After signing Bo Bichette, all the talk regarding the New York Mets now revolves around the pitching position. The Orange and Blue are in need of some help on the mound, but reports indicate they will not be looking in the direction of an All-Star on a fellow NL East club in MLB.
There has been no shortage of pitchers linked to the Mets in the 2026 MLB offseason. After signing Bichette to a three-year, $126 million deal, the Mets face a dilemma with a rising star. Moreover, New York still faces an unsolved crisis on the mound and at the bullpen. Thus, the buzz around the ace position won’t quiet down anytime soon.
However, some options are less likely than others. In that regard, a recent report around MLB indicates the Mets are not pursuing Washington Nationals starting pitcher MacKenzie Gore, who earned his first invite to the All-Star Game in the 2025 season.
According to a report by The Athletic’s Will Sammon, the Mets making a move for the left-handed pitcher is a long shot. Gore is coming off a strong year with the Nationals, as he posted 3.0 WAR, 4.17 ERA, and 185 strikeouts. Still, New York isn’t blown away by his numbers and will instead look elsewhere to strengthen its rotation.
MacKenzie Gore before a pitch
Another name off the list
According to the same report, Kansas City Royals ace Kris Bubic is another candidate the organization in Queens is not looking too deep into. Instead, the Mets will continue their pursuit for pitching assistance elsewhere in MLB.
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Last season, Bubic appeared in 20 games for the Royals (starting in all of them). Through them all, the 28-year-old registered 3.1 WAR, 2.55 ERA, and 116 strikeouts. Like Gore, Bubic earned an invite to the All-Star, after allowing just 98 hits, 38 runs, 33 earned runs, and 6 home runs in the 2025 MLB campaign.
Who are Mets being linked to?
Despite both Bubic and Gore playing some of the best baseball of their MLB careers, the Mets are still not buying into the hype and will explore the pitching market elsewhere.
As things stand, Framber Valdez and Freddy Peralta are the main targets in Queens. However, the Mets are being challenged by the Los Angeles Dodgers, who intensified their pursuit of the Milwaukee Brewers’ premier starter.
There’s still time left before Opening Day 2026, but the clock is ticking and the asking prices aren’t going down. Sooner or later, New York will be forced to make a move.
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