The New York Mets‘ most recent campaign left a lot to be desired, prompting David Stearns and company to make significant changes ahead of next season. A recent report from Jeff Passan suggests that the Queens-based team is in an excellent position to land Tarik Skubal, potentially offering him a lucrative contract while still remaining under the salary cap.
“The Mets can sign Skubal and remain under the cap. They’d be top-heavy, sure, but with money to offload to teams that need to reach a floor, and an excellent group of players who still would not be in arbitration, it’s perfectly reasonable. If there is no cap, there is no issue,” the insider revealed.
“And for both of those reasons — plus a real need for quality starting pitching and the means to give Skubal a record contract — the Mets find themselves in the strongest position to land the best free agent by a long shot this winter.”
Mets fans’ hopes of signing the ace continue to grow with each passing day, as the dream of building a competitive roster remains a top priority. Will the Big Apple become the destination for one of the best pitchers in MLB?
Tarik Skubal #29 of the Los Angeles Dodgers reacts to a double.
How much could Skubal bring to the Mets?
If Tarik Skubal winds up in Queens, he wouldn’t just join the Mets—he’d instantly rewrite the identity of their entire rotation as a true, undisputed Ace. Coming off back-to-back AL Cy Young awards (2024–2025) and a dominant 2026 campaign split between Detroit and LA where he posted a 2.72 ERA, a 0.96 WHIP, and 186 strikeouts over 158.2 innings, the left-hander brings pure filth to the mound.
Armed with a high-90s elevated fastball and arguably the most unhittable, wipeout changeup in baseball, he offers New York a genuine big-game stopper capable of delivering double-digit strikeouts on any given night. Beyond the elite stat sheet, he adds an aggressive, ruthless bulldog intensity that Queens hasn’t seen since Jacob deGrom—giving the Mets a cornerstone front-line anchor to headline their playoff rotations for years to come.
Mets would have to pay big for Skubal
Entering free agency, Tarik Skubal is set to land a contract that will rewrite pitch-only financial records. Market projections put his baseline around 8 years and $350 million to $400 million, commanding an incredible $44M to $48M in Average Annual Value (AAV) to eclipse Yoshinobu Yamamoto’s record $325 million total package and Max Scherzer’s $43.3 million AAV.
Compared to Francisco Lindor’s 10-year, $341 million megadeal ($34.1M AAV), Skubal’s contract would easily bypass Lindor in annual paycheck by $10M+ a year, and likely top his total contract value despite playing fewer years as a starting pitcher.
Key takeaways
- The New York Mets are in position to land free agent pitcher Tarik Skubal.
- Tarik Skubal posted a 2.72 ERA and 186 strikeouts over 158.2 innings in 2026.
- Tarik Skubal is projected to command an eight-year deal worth $350M to $400M.
