Ron Darling hints at surprising pitching pivot for Mets

Ron Darling has one free agent in mind for the New York Mets.

Ron Darling, former Major League Baseball player and current sportscaster on SNY on January 23, 2018. | IMAGO / MediaPunch

Ranger Suarez signing with the Boston Red Sox in free agency meant one less potential free agent pitcher the New York Mets could acquire this offseason.

Granted, reports have come out suggesting that David Stearns is prioritizing adding a pitcher via the trade market rather than in free agency right now. Yet, if he wasn't able to strike a deal for Freddy Peralta or Tarik Skubal, there's a good chance he'll renew his focus on the free agents remaining.

And the two best free agent starting pitchers remaining are Framber Valdez and Zac Gallen, both of whom would seem to make a lot of sense for New York.

Jul 30, 2024; New York City, New York, USA; New York Mets president of baseball operations David Stearns speaks to the media about the MLB trade deadline before a game against the Minnesota Twins at Citi Field. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-Imagn Images | Brad Penner-Imagn Images

Ron Darling floats intriguing idea for Mets rotation

Most have suggested that Framber Valdez is the most likely target for New York. However, SNY Mets broadcaster Ron Darling doesn't see it that way, which he made clear during a January 14 appearance on the New York Post's The Show podcast.

When Jon Heyman asked Darling what he would do with the Mets right now, he said, "I was just thinking in the last 24 hours, the Arizona Diamondbacks seemed to be in play for Alex Bregman, Bregman signed with the Cubs, they pivoted to Nolan Arenado. I thought that was a brilliant move; I don't know how you guys feel about that, but it was a nice pivot for them."

Read more: Insider pokes holes in Mets' Kyle Tucker interest

He later added, "So maybe that's where the Mets look to do some damage. Do some pivoting, and maybe getting a player that nobody has thought of, in a trade to maybe bolster their team. Another way to go about it is maybe some of the guys that are still on the market. Going back to the Diamondbacks, their free agent, Zac Gallen.

Sep 9, 2025; San Francisco, California, USA; Arizona Diamondbacks starting pitcher Zac Gallen (23) argues with home plate umpire Doug Eddings (88) (not pictured) during a pitching change against the San Francisco Giants during the seventh inning at Oracle Park. Mandatory Credit: Robert Edwards-Imagn Images | Robert Edwards-Imagn Images

"A pitcher like that who has proven that last year definitely was an uneven year, he took a step back. But free agents, it's a tough year... For every unbelievable year, like what Juan Soto had in 2024, you have a lot of players who struggle in free agency. It's a hard thing to go through when you're trying to put numbers in a team sport, numbers on the board to make sure you get that big contract," Darling continued.

"So, maybe Zac Gallen is the guy you pivot from, and maybe that doesn't cost you that big long-term contract. Maybe Zac is at a point now where he takes a two-year, high AAV with an opt-out. So you get him in the rotation, and if you look at his track record, he makes 30-plus starts every year. That's what I would kind of look at it if I were the Mets," he concluded.

The Mets adding Gallen and either Kyle Tucker or Cody Bellinger would salvage what has been an underwhelming offseason.