New York Mets Rumors: Club expected to be out on star hitters due to high asking price, per report
The New York Mets aren't too keen on onboarding star hitters, especially for the designated hitter spot. Earlier this offseason, the club non-tendered Dan Vogelbach, who was their everyday DH in 2023.
According to Will Sammon of The Athletic, the Mets are looking for internal candidates for the DH spot rather than going for All-Star players such as Jorge Soler or JD Martinez, who may seek a high price for their services.
This isn't surprising given that President David Stearns mentioned giving opportunities to youngsters instead of going for veteran additions in the offseason.
Earlier linked with outfielders Teoscar Hernandez and Rhys Hoskins, the Mets didn't pursue them aggressively before they signed with the LA Dodgers and the Milwaukee Brewers, respectively.
Hernandez agreed on a $23.5 million, one-year contract, out of which $8.5 million will be deferred and paid in 10 equal installments between 2030 and 39. Hoskins signed a two-year, $34 million contract with an opt-out option for the third year. If not, he could earn $48 million over three years.
Who could play DH for the Mets in 2024?
According to Sammon, there will be opportunities for 24-year-old slugger Mark Vientos, with DJ Stewart and Starling Marte at the DH spot. This, though, will only follow if the Mets don't go and sign an exclusive DH hitter in the remaining weeks before spring training commences.
With only 274 plate appearances, Vientos has slashed for .205/.255/.354, which isn't ideal, especially for someone in the DH spot. However, his AAA numbers were the complete opposite, where he slashed for .306/.387/.612 in 61 games.
Stewart is another candidate for the position after a solid slash line .244/.333/.506 with 11 homers across 185 plate appearances in 2023. The only drawback is his strikeout rate, which stands at 30.3%.
Starling Marte has a lot of big-league experience under his belt. He boasts a big league slash line of .287/.343/.445. However, with him, the 35-year-old's career is in a declining phase, with him only slashing .248/.301/.324 in 2023. Add to that some injury issues he dealt with last year.
The Mets' DH spot might keep changing on a regular basis and will be highly based on matchups and to maximize fielding flexibility.