The New York Mets’ offseason fell apart overnight. Kyle Tucker signed a $240 million deal with the Los Angeles Dodgers, leaving the Mets with nothing after what seemed like productive talks. The loss hurt even more because Bo Bichette and Ketel Marte, who were their backup plans, both left the market at the same time. The Toronto Blue Jays also lost their top spot when the Dodgers swooped in and took baseball’s top prize.

The double blow became clear when the Mets’ backup targets disappeared. A tweet from Crory drew attention to the sudden drop in the market: “According to @alexspeier, the Red Sox appear to be unlikely suitors for Bo Bichette after the signing of Ranger Suárez. Speier also describes the Ketel Marte trade door as ‘firmly shut’ according to one major league source familiar with Arizona’s stance.”

The Mets had seen both players as possible replacements for Tucker. This news meant they lost access to over $300 million in player value—Ketel Marte’s $116.5 million deal and Bichette’s projected $210 million worth—representing the two main offensive upgrades they had been looking for.

Teams that were counting on these options couldn’t have picked a worse time. Bo Bichette’s value was expected to be $210 million, but he bounced back in 2025 after a bad 2024. He hit .311 with 3.5 WAR, which was a big change from his .225 average and -0.3 bWAR the year before.

His comeback made him a good option for the Mets’ infield needs instead of Tucker. Ketel Marte’s $116.5 million contract showed that he was a consistent player. In 2024, he played multiple defensive positions for Arizona and had a slash line of.292/.370/.456.

The Mets had thought about both players as backup plans, but when Boston backed off of Bichette and Arizona firmly said no to Marte trades, their whole offseason plan fell apart in a matter of hours.

The Mets were in trouble right away after losing Tucker, but losing Bichette as their backup plan made things even worse. After missing the playoffs by one game in 2025, they spent the whole offseason trying to get Tucker. His .377 on-base percentage and 22 home runs showed that their lineup needed a middle-of-the-order hitter who could get on base all the time.

The Mets had Bichette ready to fill the offensive gap when Tucker chose the Dodgers. FanDuel has the Mets at +1100 for the 2026 World Series, but they now have a big hole in their lineup. Those odds suggest serious doubts about their incomplete roster. Their chances of winning the championship are getting worse because their main and secondary targets are gone, and spring training is only a few weeks away. The front office has to work hard to find answers in a market that is quickly running out of options.

Mets Pivot to Pitching After Tucker Loss

The Mets had to change their outfield plans because the original plan fell through. Why go after bats in a market that isn’t full when there are still good arms out there?

Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic, an MLB insider, said the Mets have their sights set on four starting pitchers who could save their offseason.

There are two good trade options.

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Last season, Freddy Peralta won 17 games for Milwaukee and had an ERA of 2.70. Washington’s MacKenzie Gore gives the team more control. “Peralta edges Gore in pure talent, but both pitchers carry comparable price tags heading into the offseason,” Rosenthal said.

There are two more ways to go in free agency. Framber Valdez is the best left-handed pitcher out there.”Valdez would command top dollar and likely demand an extended contract,” sources in the league say. Zac Gallen had a rough 2025 and might need a shorter deal to get his value back up.

The choice is very important. Valdez and Gallen only cost money; they don’t have any prospects. Washington doesn’t trade within the division very often, so it looks like Peralta is easier to get than Gore. No matter what the Mets decide, they have to add pitching now; it’s not an option for 2026.