After Japanese ace Yoshinobu Yamamoto signed with the Los Angeles Dodgers on a historic 12-year deal late last week, the Mets were forced to turn their attention elsewhere to fill out their starting rotation.
Among the targets New York was connected to was right-hander Lucas Giolito.
Giolito is coming off a rough season across three teams, but he certainly would’ve made a ton of sense for the Mets on a one-to-two-year prove-it deal, however, he ended up signing with Boston on Friday night.
The Mets had an offer on the table and were said to be among the most aggressive suitors for the 29-year-old, but now they’ll have to turn their attention elsewhere yet again.
Top arms such as lefties Blake Snell and Jordan Montgomery remain on the board, but numerous reports have indicated that David Stearns and company aren’t searching in that tier this offseason.
With that in mind, here are some options remaining for the Mets to consider to fill out their rotation.
LHP Hyun-Jin Ryu
Ryu is a bit of an injury risk having topped the 25-start mark just twice during his 10-year MLB career, but when he’s on the mound he’s been one of the more reliable and effective southpaws out there.
The veteran has posted a strong 3.27 ERA and 1.18 WHIP over his tenure.
Ryu is coming off a campaign in which he made just 11 starts in his return from Tommy John surgery, but he was relatively effective, allowing two runs or fewer in eight of those outings and posting a 3.46 ERA and 1.28 WHIP.
The 36-year-old certainly knows how to handle himself on the mound against big league hitters, it’s just a matter of whether he can stay healthy or not.
Ryu is probably one of the top middle-tier arms remaining for the Mets, and he could make a ton of sense on a one or two-year deal, similar to the one they gave right-hander Luis Severino earlier in free agency.
LHP Shota Imanaga
Imanaga is perhaps one of the most intriguing arms remaining on the free agent market.
The southpaw doesn’t quite possess the upside and potential that Yamamoto brings over to the States, but he certainly enjoyed his fair share of success during his eight years in the NPB.
Imanaga is coming off a season in which he posted a 2.66 ERA, 1.01 WHIP, and 188 strikeouts across 24 starts with the Yokohama Bay Stars. He also got the start for Team Japan against USA in the finals of the World Baseball Classic and allowed just one run across four innings.
It’s still unknown what type of contract Imanaga will be looking for on the open market, but he certainly is the type of arm the Mets should be considering.
The 30-year-old may be seeking a longer-term deal than the Mets are comfortable giving out at this point making him a potential long shot, but if they can reach a deal putting him alongside Kodai Senga would be a nice boost to this rotation.