One of the Mets' biggest goals this offseason should be seriously bolstering a starting rotation that was the main reason their 2025 season went haywire.
And as they go about adding to the starting staff, they should leave no stone unturned.
The Mets should be aggressive players in the trade market, where top-of-the-rotation options like Tarik Skubal, Freddy Peralta, Joe Ryan, and Sandy Alcantara could be available.
As far as free agency, this year's crop of starting pitchers does not have a slam dunk option like it did last offseason (Max Fried) or the offseason before (Yoshinobu Yamamoto).
However, there are plenty of quality, high-upside arms the Mets should have their eyes on.
Here's who New York should be targeting, ranked...
5. Ranger Suarez
Suarez, who turned 30 in August, might be the safest bet -- but he's also the least imposing. He has allowed 8.6 hits per nine during his eight-year career, is not a big strikeout guy, and has never thrown 158 innings or more in a season.
He has been one of the most reliable and effective pitchers in baseball over the last five seasons, though, posting a 3.25 ERA (3.44 FIP) and 1.24 WHIP in 694.1 innings over 143 games (116 starts). For the Phillies this past season, he had a 3.20 ERA and 1.22 WHIP while tossing 157.1 innings across 26 starts.
Suarez has also been an elite postseason performer: In 42.2 innings spanning seven playoff series from 2022 to 2025, he has a 1.48 ERA and 1.05 WHIP.
While Suarez's fastball velocity is well below league average (his four-seamer averaged 91.3 mph in 2025 while his sinker averaged 90.1 mph), his secondary pitches grade out as elite -- Suarez's breaking run value was in the 87th percentile this past season, while his offspeed run value was in the 90th percentile.
Suarez's effectiveness is backed up by most of his advanced stats, but it's fair to wonder how much longer he'll be above average. One of the reasons why is the aforementioned fastball velocity, which has been steadily declining. Suarez's fastball velo was in the 33rd percentile in 2023 (an average of 93.0 mph), the 11th percentile in 2024 (91.2 mph), and the seventh percentile in 2025 (90.5 mph).
No matter how good Suarez's other offerings are, it's very likely going to be hard for him to maintain what he's doing if the fastball velocity continues to dip -- especially when you consider that he threw a fastball (four-seamer or sinker) roughly 43 percent of the time this past season.
4. Framber Valdez
Valdez, who turns 32 in November, has been a workhorse over the last four seasons, posting a 3.21 ERA and 1.15 WHIP across 767.2 innings.
After leading the American League in innings pitched in 2022 (201.1 IP), Valdez hasn't really slowed down. He fired 198.0 innings in 2023, 176.1 innings in 2024, and 192.0 innings this past season.
His ERA in 2025 was 3.66 -- the highest its been since 2019, when Valdez was working mostly in relief. But while the ERA was a tick high, there wasn't much cause for concern elsewhere, as Valdez's WHIP, hit rate, walk rate, home run rate, and strikeout rate were all right around his career averages.
It's also worth noting that Valdez has excelled over the course of his career despite never being an advanced stats darling. Part of the reason why he's able to perform so well while not blowing hitters away is his elite ground ball rate, which was in the 97th percentile in 2025.
On the negative side, there was a troubling moment in September, when Valdez seemingly intentionally crossed up his catcher in order to hit him with a pitch -- and showed no remorse after. For his part, Valdez claimed it was unintentional.
3. Michael King
King, who will be entering his age-31 season in 2026, was tremendous for the Padres in 2024 as he transitioned from relieving to being a full-time starter. Over 173.2 innings in 2024 -- which was nearly 70 innings more than the career-high he tossed in 2023 -- King had a 2.95 ERA (3.33 FIP) and 1.19 WHIP while striking out 201.
King was still effective in 2025, but his season was interrupted twice due to injuries -- he dealt with a nerve injury in his throwing shoulder, and also lost time due to a knee injury.
Looking at King's stuff, while he has a legitimate four-pitch mix (sinker, four-seam fastball, changeup, and sweeper) and also tosses in a slider every now and then, his sinker and four-seamer are noticeably down in velocity.
In 2022, King's sinker averaged 95.5 mph. In 2025, it averaged 92.7 mph.
In 2022, King's four-seamer averaged 96.4 mph. In 2025, it averaged 93.7 mph.
Meanwhile, after King's xERA, chase percentage, whiff percentage, and barrel percentage were all elite in 2024, he was below average in each of those metrics in 2025.
While King has the ability to pitch near the top of the rotation when healthy, questions about his durability could result in the contract he signs this offseason being short. That could mean a three-year contract. Or perhaps King bets on himself and takes a one-year deal with an eye on hitting the market again next offseason and cashing in.
If the Mets think King's stuff will bounce back, he could be a good low-risk, high-reward option.
2. Tatsuya Imai
Imai, 27, was posted by the Seibu Lions on Tuesday, meaning he has until Jan. 2 to reach a deal with an MLB club.
Imai is coming off a huge season for the Lions. In 163.2 innings over 24 starts, the right-hander had a 1.92 ERA and 0.89 WHIP while allowing just 101 hits and striking out 178 -- a strikeout rate of 9.8 per nine.
Over eight seasons pitching for Nippon Professional Baseball, Imai has a 3.15 ERA and 1.26 WHIP. But he has reached another level over the last four seasons, posting earned run averages of 2.04, 2.45, 2.34, and 1.92.
Imai's stuff is considered plus. It includes a fastball that sits in the mid-90s and can reach 99 mph. He also has a splitter, slider, and cutter.
While he isn't viewed by evaluators as the kind of can't-miss ace Yamamoto has become since making the transition from Japan to the majors, Imai is nevertheless expected to get a relatively massive payday.
1. Dylan Cease
If paired with a legitimate top-of-the-rotation starter who is acquired via trade, Cease would be a perfect fit -- bringing the floor of a solid innings-eater and the upside of a Cy Young candidate.
Cease, who is entering his age-30 season, has finished top-four in Cy Young voting two of the last four seasons. However, he's coming off a campaign where he had a 4.55 ERA, and has been an every-other-year performer lately.
The good easily outweighs the bad, though.
Since his first full season in the majors in 2021, Cease has been one of the most reliable pitchers in the sport when it comes to taking the ball. He has made at least 32 starts each of the last five seasons, and has exceeded 165.0 innings in all of them. He tossed 165.2 innings in 2021, 184.0 in 2022, 177.0 in 2023, 189.1 in 2024, and 168.0 in 2025.
Regarding his stuff, Cease relies mainly on a four-seam fastball and slider (he threw the two pitches a combined 82 percent of the time last season), and also mixes in a curve, sinker, and sweeper. How that stuff has graded out has oscillated from season to season, though, which helps explain the variance in Cease's performance.
Cease has a career ERA of 3.88 and a WHIP of 1.26, but his upside is sky high -- and part of the reason for that is his ability to miss bats. He has struck out 214 batters or more in each of the last five seasons and has a career strikeout per nine rate of 10.9. This past season, his 11.5 strikeouts per nine led all qualified starting pitchers.
If Cease's market stays relatively sane -- think a three-or four-year deal -- the Mets should be all over it. Even if it gets pushed to five, it can be argued that it's a risk worth taking.
