Why the Mets Still Need an Ace Despite Their Young Rotation Talent

The New York Mets have plenty of young starters, but adding a proven ace should remain their biggest priority this offseason.

Even though the New York Mets have a budding star in Nolan McLean, they could use an ace at the top of the starting rotation this offseason. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The New York Mets' starting rotation has been in constant flux for the past several years, as they search for the right group of pitchers to lead their new era. From signing future Hall of Famers like Max Scherzer and Justin Verlander to taking flyers on veterans like Sean Manaea and Jose Quintana, the Mets have yearned for stability.

And while the 2026 season has been anything but stable for New York, the team finally got a glimpse of a new dawn for its starting rotation. Nolan McLean established himself last season, but the emergence of Christian Scott and Zac Thornton has completely changed the outlook for this franchise moving forward.

Both Scott and Thornton have impressed mightily throughout the season, each finding success in different ways. Scott is the more prototypical strikeout starter, while Thornton relies on command and generating weak contact.

With those two and McLean's Cy Young potential, the Mets have a great foundation to build on heading into this offseason. However, that shouldn't stop them from prioritizing an ace-level starter to slot atop the rotation.

The Mets must prioritize adding an ace this offseason

Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Tarik Skubal (29) winds up in the second inning of the MLB National League game between the Cincinnati Reds and the Los Angeles Dodgers at Great American Ball Park in Cincinnati on Monday, Sept. 14, 2026. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

If New York entered a playoff series today, McLean, Scott, and Thornton would presumably get the ball in the first three games. And while each could certainly pitch well, they're all inexperienced and, more importantly, still have flaws in their current pitching styles that could get exposed in the postseason.

Scott has completed six innings in just three of his 22 starts this season. While the right-hander possesses an elite pitch mix, he tends to lose the strike zone at some point during his starts, allowing one bad inning to derail an otherwise strong outing. And while Scott is still in his first full major-league season and has plenty of room to improve, he needs more refinement before the Mets can confidently trust him in such an important spot.

For Thornton, he has had no trouble pitching deep into games, going at least six innings in seven of his 13 starts this year. However, some of his results suggest he has benefited from good fortune. His expected ERA of 4.61 is more than a full run higher than his actual ERA of 3.44. While this season has gone well for him, those numbers tend to even out over the long run, meaning the 24-year-old also has some holes in his game.

Meanwhile, McLean is the hardest pitcher to assess out of the group. He has by far the most elite stuff and has shown he's more than capable of going on dominant stretches while pitching deep into games.

However, whether he dominates largely depends on how his pitches are moving on a given day. McLean generates so much movement that even he struggles to control it at times. With that level of uncertainty entering a big game, it's hard to pencil him in as a Game 1 starter.

Due to the current flaws in each of their games, it would be hard to see this staff pitching deep into the postseason and reaching the World Series. However, add a proven ace into the mix, and all of a sudden this rotation becomes much more formidable.

The best available starter this offseason is Tarik Skubal, the two-time AL Cy Young winner. Adding Skubal atop the Mets' rotation would eliminate much of the skepticism surrounding their pitching staff entering a postseason series. However, he would come at a massive cost, as Skubal is projected to land the largest contract ever given to a starting pitcher.

If David Stearns doesn't want to pay such a lucrative price, then the trade market could be the Mets' next best bet. New York has the talent to acquire a frontline starter after adding significant depth to its farm system during this year's trade deadline selloff. One name who could fit particularly well is Seattle Mariners starter Logan Gilbert, who would complement the rest of the Mets' staff nicely.

Other potential candidates could include Minnesota Twins' Joe Ryan, Tampa Bay Rays' Shane McClanahan, or maybe even old friend Jacob deGrom of the Texas Rangers.

Either way, whether the Mets add a proven ace atop their rotation this offseason could make all the difference in how realistic their World Series aspirations are next season.

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