The New York Mets need to make some changes. New York wanted to compete this year but fell short of that goal to say the least. Overall, this Mets team has some legitimate uncertainty. Signing a superstar such as Tarik Skubal in MLB free agency would certainly represent a boost, but is New York even planning to pursue him this offseason?
“From my understanding… I think this is a deal that could happen if Steve Cohen wants it to happen,” Chelsea Janes of SNY said. “… That doesn't mean Steve Cohen is running the team, it doesn't mean David Stearns doesn't have a say. I know that kind of gets muddled sometimes when we talk about this. But I think we all know that there are times when Steve Cohen enters the conversation and says look, ‘You might not have done this because it was financially uncomfortable in another place. This might not be the player you would have pursued if you were really pinching pennies in Milwaukee, but here, we have the money.'”
Skubal was traded from the Detroit Tigers to the Los Angeles Dodgers before the 2026 deadline. The 29-year-old southpaw wasn't quite as dominant this past year as he was during his Cy Young seasons in 2024 and 2025, but he still pitched well. He missed time during the season due to injury as well. There isn't a team in baseball that would complain about a 2.72 ERA and 186 strikeouts across 26 outings.
Article Continues BelowThe Mets have been linked to many big-name free agents over the years, so it wouldn't be surprising to see them pursue Skubal.