The New York Mets seemed like the perfect landing spot for Vladimir Guerrero Jr. in free agency next offseason, but the Toronto Blue Jays didn’t want that to happen. Instead, Toronto has reportedly agreed to a massive $500 million contract extension with Guerrero.
This leaves the Mets to use their money somewhere else in free agency next winter, and the options should be plentiful.
FanSided’s Zachary Rotman suggested the Mets could pivot to signing Kyle Schwarber of the Philadelphia Phillies next offseason.
“With how dynamic and imposing Schwarber is at the plate, why shouldn’t the Mets want him? Sure, he has limitations in terms of hitting for average, playing the field and running the bases, but the DH spot exists,” Rotman wrote. “The Mets can simply use Schwarber in that spot just about every day, as the Phillies have for much of his tenure there and watch him hit dingers.
“I mean, can you imagine adding Schwarber to a lineup that has Juan Soto, Francisco Lindor, Pete Alonso, Mark Vientos and Brandon Nimmo? At 32 years old with his limitations, Schwarber likely isn’t looking at a very lengthy deal. Signing him would make their offense even more potent while simultaneously weakening one of their biggest competitors.”
Schwarber, 32, has been a crucial piece of Philadelphia’s success over the last few years, so it’s hard to imagine him leaving. But at the end of the day, money talks.
Adding such a slugger to a lineup that’ll already have Francisco Lindor, Mark Vientos, Juan Soto, Pete Alonso and many others would be borderline unfair for the rest of the league.
The Mets can afford Schwarber, and it wouldn’t be shocking to see them pursue him very aggressively.
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