NY Mets: Team no longer being interested in Shohei Ohtani a blessing in disguise

The 2023 fourth place New York Mets have had a ton of disappointing moments this season. Between injuries such as an ACL tear to elite closer Edwin Diaz in the World Baseball Classic before the season even began, and a lack of offensive production from stars such as Jeff McNeil after winning the batting champion title the previous year, the team simply didn’t deliver.

However disappointing 2023 was, that only meant more work was cutout for billionaire owner Steve Cohen this offseason. The need for starting pitching grew more prevalent after the trades at the trade deadline of stars Max Scherzer and Justin Verlander. Verlander, 40, current Houston Astros SP, was the most successful in New York of the latter, with a 6-5 record and a 3.15 ERA before the trade to Houston, where he finished 7-3 with a 3.31 ERA.

The lone bright spot remains Kodai Senga, 30, to be sophomore in the MLB coming over from Japan. Senga impressed last year with a 4.5 WAR, a 12-7 record, 2.98 ERA, and 202 strikeouts.

Star free agent SP/ power hitter Shohei Ohtani’s situation currently had fans hoping Queens would be welcoming to the power hitter, who would undoubtedly be seeking a huge contract. Ohtani, who hit 44 home runs and 95 RBIs with a .304 batting average and a .412 OBP, had suffered an injury which made him unable to pitch in 2024.

The Mets have made it public they are not interested in the star, who’s destination is unknown currently.

If the Mets need pitching, it makes sense that that money is spent elsewhere. They need a quick fix to the rotation and although having Ohtani would have been nice, the team is smart to not gamble on a guy who may have a terrible time adjusting and giving the Mets what they think they are getting. The team can’t afford to take chances on guys, they need to know what they are getting is as advertised preferably without significant injuries in the rear view mirror.