Mets checklist for 2024 MLB Winter Meetings after landing Juan Soto

With the 2024 MLB Winter Meetings starting in Dallas, the Mets still have plenty of work to do.

Aside from the signings of Frankie Montas and Clay Holmes, who will join Kodai Senga and David Peterson as two of five or six members of the 2025 starting rotation, the Mets -- like pretty much every team -- hadn't done too much of substance in what has been another slow-moving offseason.

That was until Sunday night when Juan Soto decided to trade the Bronx for Queens and sign a massive deal with the Mets.

With the No. 1 priority on the Mets' checklist boxed off, there is still other work to be done.

Here's what David Stearns and the Mets have on their plate as they build what is expected to be a serious World Series contender...

Figure out the first base situation

With Pete Alonso's future uncertain, so is the Mets' situation at first base.

Alonso is coming off two relatively down years and about to enter his age-30 season, and it's hard to see the bidding for him getting too insane. Perhaps he'll wind up with a five-year deal for between $125 million and $150 million.

If the above is where the Alonso bidding ends up, it makes all the sense in the world for the Mets to bring him back. If it goes beyond that, the Mets could be inclined to move on.

And if New York does move on, they can go internal or external.

The internal possibility is Mark Vientos, who played four games at first base last season and 10 games there in 2023. If Vientos shifted to first base, the Mets would conceivably sign a free agent for third base (Alex Bregman is among the best fits on the free agent market).

If the Mets go external at first base, free agent Christian Walker could make the most sense. Walker has been a well above average hitter the last three seasons, and has won three Gold Gloves in a row.

Rebuild the rotation

Following the signings of Montas and Holmes, the Mets still need to make one or two more legitimate external starting pitching additions -- and it can be argued that one of them should have ace potential.

It doesn't seem like the Mets will be making a run at top-of-the-line arms like Corbin Burnes or Max Fried, who are both likely to get deals that exceed $200 million.

Long-term deals for pitchers on the wrong side of 30 very rarely work out, and there are serious warning signs with both Burnes (alarming drop in strikeout rate) and Fried (worrisome injury history).

Beyond Burnes and Fried, there are some really intriguing free agent arms, including Walker Buehler. And the Mets could also pursue a reunion with Sean Manaea, who seems destined for a four-year deal after Yusei Kikuchi -- who is a year older than Manaea and doesn't have nearly the upside -- got three years from the Angels.

There's also 23-year-old Japanese ace Roki Sasaki, who is the prize of the market. Sasaki has a fastball that sits in the high-90s and touches 102 mph, an otherworldly splitter, and impeccable command.

And since he's just 23 years old has accumulated only four years of service time in Japan, Sasaki won't be able to sign anything but a minor league deal -- with his contract counting toward his signing team's international bonus pool allotment.

Decide if now is the time for a big trade

Last offseason, Stearns made it clear that it was highly unlikely the Mets would part with any of their most valued prospects in a trade. The team simply wasn't in a position to push its chips in.

But following a run to the NLCS and in the midst of an aggressive offseason, Stearns has suggested the Mets are open to making the kind of trade that would mean dealing key prospects. That wouldn't mean gutting the farm system, but it could mean dealing at least one or two legitimate top prospects.

And if the Mets are willing to make a big deal, the most logical target is White Sox left-hander Garrett Crochet, who will almost certainly be traded this offseason.

Crochet has two years left of team control and is just 25 years old, so that cost could be astronomical. But if he's open to signing an extension once traded, it could be worth it.

Brewers closer Devin Williams, who is one year from free agency, could also be available. And he won't cost nearly as much as Crochet.

It's also possible to envision a scenario where the Blue Jays dangle Vladimir Guerrero Jr., who has one year remaining on his deal.

Address the bullpen

As the Mets build their relief corps, there are seemingly three guarantees and a whole lot of question marks.

Edwin Diaz will be the closer, Dedniel Núñez (if back healthy as expected) should be a key setup arm, and Reed Garrett will be a factor. Jose Butto could be an important cog if the Mets keep him in a relief role instead of shifting him back to the rotation, and Holmes may also join the mix if the rotation experiment doesn't work out.

Regarding the free agent market, the Mets could conceivably turn to one of the top bullpen arms to create a powerful 1-2 punch with Diaz. That would mean signing someone like Carlos Estevez, Tanner Scott, or Jeff Hoffman.

Less expensive options with tons of upside include Ryne Stanek (who was strong for the Mets during their run to the NLCS), A.J. Minter, and Jose Leclerc.