair that kind of gamble with a big swing like Skubal since the upside would be enormous and they could backfill it with youngsters like Thornton or Tong if it doesn't pan out.

1B Jake Bauers

One of the trickiest market evaluations of the winter will be Bauers, a journeyman who had an explosive breakout in his walk year with Milwaukee. Bauers set career highs in home runs (26), RBI (86), and OPS (.874) after spending most of his career as a platoon player.

The market may be slow to buy in on Bauers, whose previous best in WAR was 0.7 before earning 3.3 this season, which could create a two-year buy-low grab for the Mets. The idea here would be to pair Bauers, who had a .901 OPS against lefties this season, with Young as the first-base tandem in New York.

OF Lane Thomas

The Mets' outfield appears set for the long haul with Juan Soto, Carson Benge, and A.J. Ewing, but the group needs a fourth outfielder. A right-handed option would be ideal since the other three are all lefties, making a one-year flier on Thomas an intriguing idea.

Thomas had a down season in his walk year, batting .224 with 11 home runs, 40 RBI, and a .702 OPS between the Royals and Braves, but he can adequately handle all three outfield positions. The Mets would also like that Thomas has an .848 career OPS against left-handed pitching, which would give them a capable outfield option if they want to sit either Ewing or Benge against a tough southpaw.

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