"The DH is probably more likely than a Blake Snell" - MLB insider sheds light on Mets' priority ahead of Spring training

The New York Mets had an underwhelming 2023 season after only winning 75 games and finishing fourth in the NL East division. However, they are determined to turn things around by making significant additions to the roster in the offseason.

The Mets have been actively participating in the offseason, but so far, they have failed to lure any major names to the club.

There is still a big-name free agent available, Blake Snell, whom the Mets could potentially pursue. This comes after their failed attempt to acquire Yoshinobu Yamamoto. However, MLB insider Andy Martino thinks that the Queens are in greater need of a designated hitter, rather than Snell, at the moment.

“I think if you're looking for something splash-ish, the DH is probably more likely than a Snell, although Snell's still out there, so perhaps more calls will be made,” said Martino in the “Mets Hot Stove” show.

Todd Zeile, another MLB analyst, agrees with Martino's assessment and says:

“I don't think he's a great match for this team. I don't think he's a great match for New York City ... I really feel that his makeup seems to be a little volatile at times, to be able to be consistent in New York City.”

Snell has a consistency issue in the long term. He has pitched only a total of 413.2 innings from 2019 to 2022. Although Snell won his second Cy Young Award and dominated last year with a 2.25 ERA, Zeile does not believe that he is a long-term candidate for the Mets.

“Right now I think they're going to try to find some guys that can get a little bit more length and consistency," Zeile said. "And if you're going to go all in on a big free agent signing, I don't think he's (Blake Snell) the guy that you bring in.”

New York Mets' offseason so far

The New York Mets had the highest payroll in 2023, spending almost $346 million. However, it didn't result in success, with the team failing to make October baseball.

To address their bullpen issues, the Mets signed former New York Yankees ace Luis Severino. After failing to sign Yoshinobu Yamamoto, the Mets added some players off waivers, including Max Kranick and Diego Castillo. They also added depth with transactions that included Adrian Houser and Yohan Ramirez.

The Mets managed to avoid arbitration with several players, such as Pete Alonso and David Peterson, by agreeing to one-year deals. However, they did not sign any players to long-term contracts.