Edwin Diaz, Chris Bassitt among four players Mets should consider signing to contract extensions

Over the last two offseasons under owner Steve Cohen, the Mets have put together a team that should be able to compete for a championship as soon as this season.

Some of what the Mets have done with Cohen at the helm has been methodical and some of it has been bold and splashy. But the result is a team that is built to win now while being able to sustain success for years -- one of the main things Cohen set out to accomplish when he purchased the team. 

But while the Mets are in great shape, they should be attempting to get out in front of the potential departures of four players who could be instrumental to the aforementioned sustained success.

The most obvious player to try to lock up to an extension right now is Jacob deGrom, but deGrom has already made it clear that he plans to opt out after the season while staying in "constant contact" with the Mets about a return and preferring to remain a Met.

But even with deGrom off the list of potential contract extensions, there are still four other players the Mets should be open to discussing extensions with right now...

Edwin Diaz

Diaz is set to become a free agent after this season, and unlike deGrom and some of the players listed below, there hasn't been much buzz about the fact that this could possibly be his last season as a Met. 

The mere mention of the 28-year-old Diaz's name has been a lightning rod for some Mets fans, but after his tough first season in Queens in 2019, here's what Diaz has done over the last two seasons:

2.95 ERA (2.39 FIP) and 1.10 WHIP with 139 strikeouts in 88.1 innings (14.2 per 9) while allowing just five home runs -- including only three in 62.2 innings in 2021.

And Diaz's dominance isn't a mirage. A look at his advanced stats on Baseball Savant reveals that he was among the best pitchers in baseball last season when it came to fastball velocity, whiff rate, strikeout rate, hard hit rate, xERA, xBA, xSLG, xwOBA, barrel percentage, and chase rate.

That sounds like a guy the Mets should want to extend, especially when you consider two things.

First, the Mets don't have a closer-in-waiting in the event Diaz leaves. Seth Lugo, Trevor May, and Miguel Castro are all set for free agency after the season.

Second, take a look at what some older relievers have gotten paid recently, including Liam Hendriks, who inked a three-year deal for $54 million with the Chicago White Sox last offseason.

With Diaz making a shade over $10 million this season, the Mets should approach him with an offer of $36 million or so for three years and see if that could be a jumping off point to get something done.

Chris Bassitt

The Mets traded for Bassitt shortly after the lockout ended, giving themselves a perfect pitcher to slot in behind deGrom and Max Scherzer while hopefully offering reliability and upside.

But Bassitt, who has finished top 10 in Cy Young voting each of the last two seasons, is set for free agency after 2022. And Bassitt was the only player the Mets did not avoid arbitration with before the March 22 deadline.

With deGrom's future uncertain, Carlos Carrasco and Taijuan Walker perhaps gone after the season (the Mets hold options on both), and no immediate rotation help coming from the minors, it could make lots of sense for the Mets to explore an extension for Bassitt.

Bassitt, 33, could be one of the better pitchers in a 2022-23 free agency class that is right now set to include Noah Syndergaard, Mike Clevinger, and Clayton Kershaw.

So what might it take for the Mets to pique Bassitt's interest on an extension?

As far as comparable pitchers who recently signed, the 30-year-old Marcus Stroman -- a mid-rotation starter who sometimes offers more -- comes to mind. And he recently inked a three-year deal for $71 million with the Chicago Cubs.

It's hard to see Bassitt getting an average annual value of $23.6 million entering his age-34 season, but maybe something in the three-year, $55 million range (beyond this season) could get talks started.

Brandon Nimmo

Also eligible for free agency after this season, Nimmo has made it clear he's open to talking about an extension with the Mets, who should be all over that possibility.

And though Nimmo recently hired Scott Boras as his agent, it's hard to see the Mets being scared off by that -- not with the club having a solid relationship with Boras, with whom they recently negotiated a megadeal for Scherzer.

The Mets have Starling Marte signed for four years and Mark Canha inked through 2023, so outfield isn't a huge concern. But with Michael Conforto moving on, the Mets could have a gaping hole out there if Nimmo soon follows him out the door.

Nimmo, who will be entering his age-30 season in 2023, is someone whose presence and on-base ability at the top of the lineup would likely be sorely missed.

As far as minor leaguers who could step up by 2023, the only outfield prospect the Mets have who is close to contributing is Khalil Lee. Others, like Alex Ramirez, don't project as big leaguers until 2024 or after.

Pete Alonso

Unlike the other players on the list, Alonso is not set for free agency after 2022. He has two more seasons of arbitration-eligibility after this one, and would hit the market after the 2024 season.

But if Alonso keeps performing the way he has over the first three seasons of his career, his price will just continue to rise. And beyond the performance aspect, Alonso has proven to be a genuine person who works his ass off and truly loves being a Met.

Alonso also might be the Met most likely to be their next captain (and first since David Wright) at some point in the not-too-distant future.

So the Mets have an elite power-hitting first baseman who loves being a Met and could be one of the faces of the franchise for the next decade.

There really isn't any reason to let things play out much longer without attempting to lock Alonso up. 

That doesn't mean a deal should or will happen before the end of this season. But extending Alonso before the 2023 season starts should be something the Mets make one of their priorities.