Another day, another reminder of how the Mets keep watching big names slip through their fingers! Just when fans were starting to hope the front office might finally turn a corner after missing out on Pete Alonso, Edwin Díaz, and Robert Suárez, yet another target has landed somewhere else. And to make matters worse, the latest report only complicates things further for the Mets’ bullpen plans.

This time, it’s the Blue Jays who swooped in, signing a closer that Mets GM David Stearns had circled as a complement to Devin Williams. So now, look at the list: Edwin Díaz is gone, Robert Suárez is gone, and now Tyler Rogers appears to be the next name drifting off the Mets’ radar. For a team desperate to lock down the ninth inning, the options just keep shrinking.

“Free-agent reliever Tyler Rogers in agreement with the Blue Jays on three-year, $37M contract,” SleeperMets quoted insider Ken Rosenthal.

So, the Mets won’t be getting a reunion with Tyler Rogers! He has agreed to a deal with the Blue Jays on a reported three-year, $37 million contract, with a vesting option that could push the total to $48 million.

For the unversed, Rogers was excellent during his short stint with the Mets after arriving from the Giants at the trade deadline. Over 27.1 innings in 28 appearances, he posted a 2.30 ERA. But now that he is also gone, the Mets would be back again to their drawing board to target the next name on the list.

And this move doesn’t just sting the Mets, but is another gut punch for the Yankees, too. Remember, the Blue Jays outbid the Yankees to land Dylan Cease on a massive $210 million deal. Now they’ve done it again, beating the Mets to one of their bullpen priorities.

Wait, because the Jays are not yet over with their dominance!

According to ESPN’s Alden Gonzalez, the Blue Jays are willing to go as high as $400 million to land Kyle Tucker. The Mets, meanwhile, haven’t shown clear signs they’re ready to go to that level. And the Yankees are essentially out of the running after ownership committed to keeping payroll under $300 million.

Hence, Rogers slipping away feels like another reminder that, outside of the Dodgers, it’s the Blue Jays who are now beating New York’s teams at their own game.

The Mets are again back to basics

Just a day ago, we shared the probable targets for the Mets after losing Díaz to the Dodgers. Rogers was on the list. So now, the next name is Pete Fairbanks.

Well, Fairbanks is widely viewed as the top remaining high-leverage reliever on the market. He’s coming off a strong season with Tampa Bay, posting a 2.83 ERA, 1.04 WHIP, 59 SOs, and 27 saves over 60.1 innings. Over his career, the right-hander owns a 3.19 ERA and 90 saves in 275 appearances, all with the Rays across seven big-league seasons.

Top Stories

Blue Jays Make Massive Offseason Powerplay While Bo Bichette & Kyle Tucker Remain Unsigned

Blue Jays to Show Exit Door to 3 Playoff Stars as Ross Atkins Plans Major Changes: MLB Winter Meeting Rumors

Blue Jays’ Kyle Tucker–Bo Bichette Push Turns Toronto’s Mockery Into AL East Nightmare as Yankees Face New Threat

Mets Told to Move on From Cody Bellinger Pursuit for $180M Free Agent Slugger

So, despite losing the big names, the Mets still could go with Fairbanks to place him alongside Devin Williams.

The Mets still have plenty of work to do in shaping their bullpen, and Fairbanks would immediately check a major box by bringing some much-needed stability to the back end. That said, it’s no surprise he’s drawing serious interest from other teams.

So, if the Mets don’t want a repeat of how things slipped away with Díaz and Suárez, they may need to move quickly. Wait too long, and Fairbanks could be off the board and out of New York’s reach.