Mets urged to sign $9 million World Series champion to solidify bullpen

The New York Mets are trying to figure out whether Pete Alonso or someone different will man first base in 2025. However, there are still relievers the Mets could add without breaking the bank.

José Leclerc remains unsigned after being a staple of the Texas Rangers bullpen for the last couple of seasons. He could be a solid addition to the Mets and FanSided's Noah Wright urged them to sign the veteran right-hander. Leclerc had a 4.32 ERA in 2024 after posting a 2.75 ERA in 96 games from 2022-2023. He was a key part of the Rangers World Series title in 2023.

"Although he stumbled a bit in 2024, there is a lot of evidence that could make him a rebound candidate in 2025," wrote Wright. "Leclerc had a 4.32 ERA, which was a huge step back from back-to-back sub-3.00 ERA seasons. But his strikeout rate was above 30% for the first time since 2019 at 30.9%. His 11.1% walk rate was also about where it sat between 2022-2023. The veteran reliever was not home run prone either, posting a solid 0.95 home runs-per-9 ratio throughout 66.2 innings of work."

Spotrac projects him to sign a two-year, $9 million deal in free agency. He could be a great addition for the Mets to potentially serve as a setup man for Edwin Díaz. His inexpensive contract projection makes it so it should not impact the Mets' efforts to sign Alonso.

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