Neither Dallas Keuchel nor Craig Kimbrel are expected to sign with the Mets this year.
But the team is nonetheless maintaining a dialogue with the pair of unsigned hurlers.
According to The Athletic's Ken Rosenthal and Dennis Lin, the Mets have "checked in" with Keuchel and Kimbrel "as a matter of due diligence."
That doesn't mean the Mets are close at all to a deal with either pitcher, but they previously had not been linked to them.
The team entered the season with a set five-man rotation, making the signing of Keuchel unlikely. The same goes for Kimbrel, who expects closer-type money; the Mets already have Jeurys Familia and Edwin Diaz manning the back end of the bullpen, but they began the season with seven relievers and could always expand to eight.
However, it appears the Mets are leaving no stone unturned as other National League East clubs -- such as the Braves or Phillies -- might also be targeting Keuchel or Kimbrel.
The Brewers and Rays have also been closely linked to Kimbrel.
